Battery Question

[Jet16]

Hey gang,

Would love for the vortex owners to chime in, especially the 243 owners. My last two jet boats I have had the dealer install a dual battery set-up which has always worked well for me. This would usually have an A switch a B switch and a A & B switch. On my Scarab I would usually run the boat on the A & B switch while underway and then when we stopped to anchor for the day I would switch to Battery B(what the dealer instructed me to do) and I would leave it on B all day as I listened to music as we swam and hung out at anchor. Never ever had a battery issue doing this.

So my question is... what type of Battery configuration do these Vortexes have? especially the 243's? I know they have two batteries but are they configured in a similar way to what I described above? What are your routines for beaching or hanging out for a day and listening to music etc.... Just want to know if I need to upgrade anything in this area before I take delivery of my 17 2430 VRX... Any help/info you can provide is greatly appreciated as always... Thanks in advance! C'MON Spring!!!!

 

[blackhawkpilot]

I have wondered the same thing, and haven't been able to get an answer. My dual battery setup (223) has a 3-position switch. At the 12-o'clock position is "OFF". It has a 2-o'clock position and a 4-o'clock position as well, but I'm not sure what those positions are right now. I guess I should dig a little deeper and find out before I get myself stranded this summer.

 

[Jet16]

I have wondered the same thing, and haven't been able to get an answer. My dual battery setup (223) has a 3-position switch. At the 12-o'clock position is "OFF". It has a 2-o'clock position and a 4-o'clock position as well, but I'm not sure what those positions are right now. I guess I should dig a little deeper and find out before I get myself stranded this summer.

Thanks for the feedback...Your post leads me to believe that the battery set-up in these boats is not clearly marked A,B. and A & B. My set-ups in the past have had it clearly marked Which battery is A which is B, and which is A & B where the boat is running off both batteries. I have always found this to be the best set-up for my type of boating. Cruising around on A and B would charge both batteries... then when anchored and playing music just B would be used to only drain that particular battery for that specific purpose. Hopefully others can chime in with their own personal experiences and what works best for the Chap....

 

[Jet Blue]

I am fairly certain mine is marked A - B - AB - Off. If I have a few minutes maybe I'll head down to the marina this weekend and take a look.

 

[Julian]

I prefer a system with a switch that is ON/OFF/COMBINE. This system separates the starters from the house load all the time and uses an ACR (automatic charging relay) to charge the starting battery first, then the house battery. It requires no switching while boating, you just turn it ON. Then when you stop and listen to tunes, the power draw is only from the house battery, leaving the starting battery alone for its dedicated job. But each to their own....

 

[Mainah]

@Julian - I concur. Choosing the BEP three switch and dvsr set up is on of the few things Yamaha got right on the battery setup. If the had only wired the dvsr loop to engine on and got the spu connections right as well.

For the Chap guys. Just serach up battery switches online and find the one that Chap used. From there go to the manufacturer's website for instructions and post them here for everone. My guess based on above is that it is a typical A/B or 1/2 switch like blue seas and guest make. Which battery is A or B depends on the where the wire from the switch a post get hooked up to. You can add a DVSR or ACR to this setup if you don't already have one.

 

[blackhawkpilot]

I did a google search yesterday on battery switches for the Chap. I couldn't identify one that matched what mine looks like. It would be nice to know which one is the "house battery". I've said it a thousand times, and I'm saying it again..."THE OWNER'S MANUAL IS GARBAGE!!!!!!!"

 

[Bill D]

A picture of the switch would be helpful @blackhawkpilot. Is it a start/house system, or an A/B switch? If it is A/B it is likely that whichever battery is selected does both jobs, start and house electronics and the other is just a backup.

 

[PMChapVortex]

This is the switch that is used in the 243's

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/blue...m7v_P8Y0Rw_eZPk8YaUR3AIkkkLOkTFzt0aAg3e8P8HAQ

 

[Mainah]

Do the 243's have an ACR as well?

 

[PMChapVortex]

yes it is this BEP part as well. http://www.bepmarine.com/en/710-140a

 

[Bill D]

Judging by the parts you listed, you battery setup is as follows.

• Battery A and B are each used for starting the boat and powering the house loads when selected. While A is selected, B is used as a backup and vice versa.
• In the instance that either battery is depleted, you can combine them to connect them in parallel.
• While underway, the BEP DVSR connects the batteries in parallel so they are both being charged. It will recharge the first battery, then close and charge them both.

I would recommend alternating between using A and B on different trips so you don't end up with a bad backup battery.

