Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

VSR Voltage Sensitive Relay VS. Perko battery switch


wakecat

Recommended Posts

I just bought an '05 VLX that came with 2 batteries and a VSR Voltage Regulator Relay. Here is a link:

http://www.bepmarine.com/showproduct.cfm?productid=12

My question: I'm wondering if I should just leave the system the way it is or take out this relay and add a perko switch. Also, I am wondering how exactly It needs to be wired into the system. I printed the diagram but its a bit advanced for my wiring skills. Should I run one battery for the engine and one for all other acc.?

Thanks for any help.

-Johnny

Link to comment

The voltage sensitive Relay automatically charges your aux battery when the engine is running. If you use a dual battery Perko switch (A/B/A+B/0ff) you will have to manually switch batteries to get the aux battery to charge (unless you keep it in A+B).

The installation instructions for the link you posted have an installation diagram on page 2 in the lower left corner.

The three 701 isolators in that diagram could just as well be Perko on/off switches.

There is a thread on WSR where we were discussing a new double pole switch from Blue Sea that would allow you to use one switch instead of 3 perko switches.

There are several ways to wire multiple batteries. I like the method where you use one for the house (stereo, lights, blender etc..) and the other for the engine.

Link to comment

If it were my boat, I'd leave the VSR in there. I think that's a good dual battery setup vs. installing an isolator. It allows you to charge both batteries at the same time, but then when voltage drops they are isolated. Basically the cranking battery is isolated until it reach about 13.7 volts. Then the relay closes and allows the second battery to charge. Once the boat is turned off and the cranking battery drops to 12.7 volts the relay opens, thus isolating the batteries. If you have one battery connected to just the starter and and another connected to all the accessories, your cranking battery won't be drawn dead while just sitting still.

Link to comment

Thanks for the help guys I do appreciate it. I think I will just leave it alone.

I think my electrical problem has something to do with posibly one of my batteries being bad and causing power loss or causing the relay the turn on and off? I'm not really sure.

-Johnny

Edited by wakecat
Link to comment

I re-read the installation instructions and it appears that your VSR is pretty sensitive to the battery load from the house battery. If your house battery is really low it will draw down the starter battery below the 12.7 volts and shut off the relay. They recommend a 100-130AH Group 31 battery for the house battery if you run a standard 60Amp Alternator and a 130-220AH Group 80 battery if you are running a heavy duty 90 Amp alternator.

If you are like me and running two Optima Blue Top 750AH Group 34 batteries that may be your problem. You may want to upgrade you VSR to a better switch with less internal resistance such as the ones offered by Hellroaring or Blue Sea.

Also make sure your connections are clean on both batteries and the wire that you use to connect the VSR is thick enough to handle the current load.

Link to comment

You may consider adding a single Perko switch just to be able to cut off all power from the batteries in case of an emergency. An isolator is the way to go if you sit around allot with the stereo playing.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys, I'm still not sure my VSR switch is hooked up correctly. I see the diagram on the above link but I'm having a hard time understanding it. I was told this switch is starting to come stock on '06 models but I'm not sure. Right now the switch is wired to my acc. battery only and my second battery is wired + to + and - to - to my acc battery, does this make sense? Can someone give me a step by step run down of how exactly it should be wired?

I also want to move the battery's from under the storage behind the observer seat to under the observer seat. The stock wires are not long enough to reach under the observer seat so how should these be extended?

Thanks for your help,

Johnny

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...