[C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter

Mon Mar 19 17:15:15 PDT 2007

Bob

An easy way out might be to simply wire the starter battery to the starting
motor solenoid (as in a car/automobile).  The solenoid isolates the battery
when not in use and the key prevents inadvertent use of the starter battery.

Owen mace
Baloo #727
Adelaide, Australia

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Robert Seastream
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 11:23 PM
To: C320-List
Subject: Re: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter

Yes, but my suggestion frees up position one on the switch for a 
starting battery, should you run your house bank down and be unable to 
start the engine.

Bob
On Mar 19, 2007, at 7:43 AM, Delia Mace wrote:

> Doesn't the ALL position on the main battery switch put the two 
> batteries in
> parallel?
>
> Sorry for the slow response - been cruis'n.
>
> Owen Mace
> Baloo #727
> Adelaide Australia
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Robert 
> Seastream
> Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 6:27 AM
> To: C320-List
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter
>
> One easy way to parallel batteries follows:
>
> First make sure the main switch is OFF.
> Then, simply remove the cables from one of the batteries (say, battery
> two);  and tape those cable ends, for safety.
> Next, run new cables (make or buy them) between the batteries; positive
> to positive, and negative to negative.
> The result is you'll have both batteries on position one of the main
> switch; position two now does nothing.
>
> Later, if you wish you can attach the cables you disconnected from
> battery two to a starting battery, if they'll reach wherever you locate
> the starting battery.
> If they don't reach, you'll have to replace them with longer cables.
>
> On my boat (2002) both batteries are under the main cabin starboard
> bunk.  It looks like I could squeeze a starting battery in front of the
> forward (I think it's battery two) battery, if I chose to employ the
> above practice although I've not done so yet.  I'm on a mooring, so I'm
> sensitive to battery consumption.  My current practice is to leave the
> main switch on ALL, with an 18 watt solar panel attached to the forward
> battery for maintenance charging during the week and carry a 'start
> pack' onboard should I drain the bank below starting requirements while
> I'm on her.
>
> Bob Seastream
> 'Intuition', Hull 906
>
>
> On Mar 5, 2007, at 2:27 PM, <bruceheyman at cox.net> wrote:
>
>> Darell,
>> How do you have the batteries paralleled?  Through a switch?
>> Bruce
>> Somerset 671 SoCal
>> ---- Darrell <dgray at n-sea.org> wrote:
>>> Hi Jeff,
>>>
>>> My 4D's have been paralleled as a house bank for a couple years now
>>> and I
>>> have a good 3 stage charger. When I check the fluid level in the
>>> batteries
>>> about every 2 months, I find three cells on one battery lower than
>>> the rest
>>> ( never dangerously low) Both batteries were replaced at the same
>>> time. The
>>> battery that is a little lower is the one wired to the charger. Could
>>> that
>>> be the reason it looses more fluid?
>>>
>>> Darrell
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Jeffrey Hare" <Catalina at thehares.com>
>>> To: <kmielen at iwon.com>; "'C320-List'" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
>>> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 11:07 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>>  I'm entering my 6th season on my 4Ds.  They're still ok, but I
>>>> haven't
>>>> decided what I'll replace them with next year.  It helps their life
>>>> substantially having them in parallel however.
>>>>
>>>> Consider 6v golf batteries only if you're going to be nearly
>>>> religious
>>>> about
>>>> equalizing them every year, and keeping all the extra connections
>>>> clean.
>>>> If
>>>> you don't, you'll be hard pressed to match the power output of a
>>>> pair of
>>>> conventional parallelled 4Ds given that you'll have nearly double 
>>>> the
>>>> electrical connection losses.  :)   It does help reduce the
>>>> equalization
>>>> requirements if you keep them on shore power charger and fully
>>>> charged for
>>>> long periods of time.
>>>>
>>>> -J
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Karl Mielenhausen _/) [mailto:kmielen at iwon.com]
>>>> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 11:43 AM
>>>> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>>>> Subject: [C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Paul,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Bert was right on with his recommendation for a 40 amp charger...
>>>> you want
>>>> 10% of your battery bank capacity in Amp-Hrs.
>>>>
>>>> Here is something else to think about...Before you replace your
>>>> marine,
>>>> lead/acid 4Ds (which a really a hybrid starting/deep cycle battery,
>>>> at
>>>> approx 205 AH), consider switching to golf car batteries (220 AH).
>>>> Others
>>>> have suggested going to AGM's but I found that a tad pricy.
>>>>
>>>> Here is a link to some reference material...
>>>>
>>>> http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boat_battery_basics.htm
>>>>
>>>> A true (lead/acid) deep cycle battery can tolerate being discharged
>>>> 80%
>>>> whereas the hybrid (lead/acid) batteries should only be discharged
>>>> 50%.
>>>> You
>>>> must be doing something right, however, having gotten 6 years of
>>>> life on
>>>> your last pair!!
>>>>
>>>> Also, four golf car batteries are also easier to handle than the 2
>>>> 4D's.
>>>> Of
>>>> course, you may want to add a starting battery. This will give you
>>>> the
>>>> added
>>>> confidence to run the house bank way down and still be able to start
>>>> the
>>>> engine.
>>>>
>>>> There are several of these conversions photographed on the C320IA
>>>> website...
>>>>
>>>> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?
>>>> set_albumName=StartingBatt
>>>> Shelf
>>>>
>>>> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?
>>>> set_albumName=album86
>>>>
>>>> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=6-
>>>> Volt-Batte
>>>> ries-and-Solar-Panel
>>>>
>>>> http://www.catalina320.com/gallery/view_album.php?
>>>> set_albumName=album31
>>>>
>>>> Good luck and keep us informed of your progress.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Karl Mielenhausen
>>>>
>>>> 2000 C320 Hull#690 "Silver Lining"
>>>>
>>>> New Bern, NC
>>>>
>>>> http://pages.suddenlink.net/kmielen/
>>>>
>>>> From: PDCatalina320 at aol.com [mailto: PDCatalina320 at aol.com]
>>>>
>>>> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
>>>>
>>>> Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007 01:58:55 EST
>>>>
>>>> Subject: [C320-list] Battery charger/inverter
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am about to replace my 2 4D's since they are now 6 years old. I
>>>> hear it
>>>> is also a good time to replace the 25 amp flyback charger.  A
>>>> inverter/charger like the xantrex Freedom 10 sounds nice but will my
>>>> 4 awg
>>>> wires  to the batteries take the  50 amps charging that the freedom
>>>> puts
>>>> out?  I don't want to pull larger wires. Or is it better to just get
>>>> the
>>>> xantrex truecharge 20  and do the inverter seperate.  Any info will
>>>> help.
>>>> Thanks                                Paul,    850
>>>> Sobrante<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL
>>>> now
>>>> offers free email to everyone.  Find out more about what's free from
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>>>> at
>>>> http://www.aol.com.
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
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