Battery Panel Switch Explanation?

[Hat52MY]

Would appreciate if anyone could explain the proper use of the Battery Parallel switch on the helm. I have never changed it from the original position since I have purchased the boat some years ago. Looking to change some batteries out and would like to understand its use a little better. Could not find anything in the Hatteras Owners manual.

Is this switch designed to select the actual Start Batteries or allow the Start Batteries to be used on the House side or???

Also have a BlueSea Charging relay that automatically breaks the parallel if the house batteries draw down to much, so I always have good start batteries.

Port: House Batteries
Stbd: Start Batteries

BPphoto.jpg

[Avenger]

It should be in the manual. It's in mine. Very simply what it does is if you have a wek battery that won't crank the engine the switch allows you to tie in the other battery to get started. So let's say the port battery is weak because you left the TV on all night. You'd rock the switch to stbd (the good battery) then crank the engine. Once it's started release the parallel switch and the batteries are independent again. Easy Peasy.

[Hat52MY]

Sounds simple enough...guess I was just trying to over complicate. Thanks!

[Hat52MY]

Used this features a couple time while we were having batteries swapped out of the boat and only had one good bank. Works exactly as stated. One note, with DDEC's you need to ensure the DDEC switches are both set to "Normal". I found if you had the DDEC set to "backup" and you engaged the Parallel Switch, it would stall the engine that was already started and not start the engine you were attempting to start. I suspect the "backup" automatically, switches to the opposite battery bank. Appreciate the input!

[Avenger]

Good to know. Thanks for the follow up.

[GaryNW]

So mine is a 1975 31' express cruiser, but I believe this observation is valid for all. The parallelling switch operates a simple solinoid that is either engaged or not engaged. Banks are parellelled when engaged. Here's the deal: though Hatteras provides a port/stbd- center-off spring loaded switch, it makes no difference whether you toggle to port or stbd! The solinoid is either off or on. Perhaps if one bank is so dead, it will not even cycle the solinoid, the "three-way" switch makes sense? I have never been that dead on a bank- but It seems to explain the complication of "three ways" vs simple two-way spring loaded. Experts?
Gary

[SKYCHENEY]

So mine is a 1975 31' express cruiser, but I believe this observation is valid for all. The parallelling switch operates a simple solinoid that is either engaged or not engaged. Banks are parellelled when engaged. Here's the deal: though Hatteras provides a port/stbd- center-off spring loaded switch, it makes no difference whether you toggle to port or stbd! The solinoid is either off or on. Perhaps if one bank is so dead, it will not even cycle the solinoid, the "three-way" switch makes sense? I have never been that dead on a bank- but It seems to explain the complication of "three ways" vs simple two-way spring loaded. Experts?
Gary

I believe that you are correct. The switch is set up this way so that you can be assured to get good power to activate the solenoid.