Blue Sea Automatic Charging Relay Install.

[@franktibbet8237]

Appreciate the effort in the videos and describing the basic of things. These videos are basically like taking hundreds of apprentices with you to the job for free. Really awesome.

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Thank you 😊

[@A5JDZK]

Keep up the good work. Always something new to learn.

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Thank you

[@johnm5714]

Good to see a Justin video on a Friday night.

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Thank you. Im trying to film more but life happens 😊

[@PaulMcLove]

‼Greetings from Toronto 🇨🇦 👍😉😀

[@RafaelCastro-mi6ru]

Thanks Justin! Love the “service” length advice. Question: I found the 2 ACRs on my 2017 280 Outrage with small black wire connected to the SI post (no idea where the other end is connected) and no wire connected to the ground posts. No wonder the ACRs led lights never lit up and house batteries were not charging off the mercs. Any idea why they were set up this way?

[@genglandoh]

Thanks for sharing

[@IgorLjevak]

wow nice installation, i just installed my yesterday and cant get the led, i have power when engine is off and i can start the engine... any tips? i have my ground pulled to a fusebox where it has ground plate in top.

[@JustinLeeMarine]

I would try a ground right to the battery and see if it changes anything. If not then start the motor and wait to see if it clicks over and starts charging. If all else fails call the company and see what they say. Keep me posted 🙂

[@610boating5]

Justin, if you can remember back to your Regal days, the vinyl pad on the dash of the 28 Express, is that the access to the back of the dash?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

I think you have to pull the panel out to access behind the dash. I don't think the vinyl pad covers anything. That's only on the bigger boats.

[@610boating5]

Very clean looking wiring job. Speaking about power, I'm looking at a smart plug install, have you seen many of those plugs in your travels?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

I know what you are talking about but I have never seen one in person. My opinion is if you keep the connection clean and greased you will never have a problem. Prevention is key to boating.

[@bigd50]

Great videos as always. Well, you asked for questions so here is one: I bought a 22ft 2023 Chaparral that has a single battery. It’s powered by a single Yamaha 150. I see Blue Sea Systems sells an “add a battery” kit” to add a house and give you easy smart charging during running…BUT also saw that Yamaha built in a similar feature: “your engine can charge an accessory battery separately using an optional isolator lead”… Have you done either of these and do you have an opinion on which is better?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

If you just want to add a battery I would just replace the switch with a dual switch. Then you can just select what battery you use and always have a good one to start the engine. The add a battery kit is also a good option. Keep me posted.

[@bigd50]

@@JustinLeeMarine it sits in a boatel with no charger, so when running does a regular battery switch know how to effectively charge both batteries? I am trying to avoid dead batteries so anything with automatic smart charging sounded good!

[@JustinLeeMarine]

It will charge both batteries the same when you switch it to all. Then when the motor is off you can switch it to 1 or 2 and have a battery for reserve. It's the simplest way to do it and it works great.

[@fishonkayakadventure]

@bigd50 no. you need an ACR to balance the charging or you will overcharge one battery while undercharging the other. a switch is just that, a switch, it does not regulate charging at all

[@johnschieffelin3226]

Very interesting and informative video. The extra wire in the service loop is a great idea. Curious how you fasten the battery bases and ACR unit into the hull. Do you simply screw them directly the fiberglass? Do you put in any goop to keep water from intruding into the core if the hull is cored? How deep do the screws penetrate the fiberglass?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Thank you and it's simple for anything in a boat. Pilot hole, silicone and stainless hardware. That seems to be the trick to it. I only go quarter to half inch for things that don't need crazy support. 😊

[@andrew7202]

I’m assuming you have two wires on the positive side of the batteries one to both batteries and then one wire that runs to the acr?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Yes. That is correct. I combined the two batteries into one.

[@scottvickery8293]

Thank you for the video. Should I fuse the cables going into the ACR from the batteries?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

I would fuse it from the batteries you are drawing from. The Sea Ray has fuses for the house side already. If you want to add them to both sides it can hurt. As long as there is one to stop a dead short. Good question and thanks.

[@Philc231]

Holy mackerel, what do you do for a living. JUST the batteries cost more than most make In a month .

