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Old low voltage regulators. Boy what an in depth and informed discussion of batteries certainly got my grey matter working on some points requiring multiple rereading, but I must take up the issue of old regulators being lower voltage. My training came from early telephone exchange...

Prior to around 2000 nearly all bog standard alternators had an archaic, cheap voltage controller called a regulator that simply maintained a preset voltage of around 13.8v or some specials at 14.2v. In the 90's we started swaping the cheap ($17) alternator regulators for after market...

Excellent advice, the best system is a separate charge control system for each battery, however if your battery replacement cost does not exceed the regulator/charge control system cost, then take my advice and please yourself do not over engineer it, unless the learning curve it the object...

Panel disconecting It is good practice to remove the load from any power source before disconnecting it. . DC can easily drag an large arc when disconnected (compared to AC) and arcs can blind, weld or create significant spikes that can cause component failure. . This is why most switches...

VSR beats old tech solenoids hand down. There is no problem with a Voltage Sensing Relay if the charge source is coming from both sides, the lower charged battery will absorb the most charge (lower internal resistance) until both are equally charged, then the regulator/s will control the...

I don't see how I could be more specific, the wiring from a power source needs protection if one is to protect against an electrical fire. There are two ways of Providing that protection, 1. Create a weak point in a known location ie fuse or circuit breaker of a value just below the wires...

Solar panel fuses The statement related directly to solar panel fusing and I in now way dispute that as a matter of course every power "source cable" should be appropriately protected. The key with a PV panel is that the cable should be capable of carrying the maximum current of the panel...

PV Fuses !!! It is not a question of cost, just what are you protecting. Fuses are to protect the wiring. The unique thing about PV panels is that they accept their maximum load without failing. If I have a solar panel and I place a dead short via a fuse, the fuse will only blow if it is...

Solar Panel Fuses You have been drinking too much, the wires connecting your solar panel should be large enough to stand the maximum current of the solar panel so no fuse is required. Kevin H

Cruising options Typically boats have two way switches installed to allow either or both batteries to be connected and over the years many have dabbled with alternatives to jump starts when too much power is used overnight. What with all the variables on engine/alternator run time, solar...

non hot wire We used to use the oil pressure switch to delay the solenoid switch on to prevent a dead house battery robbing the start at a critical time. This would not cut in until after the motor was running. Kevin