[C320-list] Trojan battery installation

[Jack Brennan]

It’s interesting how these mass-produced sailboats all have little quirks that make each one different.

My battery storage area under the starboard settee appears to be about an inch and a half shallower than others described on the list.

It doesn’t sound like much, until you try to fit golf cart batteries in there.  No way the Trojans would have fit without tearing out the shelves and rebuilding them. Even with the shorter golf cart batteries I bought, they just barely squeezed in without the terminal fuses.

I anchored the terminal fuses on the sides of two battery boxes and ran cables to there from the positive terminals.

Also, my plastic battery boxes were just a little too large to orient the batteries port-starboard. So they run bow-stern, despite Mainesail’s recommendation otherwise. I don’t think it will make any difference.

Thanks for all of the advice and opinions.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320, no. 528
Tierra Verde, Fl.
Dolphin Cruising Club of Tampa Bay







Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Troy Dunn
Sent: Sunday, January 5, 2020 2:59 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Trojan battery installation

Jack

Agree that port to starboard is the best orientation for lower profile
batteries designed for marine applications.  If you can make that
orientation work for you that’s probably best.

The taller case 6V GC2s are designed for more demanding orientation.  than
the 10-15° of heel that equates to best performance for the 320.   RC
briefly discusses this advantage of the GC2s in the battery orientation
article you are referring to, but he doesn’t get super specific on how much
added benefit the higher case provides.    The fill caps are pretty much
centered on the US Battery US2200s so there’s no improvement in spill
protection in any orientation.  Since others have successfully oriented the
GC2s from bow to stern on their 320s and have not complained about
shortened battery life or noticeable change in capacity I decided to go
that route too.    If the batteries pooch early I’ll have to revisit this
compromise, but after 1 season the batteries are still doing great.

Cheers

T