Technical Brief—Automatic Charging Relay (ACR)...
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Technical Brief—Automatic Charging Relay (ACR) Explained What is an Automatic Charging Relay, and how does it work? • What is an Automatic Charging Relay (ACR)? An ACR parallels (combines) batteries during charging, and isolates them when charging has stopped and after battery voltage has fallen. An ACR is intended to keep a load from discharging both of the batteries. • How does an ACR work? An ACR senses when the voltage of either of the batteries rises to a level indicating that a charge source is active (13.0V for 2 minutes). The ACR’s contacts then connect and the ACR applies the charge to both batteries. If the voltage on both of the batteries subsequently drops to 12.75V for 30 seconds, the ACR will disconnect, isolating the batteries. • Why do I need an ACR? An ACR allows two battery banks to be connected so that they can share the output of a single charge source, allowing the user to charge more battery banks than the number of charging outputs. For example, an ACR can be used with a single-output charger, resulting in a simpler system at lower cost than a dual-output charger. • How many ACRs do I need? To combine two battery banks, one ACR is needed; to combine three battery banks, two ACRs are required. What are some features of ACRs? • What does “Dual Sensing” mean? A dual-sensing ACR will sense an active charge source on one or both batteries and not solely on a designated battery. The ACR will operate if the measured voltage on either of the terminals is of a level to initiate a connection or disconnection. • How does an ACR differ from a battery isolator? Battery isolators use one-way electrical check valves called diodes that allow current to flow to, but not from, the battery. ACRs use a relay combined with a circuit that senses when a charging source is being applied to either battery. ACRs are more efficient than battery isolators because they create little heat and consume minimal charging energy. Read more about the differences between ACRs and battery isolators here: http://bluesea.com/viewresource/58 • Will an ACR manage the charge of my individual battery banks? An ACR does not direct the charge to the battery that “needs it the most” or has the lowest terminal voltage. If there is a charge present on either battery, indicated by a high enough voltage, the ACR will combine the batteries. Read more about this subject here: http://bluesea.com/go/ADD_A_BATTERY • What charge sources will an ACR work with? An ACR will work with all charge sources, including an alternator, AC charger, or solar panel. However, low current charge sources might not produce the voltage rise required to force the ACR to combine. What else do I need to know about my ACR? • What are the minimum number of connections I need to make my ACR work? Three: One wire to each battery, and one for a ground (GND) connection. For safety reasons, remember to disconnect the negative battery connections before beginning any ACR installation. See this article for more information on selecting the right fuses for Blue Sea Systems ACRs: http://bluesea.com/viewresource/578 • What does “Undervoltage Lockout” mean? As a safety feature, some ACRs prevent combining into a severely discharged battery. A dual-sensing ACR will monitor the voltage on both batteries and will not connect if either battery is below the undervoltage lockout level. Use caution when combining into a battery with extremely low voltage, because this might represent a faulty battery or a problem elsewhere in the system. • Why doesn’t my ACR automatically combine every time my engine is running? For an ACR to automatically combine the batteries, voltage and time thresholds must be reached. Although these numbers vary somewhat from one ACR product to another, if ACR terminal voltage is greater than 13.0V for 2 minutes, the ACR should combine. • Why didn’t the ACR disconnect when my engine was turned off? The ACR will not disconnect until the low voltage threshold is reached to isolate the circuit. It may take several minutes for the voltage of the batteries to drop to this level. Since the ACR incorporates a delay, additional time (up to 2 minutes) is required before the ACR disconnects. • Where can I get more troubleshooting information? For specific troubleshooting help with SI-Series and ML-Series ACRs, see the Diagnostic Flowcharts for these products. For more information on specific ACR applications, please visit www.bluesea.com. Blue Sea Systems Inc. • 425 Sequoia Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226 USA • Phone: (360) 738-8230 • Fax: (360) 734–4195 • www.bluesea.com
Transcript of Technical Brief—Automatic Charging Relay (ACR)...
Technical Brief—Automatic Charging Relay (ACR) Explained
What is an Automatic Charging Relay, and how does it work?
•WhatisanAutomaticChargingRelay(ACR)?
An ACR parallels (combines) batteries during charging, and isolates them when charging has stopped and after battery voltage has fallen. An ACR is intended to keep a load from discharging both of the batteries.
•HowdoesanACRwork?
An ACR senses when the voltage of either of the batteries rises to a level indicating that a charge source is active (13.0V for 2 minutes). The ACR’s contacts then connect and the ACR applies the charge to both batteries. If the voltage on both of the batteries subsequently drops to 12.75V for 30 seconds, the ACR will disconnect, isolating the batteries.
