T&T: Battery switches (was Engine Will Start Even if Selector ...)

[Truelove39 at aol.com]

Mark- 
Thanks  for the clarification. I certainly didn't mean to disparage Blue Sea, 
but you  know how those  marketing people can be! 
Re:  the charging relay do you have the cut-in cut-out voltages? BS  does not 
list them for the 7600. 
Thanks, 
John   
>I  didn't mean that I use the mini m-series switches for engine  cranking
circuits, I don't.  I happened to have one lying nearby, so I  read the
ratings off the switch, because I didn't think the 200 amp rating on  the
switch you mentioned could possibly be a cranking rating.  The Blue  Sea
switches I normally use in cranking applications are the 9000 series,  rated
350A continuous, 600A intermittent, and 900A cranking, $43 at  West.  I won't
use the normal Perko switches (250A continuous, 360A  momentary), having
replaced several which had failed.  I don't think  much of the smaller Guest
switches, either.


<<It's also  interesting, and a bit disconcerting, that Blue Sea has taken it
upon itself to create  their own standard!
"Blue Sea Systems has created an additional  standard called the Engine
Starting Standard. The Engine Starting Standard is  10 cycles, each
consisting of
an Inrush Current spike of 1/4 second  duration, a Cranking period of 9-3/4
seconds duration, and a 2 second rest  period for a total of 120 seconds.
This is
representative of the load  imposed on a battery switch in the starting
circuit  under very  difficult starting conditions. Blue Sea
Systems battery switches,  in  addition to being tested to UL 1107..."
Then they go on to state: "UL Listed  - UL 1107 electric power switches
(pending testing)">>

Writing  theri own standards when necessary is something the best companies
do.   The engine starting standard they created is far superior to the usual
use of  continuous and momentary ratings.  I think I read that ABYC is about
to  adopt the standard you quote here, created by Blue Sea.  Everything I
have seen  indicates that Blue Sea Systems is a class company, and I use many
of their  products in my business and on my boat.  I'm especially fond of
their  Batterylink ACR (automatic charging relay, or battery combiner in our
usual  language); very sophisticated, current limiting, and about $80 even  at
West.  Usual  disclaimers.


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