Hello,

I purchased the VSR Smart Battery Switch from your partners at EzAcDc and now I am a tad bit confused. I removed my old battery switch, which had a lead from the Starter which is tied into the alternator.

The old switch was between the battery and the starter on that red wire, then it branched out to the batteries and both batteries went to ground. Simple.

Looking at the drawing that came with the system, I’m confused as to where the “charging” feed comes in? I’m assuming that is the left side of the diagram indicated as the engine Positive Cable. However I’m not sure where to hook up the outbound side into my boat harness Ala boat harness ground and boat harness power. Perhaps I got the wrong diagram?

Thanks so much for the help!
Tim

Hi Tim,

I’m sorry for the confusion.

Your 3.0L engine’s charging circuit is fed to the cranking battery through your engine start cable. The Orange alternator output wire runs from the alternator to the starter. It is connected to the same lug on the starter as the engine positive battery cable.

Your engine negative battery cable and your boat harness ground will both connect to the ground bus that came with your kit. Your boat accessory harness positive wire will connect to the back of the battery switch to the same terminal as one of the VSR wires.

If all of the accessories on your marine electrical system are powered up through the red/purple power lead that runs from your engine up to your dash, you will need to run a separate power wire from your new battery switch to the fuse block/breaker panel to separate these two circuits. Add circuit protection at the battery switch to protect this new wire.

Please let me know if you have any questions,

Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks for the response.

Just so I get this right

1. The red of the start lug (which also has the alternator orange wire on it) would attach to Lug number 1 on the switch.
2. Can I assume since the harness is already grounded that i don’t have to mess with grounding here?
3. Finally the red/purple. You’re saying to just disconnect the red/purple at the 20 amp fuse (page 5) and run a new wire from the lug into that fuse?

Thanks

Tim

Hi Tim,

You are correct on the first two assumptions above.  

As for the third question about the red/purple, you will need to run a separate wire to power your fuse block. The Red/Purple in your engine harness that runs up to your helm provides power for your key switch and instruments. Do not disconnect this wire. You will want these items to be powered by the engine battery.

Your existing red/purple probably connects to a fuse panel at the helm. The ignition switch gets it’s power from this fuse panel also. Disconnect the red/purple from the fuse block and connect it to your ignition switch. There is usually some form of circuit protection on this boat wiring. Please use it. Run a new wire (10 awg at least) from LUG number 2 on the battery switch to the fuse block under your helm. Install circuit protection (40 to 50 amps) as close as possible to the battery switch.

I hope this helps. If you are not sure on how to connect the red/purple, send me some digital pictures of your helm fuse panel and I will mark them up.

Kevin

Kevin,

I am installing the EzAcDc marine shore power system. Could you please clear something up for me?

Is it OK to have the AC and the DC panels in the same area as long as you don’t group the wires together?

I had read to keep the AC and DC apart in marine electrical systems, but I am not sure if that meant just to space wires apart so they don’t chafe through and connect systems or if they needed further separation.

Thanks.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Yes. It is OK to have both panels in the same area.

Per the American Boat and Yacht Council, if the AC system and DC system are on the same panel, then the AC system needs to have an enclosure to prevent accidental contact when you are working on the DC side. Even though it is not required, the EzAcDc Easy Add AC panel has rear safety enclosure.

When installing AC and DC boat wiring, it is a good practice to separate the AC and DC wiring because most AC HOT wires are black and most DC GROUND wires are black. Accidental swapping would be very dangerous.

I hope that this is helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions about your project.

Kevin

Kevin,

I bought a four-position switch to replace my four-position/four-terminal switch on my Mercury Marine 5.0 MPI’s boat wiring. 

The problem is the new switch has arrived and has six wires. The extra two say 5 and 6 position are for the battery and ignition – as shown in the attached picture.

Should I ignore these and cut the wires off or should I connect them to 1 and 4? 

Do I need a different switch?

Dan

Hi Dan,

This switch will work fine.

Ignore positions 5 and 6. They are internally connected to 1 and 4. You can either cut them off or tape them up.

Kevin

Kevin,

Your site is great!

I recently picked up a three-bank DC Alternator Charger. I am supposed to run this purple lead wire to the ignition switch so that the charger is on while the big motor is on.

The crude photo attached is all the instructions I have. The paper says the purple wire must be connected to ignition circuit. Reviews on installing thing range from “super easy” to “needed a marine technician to install”. I sure don’t want to mess something up.

I also attached a very crude picture of my console. The red harness is where my ignition connects at. I see the purple wire there. Do I simply have to attach my purple lead wire to the existing wire?

Chad

Hi Chad,

You are correct. The charger connects to the purple lead on the back of your key switch.

I would install an in-line fuse at the key switch end of this new purple wire with a maximum rating of 5 amps. The fuse protecting the key switch will protect the boat wiring, but this additional fuse will blow first if you have a fault in the charger or this new purple wire.

Happy wiring,

Kevin