If you would like to figure out which one is A and which one is B, you can disconnect one, turn the switch to A or B and see if you have any power electronics. With one battery disconnected, you should have power on one setting and not the other.

 

[blackhawkpilot]

This is the switch that is used in the 243's

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/blue...m7v_P8Y0Rw_eZPk8YaUR3AIkkkLOkTFzt0aAg3e8P8HAQ

@PMChapVortex - when you're lounging, which position do you use? "ON" or "Combine Batteries"?

 

[PMChapVortex]

I always just combine them..so I turn the switch to the 4 o clock position

 

[Tlewellyn]

Position 1 charges both batteries while running. I start and run in this position. Turn to 2 for listening to stereo while anchored. Here is
the manual page for my factory setup.

 

[At the Sand Bar Again]

My manual shows the same setup as your manual, however, the actual switch installed is as "blackhawkpilot" states, the Blue-Sea 6011.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/6011/m-Series_Mini_Dual_Circuit_Plus_Battery_Switch_-_Red

This is the OFF, ON, COMBINE, Not the OFF, 1, 2, 1+2.

In addition, I have the BEP voltage sensing relay.
http://www.bepmarine.com/en/710-140a

I originally thought this was like an isolation relay where if I forgot to turn off a light or radio, it would protect and not run down both batteries, but I don't think it worked that way since I had an incident last fall and still found two batteries dead. I don't remember which position it was in, but will likely keep it in the "ON" for most of the time, then switch over to the "COMBINE" if I ever have a need for extra starting power.

I was told by the dealer, this was a change Chaparral made and the manuals didn't get updated.

 

[blackhawkpilot]

I was told by the dealer, this was a change Chaparral made and the manuals didn't get updated.

Hmmmm, the manuals didn't get updated? I don't think the manual has been updated since 1978.

 

[Jet16]

My manual shows the same setup as your manual, however, the actual switch installed is as "blackhawkpilot" states, the Blue-Sea 6011.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/6011/m-Series_Mini_Dual_Circuit_Plus_Battery_Switch_-_Red

This is the OFF, ON, COMBINE, Not the OFF, 1, 2, 1+2.

In addition, I have the BEP voltage sensing relay.
http://www.bepmarine.com/en/710-140a

I originally thought this was like an isolation relay where if I forgot to turn off a light or radio, it would protect and not run down both batteries, but I don't think it worked that way since I had an incident last fall and still found two batteries dead. I don't remember which position it was in, but will likely keep it in the "ON" for most of the time, then switch over to the "COMBINE" if I ever have a need for extra starting power.

I was told by the dealer, this was a change Chaparral made and the manuals didn't get updated.

So for the year '17 models, we still are not sure whether the switch is the one that has OFF,ON, COMBINE, or OFF, 1, 2, 1+2?? Do I have this correct? Sorry for the confusion. I understand what settings to have it on with the switch that has OFF, 1,2, 1 +2... When I start up and drive around I would be on #1. When I stop to anchor for and hang out I would switch to #2... Then when I start back up I would switch back to #1 to drive around again.... Make sense??

Now if I have the other type of switch that has OFF, ON, COMBINE..... Which setting would I use for underway? Which would I use at anchor? Any help to clear up the confusion would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[ScottyOK]

I took a picture of the switch on my VR223. I went to the Blue Sea Systems website and from the schematic I saw I interpret it as simply having a battery for each engine. Each one starts it's own engine in the 1 position "On" and it states it connects in parallel in the next position "combine batteries". I have no idea which battery runs the house load but I hope it's just one of them. My hope is that when I overextend my anchored party with the stereo blasting thereby running down the battery that I can simply switch to "combine batteries" and get both engines started. Thoughts?

 

[Jet16]

I prefer a system with a switch that is ON/OFF/COMBINE. This system separates the starters from the house load all the time and uses an ACR (automatic charging relay) to charge the starting battery first, then the house battery. It requires no switching while boating, you just turn it ON. Then when you stop and listen to tunes, the power draw is only from the house battery, leaving the starting battery alone for its dedicated job. But each to their own....

@ScottyOK I am thinking that this post by Julian explains how your configuration works. Hopefully it is the same in my boat and will work the same way. So just leave it in the on position and when you are stopped at anchor the draw is only from the house battery, leaving the starting battery alone. Seems reasonable and hopefully this is how it works. Would you be safe anchored up for 4 or 5 hours listening to music? So then my only question then is.... When do you use the "Combine" setting? Would it be a backup in case the starting battery has gone bad? Any thoughts? @Julian ??