[@Beachnative42]

I have a 1720 Key West with a yamaha 90 2 stroke and the boat has two batteries. One to crank with, the other is the house. What is the function of the SI on the ACR and where does it connect? I read to put a fuse in the ground to the ACR and remove it when your boat is not in use, good or bad idea?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Start Isolation(SI)allows temporary isolation of House loads from Engine circuit during engine cranking to protect sensitive electronics from sags and spikes. I would definitely install the ground fuse and remove it anytime the boat is going to sit for a while. It will stop the ACR from draining the battery unless you leave it on charge all the time. If you keep it charging you don't need to remove the ground. Good question and thanks 🙂

[@Jerryh31]

You didn’t fuse the charge leads? Or, the ACR ground?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

I did fuse it at the batteries it's connected to with a 100amp block fuse and it's also fused going to the batteries it's charging. This was the beginning of the install so it wasn't all completed. I had to wait for the rest of the stereo to be installed. I should have mentioned that in the video and if I ever go back to the boat I will film it really quick. It turned out to be a crazy install when it was completed. It now has 42 speakers 😆

[@MadMan-l6n]

What brand of batteries did you add and how big are they?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

USA batteries and the are group 31😊

[@kurtgould7821]

Hi Justin Thank for the informative video.. I have 2 questions 1- I’m hooking up an ACR soon, My one is, I have one battery on a 1 bank on-board charger, will the 2nd battery charge through the acr when plugged in? 2-do I need to hook up the start wire, and if so, where to? I have a new Suzuki 175 and I don’t want to go splicing into anything new while under warranty? Thanks and have a great 4th Kurt

[@JustinLeeMarine]

It will charge the battery when it is plugged in and you don't need to hook up the start wire unless it shuts off your electronics when you start the motor. Happy 4th

[@fishonkayakadventure]

battery lugs should ONLY ever be soldered. NEVER crimped. unless you enjoy corrosion and being stranded that is.

[@fordrock]

Great video, I had one of these ACR's put in my 2021 Regal ESX2000 and an extra battery and the light would always be on even when the battery switch off and would have a slight humming sound coming from it. So I had them put in a switch on the ground wire to turn off and isolate the ACR when off in storage. What gives? is that normal?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

That is normal. On the wiring diagram it shows you can add a switch to the ground if needed. It will stay on if you don't remove the ground.

[@dhensley0041]

Will this arc know when the secondary battery it’s charging is full and isolate itself from overcharging?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

It will not but if you have a good battery charger it will do that for you. The charger doesn't know it's got extra batteries so it will act just like it would normally and shut off when charged.

[@dhensley0041]

Do you think this would be a good option to add to run to a dc to dc charger, inverter, battery setup for a toolbox or do you think an isolation relay or something else would be a better option. I have a newer vehicle and it has a smart alternator. So many different types of things to use out there between isolation relays, arcs and whatever other things that have out there.

[@brianlb78]

You ever make it down to the englewood area for work?

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Not usually but I have when I was with Quality Boats. I don't go that far with Marine Max.

[@FishinMagik]

Have you ever seen a setup like this with a trolling motor? IE outboard charges house then spill over to trolling motor batteries? Im trying to figure out a solution because I don't have access to shore power charging.

[@JustinLeeMarine]

Yes. Minn Kota makes one. I think they call them alternator chargers. I would say it would work just fine if you run your engine enough. Good idea

[@JohnBraman413]

what boat is that?

[@Paul-bc5vi]

Question, when batteries are fully charged acr green light stays on until voltage falls below 12.7

[@JustinLeeMarine]

That I am not sure of. I think it only stays on when it senses charging voltage.

[@Paul-bc5vi]

Notice when I put fully charged new batteries in boat 13.2 light stayed on until 12.7 I guess it thought it was charging

[@JustinLeeMarine]

12.8 is fully charged. Over 13 volts is just a surface charge. It will go down to 12.8ish as soon as you load it. Everything seems to be working as it should as per what you are saying. 12 volts is 0-10% charged and 12.8 90-100%. Anything under 12 volts is a dead battery.

[@Paul-bc5vi]

Thank you