looking for a part/device

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Philyteach

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I remember reading on here about a device that automatically disconnects a battery when the voltage drops to a certain point, but I can't remember what its called. I can't find the message again either. Can anyone help me out?
 
Careful the one's I used on my car collection were not ignition protected. They also did a poor job. I still had many dead batteries even with the devices. I'll see if I can dig one up if you need one I'll be glad to give it to you. I can look when I return from the boat to the office on Tuesday.
Bill
 
Bill, what are they called? Its killing me that I can't remember! OTOH, if they don't work I guess I should go through the boat and see what the manufacturer decided should be running when the batteries are off and disconnect them. I know pumps are constant on (and I'll leave it that way) but so are CO and fire detectors and at least one bus for the stereo memory. Which is all great, but if I'm away for 2 weeks or so I end up with a completely discharged battery. My batteries are only lasting 2-3 seasons because of it.
 
One type is called Prority Start! Never tried it though.
 
Thanks Sandy. They have a CG approved model. I just can't figure out what I want to do. Bill's post is rather damning for them and the Amazon reviews haven't been much better. People either swear by them or at them. OTOH they're 8-0 bucks, about the cost of a battery. Sigh, I 'm never this indecisive.
 
Kiss! theory comes to mind here keep it simple.... good batteries.. good cables... good connections anything else is just fancy crap that always fails at the worst time
 
Phily, do you have Merc outdrives on your boat? Mercathode electrodes are wired hot to the batteries and even with switches off will still draw current. Found that out the hard way once.
 
Simplest thing I can think of is dedicated batteries... with the engine battery handling NOTHING but the engine, and everything else on the house battery. Connect/separate the two with a battery combiner which disconnects about as soon as the engine stops.

It works for me.
 
I have to agree separate your house loads from the starting loads. You can keep it simple or complex as you need too. I do not recommend this device because by the time mine dropped the battery out and I got back to wanting to drive the cars a couple of months went by and the battery's self discharge rate did the battery in.
Even if you could get an ignition protected unit you still have the chemistry specific battery discharge rate to deal with if you don't have a constant charging source.
Bill
 
Thanks for the replies guys. To clarify I do in fact have two separate battery banks. The problem has two parts: 1. Battery One has constant load on it from the bilge pumps, mercathode, fire and CO detectors. If I leave the boat boat unattended for 2-3 weeks there is enough draw to deep discharge the battery. As you know, a few cycles of deep discharge and the battery is toast. 2. The simple solution is to plug in the battery charger when I'm going to be away for a bit. This is what I usually do, but there's a weird wrinkle to this story. My boat does not have shore power, so to run my charger I have to plug it into the 120v plug on the pedestal. So far so good, but what I discovered is that the 120v receptacle is on the same breaker as the photosensor night lights. The dock owner, to save a few pennies, has been turning off every other night light. Guess whose usually gets turned off my accident? No one else has a problem with him doing that because the 30 and 50 amp service is on a different breaker.
 
Phillyteach,

Save yourself alot of problems, and get an adaptor to go from the 30amp service, to 15amp outlet. Then plug into the 30amp outlet and you will not get shut off. If you are concerned about the 30amp breaker on you extension cord, use a shore power cord and put the adaptor right at your charger.

I would be more concerned about not having the power needed to run your mecathode and your pumps then I would be about the battery. Replacing the battery is cheap compared to a flooded boat.
 
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