Bavaria 42 2000 Batteries

[patprice]

Hi all and advice please.
Year 2000 Bavaria 42 Cruiser.
I have owned this yacht for 6 years. Have replaced the house batteries twice. But not the start battery which is then older than 6 years.
If the start battery fails, is there a built in system whereas an engine start is made from the house batteries? Or do I need jumper leads?
I do not want to get caught unable to start the engine!
Thanks.

[Lyra]

If your electrical system is as mine (and I think most Bavarias in factory configuration) then the house and start circuits are totally separate with not built in system to connect them.
Simply purchase (or make) a jumper cable as used in cars - you need one only for the positive, since the negative is common to both circuits. I made by myself a very short one, since the distance is very short.

[IslandAlchemy]

Or connect the positive terminals between the two banks together with an isolator switch in the middle, so you can share the batteries in an emergency by simply switching on the isolator.

[Yngmar]

Or connect the positive terminals between the two banks together with an isolator switch in the middle, so you can share the batteries in an emergency by simply switching on the isolator.

+1 A battery bank link switch is the better solution. You don't want to fiddle with jumper cables when you need to get the engine started in a hurry and end up producing great sparks or the cables fall off because it's bouncy. Consider that things are most likely to go wrong in bad conditions.

[patprice]

Yep all good replies and many thanks. Switch coming up to join +ves.

[Salty]

I posted information regarding an emergency engine start system some time ago at http://bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php/topic,1921.msg11853.html#msg11853 and included a schematic wiring diagram.

[Lyra]

I agree that a switch is a more "solid" solution, however you will never forget the two banks connected with a jumper wire.

[Salty]

I get your point, but I don't think I'd forget that I'd just had to use the switch, though I do think that with the engine now hopefully started and running that my mind would be more concerned about getting the boat and it's occupants back to a safe situation. Once in a safe situation then I think I'd be inclined to remove your jumper lead or turn my switch to the off position, but with whichever system one decides to use, I'm sure that once the engine was running again and driving the prop that a sigh of relief, a quiet word privately or even a loud shout to whomsoever one might wish to believe in just might have priority.