[C320-list] DC power system upgrade advice

[Chris Burti]

That is what I do. It is better to have a load on a diesel even when idling.
When I set the anchor overnight, I reverse at full throttle in order to set
it properly, so mine are usually dug in pretty good. Once in a while, she
will set really deep, but never so deep that the windlass can't pull it out.
The windlass will work on the chain rode if you keep it tight, but it is
rough on the chrome. A simple solution to protect the finish without a
conversion to a rope/chain gypsy is to secure an old piece of halyard
between the anchor shackle and the rope rode shackle. When you get to the
chain, take it off the windlass and take a couple of wraps of the halyard on
the drum and haul her on in.

If the engine is running, I feel that good seamanship requires me to keep a
good watch so I sit in the cockpit, usually partaking of a beverage of some
sort and enjoy the view.

On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 1:45 PM, David Nolte <dcnolte at mac.com> wrote:

> Chris,
>
> Do you really run it in reverse at anchor? I guess that allows you to run
> at a high RPM, and charge better & quicker. But wouldn't that dig your
> anchor in something fierce? Ever have trouble pulling it loose?
>
> I had never thought of doing that. I guess you need to keep a good watch &
> make sure you don't drag.
>
> Do others run in reverse at anchor?
>
> David Nolte
> Beach House #4
>
>
>
>
> On Jul 16, 2008, at 1:35 PM, Chris Burti wrote:
>
> Gary,
>> This is not a recommendation, consider it a report for evaluation.
>>
>> We have hull number 867 with a Yanmar with a 55 amp OEM alternator. We try
>> to get at least one one-week cruise each year. On those cruises, we freeze
>> or buy 10# of block ice for the bottom of the reefer, set the controller
>> in
>> the middle and run a small fan for air circulation which dramatically
>> reduces the current consumption. Other than that, we try to be
>> conscientious
>> about not wasting electricity, run the fans only when needed, make sure
>> that
>> we rotate battery usage and turn off the anchor light early. We run the
>> engine about 20-30 minutes in gear, in reverse @ 2500 rpm in the morning
>> and
>> evening to heat water and charge the batteries. We replaced our OEM Excide
>> 4d's in 2006 with Excide commercial truck 4'ds along with the charger
>> which
>> lightning had fried.
>>
>> Have not drawn the batteries below 12v with this regime.
>> On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 1:08 PM, Magnuson's Ragtime <ragtime at gte.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hull 205--- I need to replace the 4D batteries, and am not sure if I
>>> should
>>> stay with the flooded or go to the Gel cells.  My 30 amp Newmar charger
>>> is
>>> humming a 60hz tone that pier walkers can hear, which started this
>>> project.
>>> I think I understand the pros and cons of both types of battery and I
>>> think
>>> that a new 40A  Xantrex charger will handle either while at the slip. I
>>> have
>>> the Perkins engine with the original alternator. If I choose the gel
>>> technology now, and buy the new charger, do I also need to buy an
>>> external
>>> regulator? Does anyone know the output specs of the OEM alternator? Any
>>> danger of the OEM alternator damaging the gel cells? Option 2 is to stay
>>> with the wet cells, and the Xantrex charger and keep the internally
>>> regulated OEM alternator. (KISS)
>>>
>>> I did buy the reference book suggested earlier, but it seems to give me a
>>> lot of choices, that can become expensive and complicated.
>>> Normal use is shore power most of the time with two or three day trips
>>> sailing the Apostle Islands.  We are planning a two week trip to the Lake
>>> Superior North shore, and I am concerned with the charge rate of the
>>> batteries if we don't spend a lot of time under power. I have considered
>>> paralleling the two new batteries, and taking along a deep cycle battery
>>> with jumper cables as an emergency back up just for the duration of the
>>> trip.
>>>
>>>
>>> Gary Magnuson
>>> Time-A-Weigh #205
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Chris Burti
>> Farmville, NC
>>
>
> David Nolte
> Nettle Net(R) BOAT POOL(R)
> 800-962-9020
> www.nojellyfish.com
> dcnolte at mac.com
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
Chris Burti
Farmville, NC