[Anonymous]

Hi
We have a Bav34 2002.
The start battery does not get charged by shore power whereas the domestic batteries do. Both get charged from the alternator.

We have a Calira Sealine 12v 27A charger that has charging outlets labelled as follows:-
BAT BAT BAT
I I/II II
+ – +

Connections are made to BAT I/II – and to BAT II + There is no connection to BAT I + .

The circuit diagrams that came with the boat indicate a diode in the alternator circuit.

Is it simply a case of connecting BAT I + and a second lead from BAT I/II – to the start battery?

John

[Anonymous]

I would say yes. However, it would be a good idea to check the voltage between BAT 1+ and BAT 1/11. It should read around 14V.

I have tried to find details of your charger on-line but would need the model number to pin it down. Also, the English version of the Calira website is not yet available (and my German is non existant!).

I’m sure the connections are meant to be used for a second battery. My only slight concern is whether both circuits have the same output power or whether one circuit has higher charging current than the other (e.g. my Mastervolt charger has one output rated at 40A for the service battery (bank) and the second outlet is rated at 5A (IIRC) for the engine battery (as it would normally need much less charge)).

Do you have a manual for the charger that gives any indication?

[Anonymous]

Hi Roger
Thanks for responding.

I see that you have suffered from the same problems as me – my German is non existant apart from a few lines in Evis’s “Wooden Heart”!!

Unfortunately there was no manual for the Sealine charger and the Bavaria Manual is not very clear – particularly in the area of the circuit from the alternator and how it relates to the charging circuit from the Sealine.

My concern is that the Sealine might be making use of the fact that the batteries are linked together for charging from the alternator and sop only needs the one charging circuit to be connected. If this is the case then I need to look elsewhere for the problem.

John

[Anonymous]

if you go to the website, to the charger you want, right click document and click translate document it translates into english .

[Anonymous]

@Alana II wrote:

Hi Roger

My concern is that the Sealine might be making use of the fact that the batteries are linked together for charging from the alternator and sop only needs the one charging circuit to be connected. If this is the case then I need to look elsewhere for the problem.

John

Hi John

If the charger is connected to the battery side of the diode, then the engine battery will not ‘see’ the charger (as it’s the other side of the blocking diode) and therefore won’t be charger from the mains charger.

If it is connected this way (which is what I would expect) then it should be OK to connect the other mains charger circuit to the engine battery as discussed in my earlier post above.

If the mains charger is actually connected to the alternator side of the diodes then both batteries will be receiving charge from the charger and you need take no further action.

If it is difficult to see where the wiring goes, another way to check is using a voltmeter (either the Bavaria one or a simple hand held meter). Before switching the mains charger on, check that both batteries are ‘rested’ i.e. showing less than 13V. Then switch the charger on and take voltage readings on both batteries. If both batteries show in excess of 13.5V then they are both receiving charge. If only the service battery is showing a high voltage then only that one is receiving charge, in which case wiring the engine battery to the second charger circuit, as above, will be OK.

Hope that helps

Roger

[Anonymous]

Hi Roger
Thanks again. I will work through it as you suggest.

regards
John

[Author]

Posts