Bus bars

[feeez]

One of my projects for next year is to clean up the mass of negative cables in my engine compartment. Currently, my 3 battery bank negative cables are jumpered together. It works, but it is messy. I think my solution is to introduce a negative bus bar, connect all the batteries to it, and, connect the bus bar to one of the engines. My current configuration is:

Battery 1 - Group 31 12v.
Battery 2 - 4 6v Trojan T105 in a series parallel setup.
Battery 3 - Group 31 12v Starting battery for the generator.

I have a Victron Battery Monitor monitoring Battery 2 which needs to be the only connection on the negative of that battery bank. This is difficult with all this daisy chaining going on between the battery banks.

I have looked at Blue Sea's site and they have lots of choices I am thinking of the 250A 6 stud bus bar..... is that heavy enough..... thoughts and comments welcome.

Thanks
Fraser

[Viper]

I would go larger IMO. That house bank alone can deliver a lot of amperage, if you have any future plans for an inverter as an example, you may want to consider a larger buss bar now. You could always hook up directly to the bank but it kind of defeats what you're trying to do now in minimizing the amount of cables on the batteries.

I applaud you by the way, most just keep on stacking more and more on battery terminals when the proper way to go is minimizing connections at the batteries.

[feeez]

Thanks Viper.... It seems that the next step up at Blue Sea is a 600A with 4 or 8 posts. I assume that this would also be an appropriate place to connect the negative wire from the battery charger.

Fraser

[Viper]

Qr Bbpost ....I assume that this would also be an appropriate place to connect the negative wire from the battery charger....

Correct. The temp probe must stay at the battery of course. I like to put them on the deep cycle bank.

[tomschauer]

It sounds like the battery bank you describes has the potential of close to 1600 amps, not that you would ever draw that much at a time unless you had a fault current. IMHO, I would go with at least the 600 amp bar. I would also run a ground cable to both engines, not just one, at 3/0 each.

[feeez]

[quote="Correct. The temp probe must stay at the battery of course. I like to put them on the deep cycle bank.[/quote]

Thanks again viper.... that is where I currently have the probe installed

Fraser

[feeez]

Qr Bbpost It sounds like the battery bank you describes has the potential of close to 1600 amps, not that you would ever draw that much at a time unless you had a fault current. IMHO, I would go with at least the 600 amp bar. I would also run a ground cable to both engines, not just one, at 3/0 each.

Thanks....
This (of course) raises another question. Can I run these cables from the same stud to the engines? Will two wires of that gauge even fit on one stud?

Fraser

[tomschauer]

I would run them from separate studs in attempt to keep from having a single point of failure.

[Viper]

Qr Bbpost I would run them from separate studs in attempt to keep from having a single point of failure.

+1
Stacking also causes more movement at the connection as well as being more prone to corrosion. When practical, it's best not to stack.

When you've wired up the bus bar, spray the connections with battery terminal spray or paint them with liquid tape. This is a good habbit to get into for all permanent connections. A word of caution when using terminal spray on battery cables at the battery; if you disconnect the cables at any time like for the winter or battery replacement, you must remove the spray coating on the terminal lugs or you will get a poor connection.

[feeez]

Thanks for all tips guys........ a project to look forward to in the spring...

Fraser