Help! Add-a-battery

[jslipher]

I need someone's help on advice for what to check after installing my Blue Sea Add-a-battery system (http://assets.bluesea.com/files/reso.../990310020.pdf). I have a 2014 Sport 200 Team Edition (with Linc screen). It only came with 1 battery and was located in the port v-drive locker. There was/is a main kill switch by the driver's feet. I decided to add a second battery using the Blue Sea system with Automatic Relay included. My Problem: When I turn the main switch to the 'On' position I do not get any power at my screen nor do my amp lights turn on, I do however hear my fuel pump cycle. Here is how I hooked up the system:

• I replaced the main kill switch that had On / Off only with the red kill switch that came with the Blue Sea System (Off - On - Combine Batteries), and kept it located in the same position as the stock switch by the driver's feet.
• There were 2 large power cables coming from the back of the boat that were connected to the stock power switch. I assumed these were for the starter and starter battery (original battery). I therefore hooked these up to the appropriate studs on Bank 2 of the New switch (see link).
• There was 1 other large power cable that was coming from a distribution fuse block both located near the driver's feet. I assumed this was the power for the House electronics, so I hooked this up to Bank 1 of the new switch.
• I routed the power from my amps to Bank 1 of the new switch.
• I then routed the positive side of the New 2nd battery to the other stud on Bank 1 of the new switch. By doing this I figured I had separated the house electronics from the starter.
• As for the Grounds: I did not change any grounds from the house electronics, but it looks they were connected to 2 different negative bus bars which eventually lead back to the block on the engine. The original battery (now the starter battery) ground was also hooked to the engine block. The new battery (now the house battery) has the amplifier ground hooked to it, but it DOES NOT ground to the engine block (could this be my problem?).
• As for the Blue Sea automatic relay, I have one positive cable going to the starter battery and one positive cable going to the house battery. The small ground wire on the automatic relay goes to the ground on the starter battery.
• It's probably worth noting that I used the m-series switch (300A continuous rating) instead of the e-series switch (350A continuous rating) because the m-series was the same size as the stock switch and fit into the mounting hole perfectly. I figured this would not be an issue because it was approved for stock and amperage rating was close to the same. I DID keep the ACR switch for 120A (e-series package).

Can anyone here see anything wrong with my setup? I can't figure out why I do not get any power when the plug is in the 'On' position (with the exception of what sounds like the fuel pump)!?? Thank you for your help.

**The other thing that is weird is the Blue Sea automatic relay light is on (no flashing), even though the main switch is off. The on light according to the directions means the batteries are charging as if the motor was running and the relay is engaged. This does not make any sense either.

[MLA]

As to the equipment not powering up with the new switch on, sounds like the feed is either left off, or a fuse/breaker is tripped. Any of the 4 switch posts would have supplied power to the screen and anything else that was original powered by the old switch. 2 of the posts are "hot" all the time and would have kept everything powered up and the other 2 get supplied when the switch is on.

Hard to armchair diagnose with a complex system conversion. May need to take a volt meter and trace those dead circuits back to where they terminate, which would be the point of where there should be voltage.

To some of the other points. Your amps should not wake up/power on until the head unit or "stereo switch" is used. You dont want the amps' turn-on circuit wired to a constant B+.

With the ACR wired directly to the batteries, yes its normal for the combine light to be illuminated as the batteries are equalizing. It will go out, un-combine, once one battery drops down due to some parasitic draw.

[functionoverfashion]

You should definitely either run a ground cable from your new battery to the old one, or directly to the engine block as the other one is done. I don't think that's the problem, but it's still worth doing.

One thing I don't understand from the PDF, is when the switch is ON, both Bank 1 and Bank 2 are closed circuits, yes - or they are supposed to be? So each side gets power, but they are independent. And when switched to OFF, both circuits are open, and nothing gets power? Because it sure sounds like only Bank 2 is closing properly. I'd get a tester and check that out.

[MLA]

"but it DOES NOT ground to the engine block"

F-o-F may be on to something. In your post, you state this ^. The new battery DOES NOT have to ground to the block, but if you look at the diagram, the new battery's ground HAS TO connect to ground in order to complete the circuit. Otherwise that new battery technically has no voltage output.

[jslipher]

Thank you for the responses MLA and functionoverfashion! It sounds like I just need to get in there with a tester. I agree that it looks like maybe only bank 2 is closing properly, so maybe I have a faulty switch. I'll also run a ground from my new battery to the engine block as you suggest, just to be sure.

[jslipher]

"but it DOES NOT ground to the engine block"

F-o-F may be on to something. In your post, you state this ^. The new battery DOES NOT have to ground to the block, but if you look at the diagram, the new battery's ground HAS TO connect to ground in order to complete the circuit. Otherwise that new battery technically has no voltage output.

Good point! I'll try this after I do my first test with the tester, then re-test to see if that fixes the issue. Had to order more battery cable so won't be able to check for a few more days though.

[functionoverfashion]

"but it DOES NOT ground to the engine block"

F-o-F may be on to something. In your post, you state this ^. The new battery DOES NOT have to ground to the block, but if you look at the diagram, the new battery's ground HAS TO connect to ground in order to complete the circuit. Otherwise that new battery technically has no voltage output.

While I said before that I didn't think this would be the problem, I was thinking "well, that battery should be grounded with a bigger wire than whatever is going to the amps, but it's not the root cause" but now that I think about it, if the only wire going to the ground of your newly added battery just goes to the amps, then it's definitely not grounded. Therefore as MLA said, the circuit is incomplete on that side (Bank 1). Before going too far with a tester, ground that battery.

[jslipher]

While I said before that I didn't think this would be the problem, I was thinking "well, that battery should be grounded with a bigger wire than whatever is going to the amps, but it's not the root cause" but now that I think about it, if the only wire going to the ground of your newly added battery just goes to the amps, then it's definitely not grounded. Therefore as MLA said, the circuit is incomplete on that side (Bank 1). Before going too far with a tester, ground that battery.

Thanks! I'll definitely do that first!

[functionoverfashion]

No worries, and good luck. It seems like you're nearly there, and that you thought our your system pretty well.

I'm going to add a battery to my '03 210 before putting it in the water this year, and I'm thinking through all these things so it's fresh on my mind. Last season I just put a second battery in parallel with the first, and had a switch in line to combine them if needed. I had to flip the switch to charge the second battery once in a while. NOT a good system, but I bought the boat in June so I just wanted to use it.

I like the switch you used because you can have a deep cycle battery on the house circuit and a starting battery for, well, starting! That's how it should be!

[MLA]

While I said before that I didn't think this would be the problem, I was thinking "well, that battery should be grounded with a bigger wire than whatever is going to the amps, but it's not the root cause" but now that I think about it, if the only wire going to the ground of your newly added battery just goes to the amps, then it's definitely not grounded. Therefore as MLA said, the circuit is incomplete on that side (Bank 1). Before going too far with a tester, ground that battery.

The cable going to the amps does not ground the battery with the rest of the system, just grounds the amps to the battery. Without a ground link between the banks, the new house bank is not part of the circuit, so anything fed off it will not work.