PDQ OWNERS FORUM

Happy Black Friday!

While working on updating electrical systems, I am looking at removing the 2006 Pathmaker battery Isolator (occasionally solenoids dont close) and updating to a Blue Seas ACR or similar.

I am looking for some help on what other folks purchased and more importantly any diagrams or schematics on how it was wired.

Thanks again
Felix

hi,

i don't have experience with this on our pdq but i did redesign the battery/charging layout on or mainship. at the time, 10 years ago, the biggest obstacle was that blue seas didn't offer a 3-bank combiner which i didn't need on the mainship. you could achieve that by "daisy chaining" 2 blue seas. another option might be to replace the contacts on the pathmaker.

good luck

Thx for the reply....
I think I have found the solenoids for the Pathmaker but they are $36 each plus tax and shipping to end up with older Isolator technology with voltage loss. The Blue Seas ACR is what I am leaning towards but I would need some guidance from someone on how to wire them as "daisy chain"....I think I understand the concept but a diagram would be awesome

Cheers

couple of things 1) i'm not a great designer and i'm sure there are more elegant designs than what follows and 2) the goal is to connect all batteries into one bank when a charge source is present AND more importantly to isolate all batteries if no charge source is present.

unless blue seas has changed, the acr has 2 studs. one will be used for a power source and battery 1, the other would be normally connected to battery 2. one option to handle the pdq 3 bank layout would be to have a second acr. in this case the second stud on the first acr could be a cable going to stud 1 on the second acr and battery 2. the second stud on that acr would connect battery 3. this gives you a disconnect between all 3 batteries when power is removed but connects all as one when power is present.

actually thinking about it, i'm wrong on one point. the power source sense wire is a separate wire and does not connect to one of the studs. other than that what i said above will work.

Hey Felix,
I have tried replacing the Pathmaker solenoids with limited success. I now use 2 Blue Sea 7610 ACR's linked together as mentioned. Done a couple dozen so far with good results. As a heads up the #4 wire lugs will need to be replaced as the 7610's have a larger stud diameter, requiring a crimping tool.
I can email you pictures if it will help.

James

I have had this done by James Power. All I can offer is pictures. I can get you better ones when I'm back on the boat. Works great. The only thing is that you can no longer combine house and start with a toggle switch, if ever needed. James mentioned that you could easily make and rig a jumper cable in that case.

Big Thanks to all!

Going with Blue Seas 7610's

Felix

Hey Bryan,
Thought I'd mention that a jumper would work as mentioned or if a start battery is dead by starting the other engine the alternator will charge the weak battery allowing it crank up. In the unlikely scenario both starts are weak running the genny and charging the system thru the inverter/ charger will also get things running. Nice to have lots of options.

James

Thanks James. Advice much appreciated. Makes sense.

Hi Folks
When we upgraded our battery/inverter set up to lithium I also replaced the Pathmaker. I’ll attach a diagram that we followed. Very simple set up, it allows us combine start batteries if required, isolate start batteries, charge lithium house bank with proper voltage and use start batteries as a back up if house bank has a fault. Let me know if you have any questions
Take care, mark Btw,thanks Mac for photo help!