[C320-list] Battery Management

[Jeff Hare]

We turn the fridge to its coldest setting while motoring and back it off when anchored or sailing. Also,  we keep the freezer bin filled with bottles of drinking water and then move the frozen ones to the other areas of the fridge to help keep things cold.  

Also cut a piece of reflectix (foil covered bubble-wrap insulation) that fits tightly across the top opening of the fridge.  That cuts down on the cycling a lot which saves power.  

If you have an isolated starting battery then you won't have to worry much about the house batteries being able to fire up the engine.  

Also, if you want the most usable power from your house bank(when you have a dedicated starting battery),  run both 4D house batteries in parallel rather than drawing each one down individually.  

-JeffH


------Original Message------
From: Paul Adison
Sender: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
To: c320-list at catalina320.com
ReplyTo: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] Battery Management
Sent: Jul 1, 2009 10:36 PM

I am brand new to this list and have owned my 320 for just a week.  We  
are leaving on a weeks cruise on Sat.  I am concerned about the drain  
on my batteries.  Much of the trip will be motoring so the refrig.  
will be charging for much of the day.  Can I leave the refrig on all  
the time, even while at anchor?  Is it best to run the engine for an  
hour prior to going to sleep and then turning the refrig off?  What  
does your experience tell you?

Paul Adison
S/V "Rough Draft" _/ )
C320 #722