[C320-list] Another battery-related question

[Jim Sweet]

I have hull 902 (not that much newer than yours) and a friend had a '95 
vintage 320 and they both had 2 4D's as standard equip.  I think that 
Catalina sells them that way and if yours didn't have both the PO must have 
done it.

Jim Sweet
TGIF (Thank God It Floats) 902
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dean Vermeire" <dean at vermeire.us>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 4:30 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Another battery-related question


> Hi Robert,
>
> The battery I took out was a big 4D truck battery.  It didn't leave room 
> for a second battery.  It was basically the size of two normal car 
> batteries stuck end-to-end.  It was obviously not what Catalina delivered.
>
> Thanks,
> Dean
>
> On 9/6/2011 4:18 PM, Robert Seastream wrote:
>> Jeff, I'm surprised Dean had but one 4D battery.  Perhaps a PO choice, 
>> facing replacing both?  I thought all 320's came with two 4D's, else why 
>> a battery switch.
>>
>> Bob Seastream, Intuition # 906
>>
>> On Sep 6, 2011, at 4:31 PM, Jeff Hare wrote:
>>
>>> This should work. If the 1-2-both switch is acting like an on/off then 
>>> the new battery probably wasn't hooked up quite right.
>>>
>>> In proper hookup, both battery negatives should be connected directly 
>>> together. One heavy red from one battery positive should go to the "1" 
>>> post of the switch, the second heavy red should go to the "2" post on 
>>> the switch. The "C"ommon post of the switch goes to the starter and the 
>>> "house" power panel.
>>>
>>> The 4awg red cables are usually shore power charger and windlass power.
>>>
>>> Check carefully for the 3 foot section of black 2/0 gauge cable that is 
>>> the key ground between both batteries. If the prev owner only had one 
>>> battery, he may have also disconnected that jumper and left it in the 
>>> compartment somewhere. You need that.
>>>
>>> -jeff
>>> -jeff
>>>
>>> Dean Vermeire <dean at vermeire.us> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi Jeff,
>>>
>>> I'm familiar with the wiring that you've described. Makes perfect sense.
>>>
>>> In my case, there was only one battery to start with. Both positive
>>> cables, as well as the two heavy ground cables and the smaller ground
>>> cable were connected to the one 4D battery. There was no jumper.
>>>
>>> When I replaced the 4D battery with a group 27 battery, I found that I
>>> had to connect all cables the way I had found them, which sounds
>>> obvious. What surprised me was that I couldn't have one battery
>>> connected to just one set of cables with the switch set to that battery
>>> and have the engine start. Basically, the two battery switch really
>>> only acts as an on / off switch when both sets of cables are connected
>>> to only one battery.
>>>
>>> On 9/6/2011 10:14 AM, Jeff Hare wrote:
>>>> We can only speculate here without some pictures of the wiring you're 
>>>> referring to, but what may have happened was that you didn't get all 
>>>> the grounds connected.
>>>>
>>>> The starter/engine ground connects via heavy cable to the aft most 
>>>> battery, then a jumper continues to the forward battery. The forward 
>>>> battery typically has the windlass ground attached also. Is it possible 
>>>> you didn't get the heavy ground between the batteries connected? All 
>>>> grounds need to be connected.
>>>>
>>>> Jeff
>>>>
>>>> Dean Vermeire<dean at vermeire.us> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi Folks,
>>>>
>>>> You'd think that all possible questions have been asked by now, but I
>>>> came up with another this weekend. When we got out to the boat for a
>>>> nice long weekend and were ready to head out, the engine would not
>>>> start. The batteries just didn't have enough juice for it.
>>>>
>>>> This is the first time I have had to get at the batteries on this boat,
>>>> so please forgive the stupidity here! When I got at the batteries, I
>>>> found that there was really only 1 there - a 4D truck battery (which
>>>> others have recommended lately). That's fine. Nice to know. I ran
>>>> over to the marina store (the only place open on Sunday) and bought a
>>>> Group 27 Deep Cycle battery. I will probably put in a 4D again, since
>>>> the battery tray fits a 4D perfectly.
>>>>
>>>> When I hooked up the new battery. I only connected one set of battery
>>>> cables. I put the switch on "1". The radio, instruments, VHF, etc. all
>>>> worked fine, but the engine did not turn over. Not even a click. I
>>>> switched the cables on the battery and put the switch on "2". Same
>>>> thing. Finally, I put the cables the way I had found them, with both
>>>> sets of cables hooked to the one battery. I probably put the switch on
>>>> "All", although I don't understand what difference it would make. The
>>>> engine started right up.
>>>>
>>>> The boats I have had in the past had two batteries. I made it a habit
>>>> of switching to just one battery once the engine was off, to make sure 
>>>> I
>>>> would have enough power to start up again later. Having both sets of
>>>> cables on one battery seems to be contrary to that idea.
>>>>
>>>> So, why didn't the engine have power when I had just one set of cables
>>>> on the battery and have the switch set to that battery number?
>>>>
>>>> Humbly,
>>>> Dean Vermeire
>>>> Moonstruck II (#847)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>