[C320-list] New skipper seeks advice on battery issues

[Brian Carol Mclamb]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Catalina.  The 320 is my third Catalina and I really love it.  Started with a Catalina 22 and gradually moved up from there.  Serenity is a 2006 model and we just upgraded the battery and starting system this past season.  Having 2 batteries for house and a dedicated starter battery is highly recommended.  At that time I also upsized the alternator, had original rebuilt so more output but same size and location.  I also added a smart charger that monitors each battery individually so it will not overcharge any of them.  We used the Interstate wet battery and some think the gel battery is better because of the location they are situated in under the settee, but I found that cost prohibitive.

Enjoy your new vessel this coming season.  You will really love it!

Brian McLamb, s/v Serenity #1075
Oriental, NC

Sent from my iPad

On Jan 8, 2013, at 5:21 AM, Jason Alexander <alexander.jason at gmail.com> wrote:

> Mike,
> 
> I have a 2001 320 down in Deltaville down the bay from you.  The 4D
> replacement as you says is a no brainer.   When I bought my boat I replaced
> my batteries with Interstate SRD-4M.   At that time I put in a 3 bank
> Xantrex 2 40 amp charger.    This allowed me to follow some of the advice
> from the website glass in a new shelf in front of the existing batteries
> and put in a  group 24 starting battery.   I wired the house batteries
> together onto bank 2 and the starting battery onto bank 1 of my combiner
> switch following some advise from 320 website.   I have refrigeration,
> music, chartplotter and ST50 instrumentation.   I have not done the
> alternator upgrade like many here have.    The charger replacement was plug
> and play except that I ran a new wire for the third bank and the remote
> control pannel.   I didn't move it out of the locker.  I actually did all
> the work myself and did not consider it to be a difficult project skill
> wise.   To be fair I am an electrical engineer but this is nothing more
> than basic 12 volt wiring.
> 
> Jason
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jan 7, 2013 at 8:15 PM, Michael Shirley <jmshirley1 at gmail.com>wrote:
> 
>> Hello. I am new to the Catalina 320 Association, and this is my first
>> post. It's a long post, and I appreciate your patience. In October I
>> acquired a 2000 Catalina 320 after selling my Beneteau. Really like
>> the Catalina! The boat has been stored on land for 2-3 years and
>> neglected. Needless to say, there are issues I must address that have
>> resulted from lack of use and inattention to routine maintenance, and
>> I seek your advice about how I might prioritize what needs to be done
>> factoring in cost and how I plan to use the boat. Except for the
>> initial sail from the Patapsco River down to my slip in Annapolis, I
>> haven’t used the boat. The upcoming sailing season will be an
>> extensive shakedown to determine what needs to be replaced and what
>> added as an upgrade. I will be spending some weekends at anchor and
>> there will be the occasional 3-4 day trip. In May I hope to take a
>> week-long cruise. Ultimately I plan to go down the ICW to the Keys and
>> over to the Bahamas, but I’m still a coastal cruiser. Here is my first
>> dilemma. The 4D batteries are not holding a charge, so they must be
>> replaced soon with new 4D deep cycle. I do not believe any changes
>> have been made to the original set-up to the batteries and charging
>> system. My electronics guy believes I also need a 40 amp battery
>> charger (Mastervolt Power Charger) at a minimum, an external regulator
>> on the stock 55 amp alternator, and a separate Group 27 engine start
>> battery.  He proposes to relocate the battery charger out of the port
>> cockpit locker to be nearer the batteries and locate the new start
>> battery in front of the house bank.The biggest load is refrigeration.
>> I will be adding a stereo system soon (high priority as I must have my
>> tunes and Orioles baseball while at anchor). I will be replacing all
>> cabin light bulbs with LEDs. I have the standard Raymarine electronics
>> including autopilot but no chartplotter. I agree with his
>> recommendations but I need you to help me prioritize. The new
>> batteries right off the bat seem a no-brainer, but what else, the
>> battery charger or the external regulator on the alternator? Does the
>> battery charger really need to be relocated? The engine start battery
>> can wait, I think. Following all I have read here about installing an
>> engine start battery, I think I can do that myself. I also believe I
>> can install a new battery charger, just changing out the old charger
>> (plug and play, I hope). I’m hesitant to do too much immediately
>> having not yet spent time on the water with this boat. Any thoughts
>> you have to share and guidance to offer would be greatly appreciated.
>> 
>> Mike
>> "Further"
>> Annapolis
>>