Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

[johnotho]

Have a 2009 SD2400. Owner's Manual has absolutely NOTHING about wiring and provides no diagrams. Have 2 batteries hooked to a 4-way GUEST switch. Can somone please explain how the 2 batteries charge via the switch? Also, I see the 2 battery negatives connected to switch postions 1 & 2 respectively and a jumper from battery 1 to 2 for the posative connection and two other connections of wires below the GUEST switch. Question is what are those wires for? Thanks for any input you can provide.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

There is really no way to know without tracking the circuits..... There are as many to hook up those switches as there are self proclaimed electricians... lots of em are just plain wrong... In a perfect world, the batteries would charge in all switch positions if the engine were running via an isolator or ACR and the switch would only determine which battery was connected for discharge... Also in a perfect world all circuits would be labeled

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

Typically the negs are connected together and the pos's go to the switch so I'm not sure what you got, however: Normally this is how it "should" be connected. In OFF of course everythig is off except maybe the bilge pump. In "1' everythig is connected to battery #1 and Battery #2 is isolated. In "2" well everything is connected to #2. In "BOTH" the batteries are in parallel and both of them are connected to everything. I use Batt #1 for starting and then switch to both while running to put some charge in both batteries. When I shut off the engine I switch to "2 for operating stero, fish locater, etc. That way #1 is always charged so I can start my engine even if I run the "house" battery down.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

Here is a wiring diagram that show how a typical 2 battery system is set up on many boats.

In your picture, I would guess the red wire and fuse/circuit breaker goes to your house power, and the brown wire is for the auto bilge pump. You would have to trace the wires to find out for sure.

Make sure if that brown wire goes to the auto bilge pump, that it's actually attached to a battery terminal on the switch and not the common. If it's hooked to common, then power gets shut of to the auto bilge pump when you shut the battery switch off. Not good.

 

[johnotho]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

Thanks much for the info folks. I guess I'll have to rely on Godfrey (the Hurricane manufacturer) to provide me with a wiring diagram of my boat. Doesn't seem that it should be a problem. But, I've sent the a couple of faxes asking for a diagram and I don't even get a reply. That's pretty sad customer service. I can go out and buy a $20 clock radio and it gives me a wiring diagram. But, a 50k boat.....no dice. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

Looks like we were typing at the same time.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

FYI, there might not be a wiring diagram for your boat available from the manufacturer. But there are lots of "typical" or standard boat wiring diagrams on iboats you can look at and the wire colors are "probably" correct to the NMMA guidlines. Wiring diagrams are expensive to produce and there were probably millions of your clock radio produced and only 50 to a few hundred of your boat.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

That large cable is probablyi not a NEG cable since it is marked with a RED band which typically denotes POS. Whatever you have probably needs to be changed if what you say is true. Follow Don's diagram and be assured the system is done correctly. Here is how a typical dual battery switch functions (assuming typical installation).

OFF = all power from both batteries is disconnected. Nothing electrical will function except for any item that is wired directly to either battery. An example might be an automatic bilge pump.
BAT 1 = Battery #1 is on-line and is powering everything as well as starting the engine. It is also being charged by the engine when it is running. Battery #2 is going along for the ride at this point. It is not seeing a charge nor is it being discharged. It is essentially disconnected from the system.
BAT 2 = Battery #2 is on-line and is powering everything as well as starting the engien. It is also being charged by the engine when it is running. Battery #1 is going along for the ride. It is not seeing a charge nor is it being discharged. It is disconnected from the system.
BOTH = Both batteries are on-line, both can start the engine, both power everything and both are being charged when the engine is running.

WHEN you use each of the positions is what seems to befuddle people but it is really not that difficult. Determine which battery you want to protect from discharge and then select the other one. If both need a charge select both. If one needs a charge more than the other select that one. If you leave the boat select OFF. If one battery is dead and the engine won't start select the other. Simple -- right?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

Typically the negs are connected together and the pos's go to the switch so I'm not sure what you got, however: Normally this is how it "should" be connected. In OFF of course everythig is off except maybe the bilge pump. In "1' everythig is connected to battery #1 and Battery #2 is isolated. In "2" well everything is connected to #2. In "BOTH" the batteries are in parallel and both of them are connected to everything. I use Batt #1 for starting and then switch to both while running to put some charge in both batteries. When I shut off the engine I switch to "2 for operating stero, fish locater, etc. That way #1 is always charged so I can start my engine even if I run the "house" battery down.

switching while running is a real good way to blow alternators/voltage regulators.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

switching while running is a real good way to blow alternators/voltage regulators.

As long as you don't switch to off you are ok as these switches are make before break switches.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

switching while running is a real good way to blow alternators/voltage regulators.

Not if it is a make before break design which most are these days. Besides, one does not have to be constantly fiddling with the switch. Set it before you leave the dock. You should have some idea of what the needs are before you turn the key. When you get to your destination change the setting if needed. As the Kyacera printer guy says on TV -- its really not that difficult.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Hurricane 4-way battery switch on SD2400

Or get an ACR and you never have to be moving it around.