Wiring and Battery Addition

[jcb1977]

You would want to create a common ground by connecting House and Start Battery negatives along with all other equipment grounds. The positives of course would be wired to separately to the battery switch.

Easiest way is to use a bus bar and connect all your negative/ground wires to it. could put one bus bar back by the batteries and one at the helm if your going to be adding alot of electronics.

 

[Clacava]

Easiest way is to use a bus bar and connect all your negative/ground wires to it. could put one bus bar back by the batteries and one at the helm if your going to be adding alot of electronics.

My blue sea add a battery is for 65 amp, will that matter that it is not a 120 amp

 

[jcb1977]

My blue sea add a battery is for 65 amp, will that matter that it is not a 120 amp

I believe the 65-amp version would be sufficient but can't say for certain. if it's not too late, I would switch to the 120-amp version for peace of mind.

 

[Clacava]

I wanted to post what I ended up doing using your install as a guide but did a few things differently.....before this I had installed a second battery with a single circuit layout (1/2/off/combine switch). I fried two connext displays for some reason, still not exactly sure why, but before I get the third screen installed I figured I should try changing something to try and avoid it. Figured I would try a dual circuit with on/off switch this time. I mounted the negative busbar on a piece of wood blocking using the bolts for the table holder (I do have a cover for the ground busbar but didn't have it on when I took the picture).

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. When I am at rest and playing the radio etc, will the acr know where to get the power from?also do I need a start isolator attached to ignition switch?

 

[jcb1977]

. When I am at rest and playing the radio etc, will the acr know where to get the power from?also do I need a start isolator attached to ignition switch?

The ACR is only active when it senses a charge and then combines the two batteries into one so both get charged. when engines are off, ACR is not active and batteries are independent. House battery is powering electronics. Start Battery should have no draw since engines are off (unless you would have a bilge pump or something wired to the Start Battery).

From what I can tell, most here have not used the start isolator feature.