Help understanding 2016 G23 Battery Switch

[gmoniey]

Recently purchased a used 2016 G23, and loving it, but also still learning the ins and outs of the boat.

I'm a bit confused by the battery switch options. I was expecting to be able to switch between the two batteries, but there isn't an option to do so. Only "Off", "On" and "Combine".

We were on the water just floating, with the engine turned off, and went to start it and there wasn't enough juice to do so. Switched it to "Combine" and got the engine running (and then switched to "On" before we actually left. But I'm not sure if this was the right thing to do. I can't imagine we should leave the engine running the entire time we're floating, and I'd hate to get stranded out there.

The manual unfortunately isn't very helpful. What's the right course of action here?

Also, what do the other switches (the black ones) do?

Here is an image of the battery switch: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vWZTU6CRBUbZBkHT8

[NautiqueJeff]

Below are the different panels on the GS and G Series boats.

As you can see, there are several different types.

If you have a G-series with the Elite or Studio Elite packages, you get the switch that just allows you to use one battery or both, but doesn't allow you to set which battery it uses if you're just using one.

What you did was fine. You combined them to start the boat (which is exactly what you should have done in that situation), but once the boat is running, they are automatically combined anyway so that both will charge. Switching the switch back to "on" makes no difference at that point, since the automatic combiner had already activated. You should make it a practice to only combine them with the switch when necessary (like it was for you), and then always remember to switch the switch back to "on", just like you did.

[gmoniey]

Thanks for the response.

Mine doesn't look like any of those (see the image link in my first post), but I get your point. What had me nervous was the big yellow exclamation warning image on the "combine" option.

Two quick follow up questions:

1. When we're just floating, I turn the engine off, am I doing it wrong, should the engine be on? If it's ok to be on, how often should I restart it.
2. I just discovered that I have an integrated battery charger, so I'm assuming that will help. Do I just plug that into an extension cord when the boat is off?

[imhoff]

How does this work for a 2015 G23? I have the option for 1, 2, or Combined. When running, are both batteries being charged? I normally alternate between 1 and 2 every time I head out on the water thinking that the alternator is only charging the one being used?

Thanks Jeff!

[xrichard]

@imhoff...since your switch is 1/2/Both, there is not an ACR or automatic charging relay installed. You manually choose battery 1, battery 2, or combine battery 1 and 2. Those settings apply to both charging and drawdown--so only one battery is being charged unless the switch is set to "both" (or maybe your switch says "combined"). I think a lot of people do what you do: alternate between the two batteries. You can determine which battery is #1 and which is #2 with a continuity tester or just set the switch to #1 and disconnect the ground from each battery--you know you have the #1 battery when you lose power.

@gmoniey...your switch is On/Off/Combined, so it has the Blue Sea ACR. In that set up, the batteries are separate but connected by a relay. The relay is open until it sees 13.6v for 30 seconds or 13v for 2 min (e.g. when it sees charging voltage)...then it closes and combines both batteries in parallel. In the absence of charging voltage, the batteries are separated unless you manually combine them by setting the switch to "combine." If it's wired per Blue Sea, that means one of your batteries is always isolated and in reserve when you have the motor off. If you try to start and find you don't have enough voltage, you set the switch to "combine" in order to draw from the previously isolated battery. Just remember to set it back to "On" once you're started.

I added an ACR to my boat after purchase and wired it so that the motor is always started from one battery and the other battery runs the house/stereo load--that way I can run a starting battery for starting and a deep cycle battery for the stereo. I also set it up so that the ACR does not see the charging voltage from my battery charger when the switch is set to "Off." That makes it so I can charge the two batteries on separate chargers without the ACR closing and combining the two. I don't know for sure, but my guess is Nautique wires the ACR so that it closes even when the switch is off and the boat is plugged in to the factory charger--that's how Blue Sea shows the connections in its instructions.

[thejean]

https://www.bluesea.com/support/arti...Battery_Switch

[imhoff]

I added an ACR to my boat after purchase and wired it so that the motor is always started from one battery and the other battery runs the house/stereo load--that way I can run a starting battery for starting and a deep cycle battery for the stereo. I also set it up so that the ACR does not see the charging voltage from my battery charger when the switch is set to "Off." That makes it so I can charge the two batteries on separate chargers without the ACR closing and combining the two. I don't know for sure, but my guess is Nautique wires the ACR so that it closes even when the switch is off and the boat is plugged in to the factory charger--that's how Blue Sea shows the connections in its instructions.

So your stereo power is 100% isolated? Would this by chance help get rid of the hiss/whine that I have through my speakers?

[xrichard]

I don't think it would help hiss.

In any event, my stereo is not 100% isolated. When the motor is not running, one battery is connected to the starter only....the other battery is connected to everything else (house and stereo loads). I attached a diagram of my installation--it's different than the Blue Sea instruction manual. However, I ran it by a tech at Blue Sea years ago and he said it was fine and agreed it was better for a two bank charging setup since it keeps the batteries separate when the switch is off but the batteries are being charged by a charger (each bank of the charger is connected directly to their respective batteries).

