Hello. I’m planning to install a Balmar Smart Ready conversion kit on the 125A alternator on my Yanmar 3YM engine and control it with a WS500.
I also plan to install a Cerbo GX, a MultiPlus 2000VA, and a SmartShunt.
With this setup, if I use a drop-in battery that cannot communicate, can I enable DVCC?
The functions I want to achieve are:
- Synchronized charging
- Charge current limiting
- Charging cutoff during low temperatures
Thank you.
You can enable DVCC, equal to lead batteries, who also can’t communicate , but with the Lithium Parameters programmed.
I dieables temperture sense, because Lithium did not need that.
But i can’t Help you out with the balmer stuff who charges the batteries direct.
Thank you. In this case, according to the Cerbo GX guide from Wakespeed, is it okay to install the shunt on the positive side of the alternator?
I did a little Googling because Balmar isn’t very common in Europe.
According to the circuit diagram, you have your own Balmar shunt in the positive lead of the alternator.
However, the Victron Smart shunt to the battery is installed in the negative lead so that it can measure the charge and discharge. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you whether the Cerbo or the Wakespeed controls the battery charge via the alternator.
A post from the old forum
For current limiting via DVCC you the WS500 needs to measure the alternator current. I have a shunt in the negative but just a dumb shunt but it could equally be in the positive. However, do not use a SmartShunt to measure the alternator current because the Cerbo will double count the alternator current, once from the SmartShunt, once via VE CAN from the WS500.
Please be aware that as you have dumb batteries, if the battery BMS shuts down charging, you may get a voltage spike from the alternator as it suffers from a load dump. Consider adding a Balmar Alternator Protection Device, although these are not 100% effective.
WAKESPEED WS500
it must be made of pure gold:
around 1000 Euros alone !
Is it a boat or which kind of vessel is it?
Balmar SmartReady conversion kit isn’t really a regulator—it’s a modification kit that adds a field terminal to the stock alternator (made by Valeo) so I can use an external regulator.
WS500 is expensive. But if I replace it with a new alternator like Arco or Balmar, it’ll end up costing more than double.
Boat is a Hanse 315.
Hanse 315 sailing boat
After a little Googling, I found the circuit diagram for a Hanse 320, and I think the 315 will be very similar. It’s basically the standard circuit that you often find in many boats and campers.
The alternator charges the 12V lead starter battery directly.
A voltage-controlled relay charges the service battery from the starter battery when the engine is running.
Then there is a 12V / 30A charger from Sterling that only charges the service battery, but not the starter battery.
I’m guessing you’re thinking about switching from lead to lithium batteries.
I’d definitely keep the 12V lead starter battery. For one thing, lead batteries are better for starting an engine, and for another, there’s a risk that the BMS will shut down the battery, leaving the alternator without a load and causing it to break down due to overvoltage.
Instead of the voltage-controlled relay, I would install an Orion XS, which is significantly cheaper than the Wakespeed.
The Multiplus will draw at least 160A at full load, with a peak of up to an estimated 300A.
My Mp 12/1200 draws approx. 81A (1005W) DC at 850 watts AC load.
How many Ah lithium batteries do you want to install?
And note that the MP is not the quietest and can be heard clearly even in AES mode, which is often annoying in confined spaces. You should also factor the no-load current of Cerbo and Multiplus into your planning.
Since I don’t always need mains power, I decided against the Multiplus. My solution consists of a Smart Charger IP22, Orion XS, and inverter, which is only switched on when needed an has no no-load current
An ATS would provide even more convenience, but I didn’t see the need for it.
Thank you.
Of course, I won’t remove the lead-acid battery. I’ll keep it for engine starting. I want to maximize the output of the 125A alternator and charge the lithium battery directly without going through a DC-DC converter. Conversely, I’ll charge the lead-acid battery through the DC-DC converter.
However, doing it this way will put a load on the alternator, so I need to add a regulator with proper temperature management capabilities.
I’ll install two 12V 300AH LFP batteries in parallel.
Well, it’s rare to start the engine while connected to shore power, so I don’t need to consider Cerbo’s DVCC feature for now, but I’m thinking about it for when I install solar panels in the future.
