[C320-list] Alternator upgrade

[Jack Brennan]

There’s a bit of confusion because everyone has to adapt to local conditions and their sailing style. That’s really the key to the setup you decide on.  What works for me may not work for you. Here is what works in Florida:

To me, the alternator is basically a bulk charger. After spending the night at anchor and using up amps, motoring in the morning before the wind picks up gives you a good jump on restoring the house bank to maybe to 80 percent or so. I don’t have a need to top off the batteries with the alternator.

That’s because a good MPPT solar controller acts like a smart charger, putting as much of the 5-8 amps an hour as it can into the batteries. So I can usually top off the batteries during the day while sailing, even using the autopilot, depth sounder, etc. (This won’t work with cheap controllers.)

When we stay at anchor with no motoring, my 160 watt panel will usually top off the house batteries by early  afternoon as long as we’re not eating up the amps with music and it’s not too cloudy. (Car-type stereos really eat up the amps. Use your phone and a portable speaker.)

I keep the fridge on at the dock 24/7 with no 110, and the solar panel keeps up, so it’s really an issue of what else we’re doing that requires power when we’re at anchor. Being near the subtropics, that usually means fans as well as an anchor light, etc.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.











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