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

[amshd2 at aol.com]

Mike 

Welcome aboard.

Where are you keeping her in Annapolis.  I am at Bert Jabins on Back Creek.

I have Hull # 30 a 94.  I did the Battery Upgrade when I bought the boat and put in all new batteries last year.   I am currently looking at replacing my battery charger / Inverter.   My electronics guy recommend Master Volt as well. He seems to really like them.

 I have done a number of the upgrades to my 320.  The association web sit is really a great wealth of knowledge and the support from the other owners has been great. 

The 320 is a great boat I am sure you will love her as mush as the rest of us do.   

If you want we could meet up at my boat and you can see where my batteries are located and the lay out of the battery Charger.  

Contact me off line at amshd2 at aol.com.


Tony 





-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Shirley <jmshirley1 at gmail.com>
To: C320-list <C320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Mon, Jan 7, 2013 8:15 pm
Subject: [C320-list] New skipper seeks advice on battery issues


Hello. I am new to the Catalina 320 Association, and this is my first
ost. It's a long post, and I appreciate your patience. In October I
cquired a 2000 Catalina 320 after selling my Beneteau. Really like
he Catalina! The boat has been stored on land for 2-3 years and
eglected. Needless to say, there are issues I must address that have
esulted from lack of use and inattention to routine maintenance, and
 seek your advice about how I might prioritize what needs to be done
actoring in cost and how I plan to use the boat. Except for the
nitial sail from the Patapsco River down to my slip in Annapolis, I
aven’t used the boat. The upcoming sailing season will be an
xtensive shakedown to determine what needs to be replaced and what
dded as an upgrade. I will be spending some weekends at anchor and
here will be the occasional 3-4 day trip. In May I hope to take a
eek-long cruise. Ultimately I plan to go down the ICW to the Keys and
ver to the Bahamas, but I’m still a coastal cruiser. Here is my first
ilemma. The 4D batteries are not holding a charge, so they must be
eplaced soon with new 4D deep cycle. I do not believe any changes
ave been made to the original set-up to the batteries and charging
ystem. My electronics guy believes I also need a 40 amp battery
harger (Mastervolt Power Charger) at a minimum, an external regulator
n the stock 55 amp alternator, and a separate Group 27 engine start
attery.  He proposes to relocate the battery charger out of the port
ockpit locker to be nearer the batteries and locate the new start
attery in front of the house bank.The biggest load is refrigeration.
 will be adding a stereo system soon (high priority as I must have my
unes and Orioles baseball while at anchor). I will be replacing all
abin light bulbs with LEDs. I have the standard Raymarine electronics
ncluding autopilot but no chartplotter. I agree with his
ecommendations but I need you to help me prioritize. The new
atteries right off the bat seem a no-brainer, but what else, the
attery charger or the external regulator on the alternator? Does the
attery charger really need to be relocated? The engine start battery
an wait, I think. Following all I have read here about installing an
ngine start battery, I think I can do that myself. I also believe I
an install a new battery charger, just changing out the old charger
plug and play, I hope). I’m hesitant to do too much immediately
aving not yet spent time on the water with this boat. Any thoughts
ou have to share and guidance to offer would be greatly appreciated.
Mike
Further"
nnapolis