•WhydoIneedanACR?
An ACR allows two battery banks to be connected so that they can share the output of a single charge source, allowing the user to charge more battery banks than the number of charging outputs. For example, an ACR can be used with a single-output charger, resulting in a simpler system at lower cost than a dual-output charger.
•HowmanyACRsdoIneed?
To combine two battery banks, one ACR is needed; to combine three battery banks, two ACRs are required.
What are some features of ACRs?
•Whatdoes“DualSensing”mean?
A dual-sensing ACR will sense an active charge source on one or both batteries and not solely on a designated battery. The ACR will operate if the measured voltage on either of the terminals is of a level to initiate a connection or disconnection.
•HowdoesanACRdifferfromabatteryisolator?
Batteryisolatorsuseone-wayelectricalcheckvalvescalleddiodesthatallowcurrenttoflowto,butnotfrom,thebattery.ACRsusearelay combinedwithacircuitthatsenseswhenachargingsourceisbeingappliedtoeitherbattery.ACRsaremoreefficientthanbatteryisolators because they create little heat and consume minimal charging energy. Read more about the differences between ACRs and battery isolators here: http://bluesea.com/viewresource/58
•WillanACRmanagethechargeofmyindividualbatterybanks?
An ACR does not direct the charge to the battery that “needs it the most” or has the lowest terminal voltage. If there is a charge present on either battery, indicated by a high enough voltage, the ACR will combine the batteries. Read more about this subject here: http://bluesea.com/go/ADD_A_BATTERY
•WhatchargesourceswillanACRworkwith?
An ACR will work with all charge sources, including an alternator, AC charger, or solar panel. However, low current charge sources might not produce the voltage rise required to force the ACR to combine. WhatelsedoIneedtoknowaboutmyACR?
•WhataretheminimumnumberofconnectionsIneedtomakemyACRwork?
Three: One wire to each battery, and one for a ground (GND) connection. For safety reasons, remember to disconnect the negative battery connections before beginning any ACR installation. See this article for more information on selecting the right fuses for Blue Sea Systems ACRs: http://bluesea.com/viewresource/578
•Whatdoes“UndervoltageLockout”mean?
As a safety feature, some ACRs prevent combining into a severely discharged battery. A dual-sensing ACR will monitor the voltage on both batteries and will not connect if either battery is below the undervoltage lockout level. Use caution when combining into a battery with extremely low voltage, because this might represent a faulty battery or a problem elsewhere in the system.
•Whydoesn’tmyACRautomaticallycombineeverytimemyengineisrunning?
For an ACR to automatically combine the batteries, voltage and time thresholds must be reached. Although these numbers vary somewhat from one ACR product to another, if ACR terminal voltage is greater than 13.0V for 2 minutes, the ACR should combine.
•Whydidn’ttheACRdisconnectwhenmyenginewasturnedoff?
The ACR will not disconnect until the low voltage threshold is reached to isolate the circuit. It may take several minutes for the voltage of the batteries to drop to this level. Since the ACR incorporates a delay, additional time (up to 2 minutes) is required before the ACR disconnects.
•WherecanIgetmoretroubleshootinginformation?
ForspecifictroubleshootinghelpwithSI-SeriesandML-SeriesACRs,seetheDiagnosticFlowchartsfortheseproducts. FormoreinformationonspecificACRapplications,pleasevisitwww.bluesea.com.
BlueSeaSystemsInc.•425SequoiaDrive,Bellingham,WA98226USA•Phone:(360)738-8230•Fax:(360)734–4195•www.bluesea.com
ACR IS NOTFUNCTIONING
PROPERLY. Contact
Blue Sea Systems.
ACR IS NOTFUNCTIONING
PROPERLY. Contact
Blue Sea Systems.
NO
NO
CONNECT SI LINE to a point at 12V
only when starter is engaged.
YES
Is SI line connected to a constant 12V point?i.e. key Accessory
position instead of key Start position.
Is the Start Isolation (SI) feature enabled?
CONNECT GROUND WIRE AS DESCRIBED.
Verify continuity to a known
good ground.
ACR IS FUNCTIONINGCORRECTLY AND IS IN
OVERVOLTAGE LOCKOUT.
THE ACR WILL NOT COMBINE BATTERIES. SYMPTOM Batteries are ISOLATED: Green LED is “OFF”
THE ACR WILL NOT ISOLATE BATTERIES. SYMPTOM Batteries are COMBINED: Green LED is “ON”
ACR IS NOTFUNCTIONING
PROPERLY. Contact
Blue Sea Systems.
