[C320-list] FW: Battery charger/inverter

Robert Seastream robert.seastream at comcast.net
Mon Mar 19 17:33:10 PDT 2007 

Does that hookup allow charging of the starting battery?

On Mar 19, 2007, at 8:15 PM, Delia Mace wrote:

> 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
>>>>> AOL
>>>>> at
>>>>> http://www.aol.com.
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>

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