[C320-list] Shore Power

[Christian]

I can't recommend solar enough.  I installed 2 solar panels (160 Watts
each, 9 amps each) 2 years ago, single best upgrade I have done for
Canuck.  I'm on a mooring, so shore power is not an option.  Additionally,
our winters are long in Chicago, and I used to haul the batteries off her
each fall to keep them warm in the basement, and on a trickle charge.  Now
I don't have to do that, and my back thanks me.  I did a very simple set up
on the wiring, I only have 2 4D batteries, ran 1 panel to each battery
(with a regulator between each panel and battery, of course).  My panels
are mounted on dinghy davits, the solar wires run through the cowls on the
transom, and then passed through the port locker, and mounted my regulators
on the back side of the "bread box" cabinet that sits right above the
fridge in the galley, putting them right next to the shore charger.  I then
tied in to each battery with jumper wires from the regulators to each
battery post on the shore charger.  Both my solar regulators and the
charger had built in diodes to prevent current back flow, so was all an
easy set up.  The hardest part of the whole shebang was building the mount
on top of the davits.  But it's now held 2 years, plenty of sailing, gust
on the can up to 50 kts, and last winter's dump of 3' of snow. in a week,
so I now think my build is rock solid.  I run fridge while sailing, and
often autopilot, done plenty of night sails with cabin and nav lights on
(but all lights are now led, all of them), batteries always charged by
early afternoon the next day (I still never leave the switch on both, and
do alternate batteries between sails).

My solar regulators are victron, and love the built in blue tooth so I can
connect my phone to them and know state of batteries.

This is my 5th season of owning Canuck, and I've never once plugged into
shore power, not even sure if the shore charger even works anymore.
-Christian Caperton
1994 C320 #138 "Canuck" Monroe Harbor Chicago, IL

On Mon, Apr 19, 2021 at 8:14 PM Ken McCrimmon <kenmccrimmon at hotmail.com>
wrote:

> Solar power is on my future upgrade list.
> ________________________________
> From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of
> jackbrennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net>
> Sent: April 19, 2021 6:12 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Shore Power
>
> I haven't plugged in for a year after installing 320 watts of solar.
> Fridge runs full time.We are five weeks into a cruise with no problems,
> despite tv, music, anchor light, charging various appliances.Batteries are
> topped off by early afternoon.The problem with plugging is is you share a
> ground with all of the other boats. If one is wired poorly, your metals and
> zinc erode unless you have an isolator.Jack BrennanSonas, 1998 Catalina
> 320Currently at Boot Key Harbor, MarathonSent from my Galaxy
> -------- Original message --------From: Ken McCrimmon <
> kenmccrimmon at hotmail.com> Date: 4/19/21  8:37 AM  (GMT-05:00) To:
> C320-List at Catalina320.com Subject: [C320-list] Shore Power HiWhen I
> purchased Kia Ora last fall, I asked the previous owner about their
> practises with leaving the boat plugged into shore power.The response was
> we don't leave it plugged in because it is bad for the electrical system if
> it is plugged in without a draw on the power.Since then, I have done
> research on shore power and really never found a good answer to what is the
> concern with leaving the boat plugged in or not.I wanted to ask the forum
> what your practises are when the boat is in the water at the marina and if
> you know what if any concerns, I should have with leaving the shore power
> connected when I am not on board.ThanksKen
>