Power source device for boat

Abstract

To maintain stabilized operation of a boat engine, a propulsion device may be provided with two separate batteries for different uses in case one of the batteries suffers a voltage drop. A power source device is provided with a propulsion battery for supplying power to engine-related components of an outboard motor and an auxiliary battery for supplying power to boat accessories. An anomaly time power supply circuit is connected to the power supply route of the propulsion battery and the power supply route of the auxiliary battery. Electric power from the auxiliary battery is supplied to the engine-related components when the charged voltage of the propulsion battery lowers below the charged voltage of the auxiliary battery, so that power to the engine-related components is supplemented in order to maintain stabilized operation of the engine.

1 . A power source device for a boat comprising: 
 a propulsion battery for supplying electric power to a propulsion device of the boat;    an auxiliary battery for supplying electric power to other devices of the boat; and    an anomaly power supply circuit for supplying electric power from the auxiliary battery when a voltage drop occurs in the propulsion battery.    
     
     
         2 . A power source device for a boat comprising: 
 a propulsion battery for supplying electric power to the propulsion device of the boat;    an auxiliary battery for supplying electric power to auxiliary devices of the boat;    an anomaly power supply circuit for supplying electric power from the auxiliary battery when voltage drop occurs in the propulsion battery;    a voltage detecting means for individually detecting the voltages of the propulsion battery and the auxiliary battery; and    an anomaly processing section for performing an anomaly processing action when a battery anomaly is detected based on the voltages of the propulsion battery and the auxiliary battery detected with the voltage detecting means.    
     
     
         3 . The power source device of  claim 2 , wherein the anomaly processing section is adapted to give out a low voltage anomaly alarm for either the propulsion battery or the auxiliary battery when a low voltage is detected for the battery in question.  
     
     
         4 . The power source device of  claim 2 , wherein the anomaly processing section is adapted to detect a parallel connection anomaly of the propulsion battery and the auxiliary battery based on the voltages of both batteries.  
     
     
         5 . The power source device of  claim 2 , wherein the anomaly power supply circuit is adapted that a positive pole side of the auxiliary battery is connected to a positive pole side of the propulsion battery through a pair of diodes to prevent roundabout current from flowing from one to the other of the propulsion battery and the auxiliary battery.  
     
     
         6 . The power source device of  claim 2 , wherein the anomaly power supply circuit is provided with a relay switch for connecting the positive pole side of the auxiliary battery to the positive pole side of the propulsion battery by the input of a control signal.  
     
     
         7 . The power source device of  claim 2 , wherein the anomaly power supply circuit is provided with a relay switch for connecting the positive pole side of the auxiliary battery to the positive pole side of the propulsion battery, and the relay switch is actuated with a control signal outputted from the anomaly processing section when a low voltage of the propulsion battery is detected.  
     
     
         8 . A power source device for a boat, the power source device comprising: 
 a propulsion battery for supplying electric power to a propulsion device of the boat;    an auxiliary battery for supplying electric power to auxiliaries of the boat;    a power supply circuit for supplying electric power from the auxiliary battery when a voltage drop occurs in the propulsion battery; and    an anomaly processing section configured to detect voltages of the propulsion battery and the auxiliary battery, the anomaly processing section being configured to detect at least one of the following power source anomalies: a low battery voltage in the auxiliary battery, a low battery voltage in the propulsion battery, a parallel connection, and a broken wire;    wherein when the anomaly processing section detects a low battery voltage in the propulsion battery, the anomaly processing section increases the output of a generator.    
     
     
         9 . The power source device of  claim 8 , wherein the power supply circuit comprises a plurality of diodes configured to permit the auxiliary battery to supplement the propulsion battery when the propulsion battery falls below the voltage of the auxiliary battery.  
     
     
         10 . The power source device of  claim 8 , wherein the power supply circuit comprises a switch that is configured to place the auxiliary battery in connection with at least one of the components powered by the propulsion battery.  
     
     
         11 . The power source device of  claim 8 , wherein the propulsion battery is recharged by the increased generator output.  
     
     
         12 . The power source device of  claim 8 , wherein the anomaly processing section comprises a microprocessor.  
     
     
         13 . The power source device of  claim 12 , wherein the microprocessor is part of the engine control unit.  
     
     
         14 . The power source device of  claim 12 , wherein the microprocessor controls at least one operation of the engine.  
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling a boat's power supply when the boat has a plurality of batteries and a generator, the method comprising: 
 detecting the voltage of a propulsion battery and comparing the detected voltage with a first threshold propulsion battery voltage;    supplementing the voltage of the propulsion battery with the voltage of the auxiliary battery when the voltage of the propulsion battery falls below the first threshold propulsion battery voltage;    determining whether a drop in propulsion battery voltage is caused by a broken wire or low battery voltage when the propulsion battery voltage falls below the first threshold propulsion battery voltage; and    providing at least one of an audible and visual signal that either a low battery voltage or a broken wire and increased generator output when the cause of the drop in propulsion battery voltage is determined.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary battery supplements the propulsion battery when the propulsion battery falls below the voltage of the auxiliary battery.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary battery supplements the propulsion battery when a power supply circuit is switched to connect the auxiliary battery with at least one component powered by the propulsion battery.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the determination of the drop in propulsion battery voltage is made by comparing the propulsion battery voltage with a broken wire threshold voltage.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising detecting the voltage of an auxiliary battery and comparing the detected voltage with a threshold auxiliary battery voltage.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of either an audible or visual signal is provided to indicate low auxiliary battery voltage when the auxiliary battery voltage falls below the threshold auxiliary battery voltage.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the difference between propulsion battery and auxiliary battery is compared to a difference threshold voltage.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of either an audible or visual signal is provided indicating a parallel connection if the difference between the propulsion battery and the auxiliary battery falls below the difference threshold voltage.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the auxiliary battery supplements the propulsion battery until the propulsion battery voltage is greater than a second threshold propulsion battery voltage, the second threshold propulsion battery voltage being greater than the threshold propulsion battery voltage.  
     
     
         24 . A power source device for a boat, the power source device comprising: 
 a propulsion battery for supplying electric power to a propulsion device of the boat;    an auxiliary battery for supplying electric power to auxiliaries of the boat;    means for supplying electric power from the auxiliary battery when a voltage drop occurs in the propulsion battery;    means for detecting at least one of the following power source anomalies: a low battery voltage in the auxiliary battery, a low battery voltage in the propulsion battery, a parallel connection, and a broken wire; and    means for increasing the output of a generator when a low battery voltage is detected in the propulsion battery.