I’m in the process of relocating the engine control station and upgrading my house battery to LiFePO4. I’ve created an electrical wiring diagram and am looking for some feedback. The boat will spend most of it’s time on the dock with the engine power switch off (I’ve eliminated the keyswitch at the control station), and the house power switch on to support the refrigeration and bilge pump. Typically the house power switch will be connected to the house battery and the engine power switch connected to the starting battery. My main concern is the abnormal situation when both switches need to be connected to the same battery. For instance, if my starting battery shorts internally and I isolate it and switch the engine power over to house. In that scenario the Orion XS would be the only load on the alternator, is that asking for trouble? I’m attaching a copy of the electrical drawing.
You can not run rhe Orion direct from the alternator without the starter battery. The battery acts as a buffer and allows the alternator regulator to smoothly control the voltage. People who have attempted to run without a battery on the input report significant voltage instability as the Orion and alternator controls fight each other. The battery damps this out.
You can not run the Orion direct from the alternator without the starter battery.
If I need to isolate the start battery, I could use a switch to disable the either the Orion XS with the remote input or the alternator by interrupting the power to the regulator. Which method would be better?
How about the situation where the house load has been switched to the start battery and the house battery isolated. There would be nothing connected to the output of the Orion XS. Is that a problem?
If the house battery is isolated then Orion will control the output voltage OK. It would be best isolated when it is off to avoid a voltage spike.
Switching would be best using the remote terminals to completely disable charging.