In the diagram of the switch, the top and bottom posts are connected when the switch is set to "On," but the "1" side is not connected to the "2" side. When you set the switch to "Combine", the lower post on the "1" side is connected to the lower post of the "2" side (...which is what the ACR does when it is triggered). Also, IIRC, the starter is connected directly to the "start battery" and not through the switch.

You didn't ask, but I had a pretty bad hissing problem on my last boat. The solution was to run both power and ground on dedicated lines to all stereo components directly from the house/stereo battery. I bypassed the boat's main battery switch and, instead, put in a separate Perko switch for the stereo so I could still cut power to the stereo.

For the power cable, it goes battery -> 120amp fuse -> 1/0 cable -> Perko on/off switch -> 1/0 cable -> fused distribution block. For the ground cable, it's the same but without the Perko switch. From the distribution block for both positive and ground, I distributed to each component using the appropriate size cable (...iirc, 4ga for amps and #10 for head unit and WS420), All the remote turn on triggers were powered by the head unit, so when the boat was turned off, all of the stereo components get turned off. In the problem boat, I also ran a wire connecting all of the chassis / ground of all of the components. On my current boat, I don't know if the shop did the last step (...I did the install on the problem boat, so I know it was complete. I don't know if this step is necessary--I just did everything at once because it was a pain to pull things apart and I was sick of hiss).

That fixed a large portion of the hiss including what I was hearing from the in-boat speakers. But I still had some hiss from the HCLD speakers (I had various Wetsounds tower speakers on that boat through the years). I used an SMD Distortion Detector to set the gains to optimum, but then backed them down to reduce hiss. At optimum (e.g. just below the point of distortion), the stereo was louder than I'd ever play it and it came at the cost of increased hiss. After I adjusted the gains, I still had some hiss that could be heard at very low / no volume--but that's life with HCLD. Between rewiring and adjusting the gains, I eliminated 90+% of the hiss.

If you're having a hiss issue that is gain-related (e.g. you've eliminated ground loop) but you don't want to turn down the gains because max-volume is then not loud enough, you might look at a line driver between your head unit and your amps. It will boost the voltage of the signal going to the amps so that you can use less gain at the amps to get similar volume. The WS420 has a built in line driver. At one point, it was adjustable if you opened the case, but I think they changed it to fixed 5v output....it's been at least three years since I looked at one, so check the current specs. You can also buy a dedicated line driver if you don't want or need the complexity of the WS420. I think there's been some discussion of line drivers on PN.

If you're using a factory set up and haven't checked all settings on your stereo, including every switch on your amps and all gain adjustments, you might do that first. In my experience, Nautique often delivers boats without the stereo set incorrectly. Sometimes things are off a lot. Also, you could try rewiring in baby steps (e.g. the most likely problem solver is to run a dedicated ground from one battery and make sure all components are using only that ground point).

[gmoniey]

Can I ask another quick question?

When I go to "Combined" mode to give it a start, do I move the switch to "On" and then engage in gear, or do I turn it all "Off", the move it to "On" and start the engine again?

I ask because when I went from Combined directly to On, I got this diagnostic message (may not have been explicitly related). The message no longer shows up (once the engine was turned off), but it did raise concerns:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1yYsmCcau9kSRigC8

[McCannLand]

Can I ask another quick question?

When I go to "Combined" mode to give it a start, do I move the switch to "On" and then engage in gear, or do I turn it all "Off", the move it to "On" and start the engine again?

I ask because when I went from Combined directly to On, I got this diagnostic message (may not have been explicitly related). The message no longer shows up (once the engine was turned off), but it did raise concerns:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1yYsmCcau9kSRigC8

Some Master Battery Selector Switches (MBSS) have an alternator field disconnect which interrupts the alternator field when the switch is turned to the "off" position to interrupt electrical surges in the circuit which may burn out or damage an alternator (diodes) or ancillary equipment. I'm not sure of all the features of the various MBSS used through out the Nautique line up so to be safe one should adopt as a general rule to "Never turn your MBSS "off" with an engine running".

Bottom line switching between 1-2-Both (or "On-Combined") with an engine running should not pose any damage but switching off could cause damage.

[xrichard]

@gmoniey....typically, you would just leave the switch in the "On" position to start and operate the boat and turn it to "Off" when the boat is in storage and you want to completely disconnect the batteries. The whole idea behind the ACR is that you set it to "On" and forget it--no manual switching between batteries, always one battery in reserve, etc.

The only time you would choose the "Combine" position is if you can't start the boat because the starting battery is low--then you'd select "Combine" and, once the boat is started, move the switch to "On." You wouldn't ever turn the switch to "Off" while the motor is running--if your switch doesn't have an alternator field disconnect, turning the switch to "Off" while running would most likely ruin your alternator.

I'm not sure about the diagnostic message you received.

[gmoniey]

super helpful...thank you!

[thejean]

So when you want to shore charge, what setting would you put it on?

[gmoniey]

When I charge, I keep it in the OFF position, as I believe it charges both batteries.

[MLA]

Off