The battery coupler for boats is a device for examining the power supply on board the boat. Generally, boats have a set of two or three so-called backup batteries to power all electrical equipment. Usually one battery is reserved for the engine and the rest for the electricity consuming suppliers. Often called a battery selector or battery diverter, its function is to electrically separate the battery from the electrical circuit.
how does a battery coupler work?
It usually has a selector knob that is used to operate the battery, battery 2, battery 1 +2 and an off position. It can also be adopted as a battery splitter, simply connect it to the alternator output and you will charge the battery of your choice. When the coupler discovers that the starter battery has reached its cut-off voltage, it closes to allow parallel charging of other batteries. In fact, you can favour the battery of your choice to supply the electrical installations.
In addition, the coupler manages the discharge and use of one or more batteries or even a battery bank. The battery coupler avoids overloading the charging source (panels, alternator, charger) and distributes it in the best possible way. It has a low consumption of a few milliamps while operating easily with an optimal autonomy. It does not require monitoring.
The steps to follow for connection
It offers the use of each battery in isolation and can couple them if one of them is too weak. By its name, the battery separator coupler is used to couple the engine battery with the cell battery to recharge it. It also separates the batteries when the engine stops to prevent the starter battery from discharging.
The connection procedure is quite simple. However, it must be done to the letter to avoid damaging your power cell, according to the steps below:
- First, join the negative electrode of your main battery to the rim.
- Next, connect the negative terminal of the secondary battery to the negative terminal of the engine battery using the black cable.
- Next, connect the positive electrode of your auxiliary battery to the coupler (red cable).
- Finally, connect the positive terminal of the engine battery (which is connected to the alternator) to the coupler.
When installing, it is advisable to have a fuse port.
where to fit the battery separator coupler?
The battery separator coupler is usually simple and easy to install. It is placed on the positive pole of the engine battery and on both poles of the auxiliary battery. For maximum efficiency, it is best to install the coupler as close as possible to the engine battery.
