Hi,

Currently installing ac electrics and Mrs wants to be able to start the
genset before switching on the oven in the galley. Genset has a simple
add on board to remotely auto start when a single pole switch is made -
light switch - which will be installed in the galley. The AC power
system uses industrial contactor pairs to provide automatic switching
between supplies - shore, ac alternator, genset and inverter. See
basic diagram http://www.luxe-motor-kei.co.uk/documents/AC
Switching.pdf

The generator starts approx 12 seconds after the switch is made - after
glow plugs have done their stuff but of course if shore or inverter
power is already on the contactor coil remains energised and switched
to that power supply until switched off - which means Mrs S has to then
go and switch off shore or inverter supplies - which defeats the object
of the remote start!! The reason for switching off the shore supplies
is that in some areas only 4 - 6 A is available form the shore supply -
not enough for an electric oven.

I reckon that I need to let the genset run for a few seconds before
taking power from it. I was therefore thinking of using a delay on
timer to break the shore power and inverter contactor coil circuits 60
seconds after Mrs has made the genset switch, thereby switching the
generator power supply to the AC panel.

Any comments??

Colin Stone
www.luxe-motor-kei.co.uk

On 4 Feb 2006 16:03:58 -0800, wrote:

Hi,

Currently installing ac electrics and Mrs wants to be able to start the
genset before switching on the oven in the galley. Genset has a simple
add on board to remotely auto start when a single pole switch is made -
light switch - which will be installed in the galley. The AC power
system uses industrial contactor pairs to provide automatic switching
between supplies - shore, ac alternator, genset and inverter. See
basic diagram http://www.luxe-motor-kei.co.uk/documents/AC
Switching.pdf

The generator starts approx 12 seconds after the switch is made - after
glow plugs have done their stuff but of course if shore or inverter
power is already on the contactor coil remains energised and switched
to that power supply until switched off - which means Mrs S has to then
go and switch off shore or inverter supplies - which defeats the object
of the remote start!! The reason for switching off the shore supplies
is that in some areas only 4 - 6 A is available form the shore supply -
not enough for an electric oven.

I reckon that I need to let the genset run for a few seconds before
taking power from it. I was therefore thinking of using a delay on
timer to break the shore power and inverter contactor coil circuits 60
seconds after Mrs has made the genset switch, thereby switching the
generator power supply to the AC panel.

Any comments??

Colin Stone
www.luxe-motor-kei.co.uk
Interesting!
Looking at your PDF one can assume where the C/O contactor coils are
fed from but at my age I never assume nothing!
After a quick look I cannot see why the genset does not have priority,
ie last in line. A delay on timer would possibly do what you want
though. .
A couple of points.
Do you have a full circuit diagram as opposed to the schematic?
I cannot relate to the inverters upstream of the breaker board on the
QSW side! What control?
From your photos, why are you switching the ground wires?

What a project!!!!

Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
Please remove your hat when replying

Thanks. C/O contactor coils are fed from the supplies but crossed over
through the opposite contactor. With a mechanical interlock, the new
supply cannot be engaged until the first supply has been switched off.
Genset - is before inverter. Using Victron multi plus inverters -
probably 2 in parallel - and their wiring diagrams have genset/shore
selection first as inverter can boost AC supply from battery if shore
or genset output is not sufficient to meet load.
Have all sorts of parts of circuit diagrams!! - still drawing up the
full one. Imverter 2 and 3 are only 600W and have very low quiescent
consumption. Rather than leaving main inverter running, these 2 can
handle CH and fridge.
Ground wire switching - not sure either and cannot recall reason!!!
I'll have another look.

On 4 Feb 2006 16:03:58 -0800, wrote:

I reckon that I need to let the genset run for a few seconds before
taking power from it. I was therefore thinking of using a delay on
timer to break the shore power and inverter contactor coil circuits 60
seconds after Mrs has made the genset switch, thereby switching the
generator power supply to the AC panel.

Any comments??

Sounds overly complex to me. Remote generator start is fine, I assume
you will have remote stop also?

My boat has a rotary transfer switch to go from shore power, to gen
set, to inverter, to off. Works fine, very simple to install and use.
My wife has no issues with it and she is not very technically
inclined.

Something like the Krause and Naimer C42A281 would do the job:

http://www.cmsquick.com/prod_16.html

Switching ground wires - the reason is that the two switches are before
the isolation transformer. One is for shore supply and the other for
an AC alternator. This is 120-0-120 center tapped, so I use the IT to
convert to 0-240. This means that the ground wires must also be
switched so when in shore supply mode, the IT copper screen is earthed
straight through to shore. Simple really.