[C320-list] DC power system upgrade advice

[Orlando.Duran at AveryDennison.com]

When I owned #112, that purchase made all the difference in the world. Got new batteries, same alternator and electric charger (although mine was a 50a), no mods..

I would put the generator in the cockpit behind the binnnacle with the exhaust aimed thru the swim ladder, plug my shore power cord into the charger then plug the other end to the shore power inlet (just like you would at the dock--although I bought a 12' power cord for this) and then fire up the generator..the 50a charger would charge the batteries quickly and I could also power up the water heater (although not at the same time) and have scalding hot water in 30mins--all without ever starting my trusty Perkins

1gal of fuel lasts approx 4hrs of gen run time...4-stroke, so it was quiet.

It will change your cruising lifestyle..
----------------------------------
Regards,
OD

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld


----- Original Message -----
From: "R Airis" [rairis at comcast.net]
Sent: 07/16/2008 07:15 PM
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] DC power system upgrade advice

The easy upgrade is a Honda 2000 i generator. You can charge up or make hot 
water anytime. Stores in aft starboard locker will run for hours on a gallon 
of gas, and no wear or extra hrs. on the motor. Very quiet too! $850 to 
875.00 on line.

Bob & Sheila ........Hale Kai 2   #266

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Burti" <clburti at gmail.com>
To: <C320-List at catalina320.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] DC power system upgrade advice


> 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 


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