YES
ACR IS FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY.
Batteries are paralleled.
NOIs the voltage at
either primary ACR terminal below 12.75V
for 30 seconds?
ACR IS FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY.
NEITHER INPUT HAS REACHED
CHARGING VOLTAGE.
NO
NO
Is at least one primary ACR terminal
voltage above 16.0V?
Is the voltage at either primary ACR terminal above
13.6V for 30 seconds or above 13.0V for
2 minutes?
YES
YES
YES
Is the ACRground wire connected to a common ground
or directly to the battery negative
terminal?
425 Sequoia Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226 USA • Phone: (360) 738-8230 • Fax: (360) 734-4195 • www.bluesea.com
NO
YES
START HERE
START HERE
Question Action
LEGENDACR is functioning correctlyACR is not functioning properly
S I - S e r i e s H e av y D u t y A u t o m a t i c C h a r g i n g R e l ay ( AC R ) D i a g n o s t i c F l o w c h a r tPN 7610
ACR IS FUNCTIONINGCORRECTLY.
START ISOLATION (SI)HAS BEEN TRIGGERED.Refer to instructions for proper SI connection.
YES
ACR IS FUNCTIONING
CORRECTLY AND IS IN UNDERVOLTAGE
LOCKOUT.
YES
ACR IS FUNCTIONING
CORRECTLY AND IS IN OVERVOLTAGE
LOCKOUT.
YES
ACR IS FUNCTIONINGCORRECTLY.
NEITHER INPUT HAS REACHED
CHARGING VOLTAGE.
NO
CONNECT LED WIRE AS DESCRIBED and
restart MANUAL function check.
NO
ACR IS NOTFUNCTIONING
PROPERLY. Contact
Blue Sea Systems.
NO
Is the remote control contura switch LED “ON”, indicating the
batteries are combined?
CONNECT LED WIRE AS DESCRIBED and
restart MANUAL function check.
NO
M L - S e r i e s H e av y D u t y A u t o m a t i c C h a r g i n g R e l ay ( AC R ) D i a g n o s t i c F l o w c h a r t
THE ACR WILL NOT COMBINE BATTERIES. SYMPTOM
CONNECT GROUND WIRE AS DESCRIBED and restart MANUAL
function check.
ACR IS NOT FUNCTIONING
PROPERLY.contact
Blue Sea Systems.
YES
Does the ACR produce a
“CLICK” sound?NO
PROCEED TO STEP 2(below)
YES
Is the ACRground wire connected to a common ground
or directly to the battery negative
terminal?
Is LED wire (yellow) from the ACR connected to pin 7 on the switch?
Are pins 3 and 8 on switch connected to +12V DC?
NONO
YESYES
Is the LED ON, indicating that the batteries
are combined?
DISCONNECT THESTART ISOLATION
(SI) WIRES —orange, brown,
and green.
YESIs at least one of
the terminal voltages above 13V?
YES
ACR IS FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY.
YESIs the remote control contura switch LED “ON”, indicating that
the batteries are combined?
Is LED wire (yellow) from the ACR connected to pin 7 on the switch?
Are pins 3 and 8 on switch connected to +12V DC?
NONO
YESYES
Is at least one of the
terminal voltages below 10V?
Is at least one ofthe terminal
voltages above 16V?
NO
NO
Is the ACRground wire connected to a common ground
or directly to the battery negative
terminal?
CONNECT GROUND WIRE AS DESCRIBED
and restart AUTO function check.
STEP 1: Check MANUAL COMBINE function with Remote Control Contura Switch
425 Sequoia Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226 USA • Phone: (360) 738-8230 • Fax: (360) 734-4195 • www.bluesea.com
Ensure that manual override knob is in the “OFF” position with the latch up (7622 and 7623)
STEP 2: Check AUTO COMBINE function with Remote Control Contura Switch
Does the ACR produce a
“CLICK” sound?
NO
Question ActionACR is functioning correctly
LEGEND
Start ACR is not functioning properly
START HERE
OPERATE REMOTE CONTROL CONTURA SWITCH FROM “OFF” TO “ON” POSITION. TURN ENGINE
OR BATTERY CHARGER “ON”. WAIT 90 SECONDS.
START HERE
OPERATE REMOTE CONTROL CONTURA SWITCH FROM “OFF” TO “AUTO” POSITION. TURN ENGINE
OR BATTERY CHARGER “ON”. WAIT 90 SECONDS.
PN 7620 / PN 7622 / PN 7621 / PN 7623
