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Good point, high tech demands more than a bit of string to start it!

I'm just starting my electrical mods, I've had the boat about 4 weeks and it didn't take me long to remove the stock panels and discover that the factory wiring is not very good, while the after-market engine and CD player installs were even worse. This boat should be glad I found it! So far I have replaced the main cables from the battery location to the upper fuse panel with 12 AWG twisted conductors.

I have some old items I plan to use, a Perko 8503 OFF/1/ALL/2 switch, and an Interstate Marine G27 battery (100Ah?) and the original Sea Volt G24 (79Ah).

I am installing the switch above the existing battery compartment on the side of the galley facing the seat.

My plan is to place the G27 just forward of the galley, so the battery cables remain short and the battery weight can rest on the stringer and be secured to the side of the forward seat as the rear battery does. Should result in no more than 5 feet of cables back to the switch. I cant see how a G27 battery can fit in the existing battery compartment without removing the galley face and sliding it back, or opening up the access hole and tilting it in. I plan to rebuild the galley, and I want the ability to remove the batteries easily.

Any advice? I have the Honda 50HP, which seems to have the lowest power alternator in class at 10A. I have calculated my nominal DC draw w/o lights at 2A, with lights 5A. Does this seem typical? I am planning to add the Norcross depth finder in the cockpit opposite the compass (starboard), a VHF radio adjacent to the fuse panel (and mast top antenna), a Rule 500 bilge pump, a 360deg anchor light atop mast, a 35W deck light on one of the stringers, and a cockpit light or two. Now I'm looking at the prices on LED lights... Ouch!

Hi Jbaileyiam,

Welcolme aboard from a newly welcomed!

You seem to know exactly where you're going with you're electrical mods. I take it you are going to wire the batteries in parallel. The switch then that you will be using has 1 2 or both. Not sure about the either or option. My take on the basic parallel option is that it enables you to draw power without drawing too deep from just one battery.

My switch is currently a simple on / off keyed type. It, like the battery, is mounted at the pedastool and will need to be moved / replaced.

What about fuses?

Regards
Gerry

Hmm... I always thought that batteries in parallel should be of the same type and such?

I'd always felt the same, that they should be of the same capacity, but I can't say why having two different capacity ones would be a problem.

They do have to be the same type. You do not want to mix flooded, gel cell, or AGM as the have different charging voltage requirements and different charge acceptance characteristics.

jbaileyiam wrote: ... My plan is to place the G27 just forward of the galley, so the battery cables remain short and the battery weight can rest on the stringer and be secured to the side of the forward seat as the rear battery does. Should result in no more than 5 feet of cables back to the switch. I cant see how a G27 battery can fit in the existing battery compartment without removing the galley face and sliding it back, or opening up the access hole and tilting it in. ... Now I'm looking at the prices on LED lights... Ouch!

Hey there, J~!
It's clear by reading that your new find is a 26X, but not the year? Some of us add this info to the Location field of member's profile. It's easier to interpret written descriptions when the Boat & motor are identified.

Not sure why those batts won't sit side-by-side, each lengthwise along the ballast tube. I just Roto-zipped one edge of the seat hatch by another half-inch, permits dropping two Walmart batt-boxes into that space. This still leaves an ample hatch-cover lip along all four edges (model 2000).

These are pretty big boxes, each holds their largest Marine-Deep, Group 31 - IIRC, each batt is 7.5" wide by 14" long. The batteries drop straight down thru the hatch, no tipping needed, quarter-inch clear at fore 'n aft edges (definitely helps to have those rope handles). The first battery box scoots tight to the seat face (nearly hidden under the seat lip) leaving ample space to drop in the outboard battery. Secure the plywood 'floor' (for the factory battery) to the seat face (using a hinge) and it sits across the ballast tube, extending just short of the outside hull - a base platform for both batteries. The batt-boxes are strapped together.

Your plan sounds fine too. And yes, it permits a very secure strapping of the second battery to that forward seat face. Still minimizing the cable runs, it's an excellent alternative. I preferred reserving more space for general stowage by packing them under the aft seat.

I'm not sure why Roger chose to mount the fuse panel on the aft cabin bulkhead, except that's convenient to adding AC for dock-power ... otherwise, a hinged drop panel on the aft galley face seems a lot more tactical for both general wiring maintenance & launching feeds thru the cabin. Maybe he didn't want newbies lighting up the galley compartment by sticking BBQ forks back there. But I'll prolly move & reorg my circuits someday.

LED lighting is still in the "early-adopter's novelty phase" but that's fading toward a commodity. Those LED flashlights that were $30 are now less than $10 - good sign. Owners have installed them, but seem dissatisfied with the results. I found some 8-watt, 12v flourescent tubes, about $10 each (Goog on Vector BrightBar). Two of them completely flood light across the interior cabin (16w, ~1.5 amps), while just one provides ample light over the dinette. They are pseudo "trouble lights" for packing along in the trunk, Cig-lighter plugs. Cut wires & wire-direct, requires some creative mounting. A third BrightBar keeps its 12' cord to serve as a "boat trouble-light" and help to find gear that's been squirrelled away to 'the way-back.'

Thanks Frank, I have a 2002 26X. Upon further inspection and a morning spent at Lowes (including a 15 min. tutorial on electrical cables to the helpful expert there) I have made a couple more revelations.

I'm dealing with 6AWG stranded wire (.89/ft), at Lowes go to the hardware section and look in those slide out tray bins, you'll find copper O-ring battery terminals at 1/2 the price ($3/pair) of the ones stocked in the electrical section (which arent copper).

Second, with my head inside the compartment, I think I'm going to go with Franks setup of loading both batteries into the compartment aft of the galley. A simple piece of treated plywood resting between the stringer and side of the hull for support, and then strap both batteries to the original mounts. Less modification, shorter cables and better for service, better storage forward.

In the future I'll cut out the seat opening, for now I'm just sliding the new battery past the galley.

jbaileyiam,

I'm sure you already know this, but I just wanted to make sure you realize that what you refer to as the 'Stringer' is actually one of the ballast tank passages between the larger aft and bow tanks. It's fine to set stuff on it, glue to it, etc., but don't drill in it to mount a base for the batteries.

I found the weight of the inboard battery was more than enough to hold the plywood base in place. Outboard I put a shaped piece of foam under it to provide support so the edge didn't press against the outside hull.

I used the original factory SS strap to hold the inboard battery in place. I strapped the outboard battery to the plywood with a standard battery hold down kit.

Over the long run the main issue I had with my two batteries aft of the galley was access to the inboard one for checking and filling the water. It was a pain to release and slide them around to get at the caps.

Overall I'm much happier with the access up front. I like having a full battery box to contain any spils and I have good accress to the GC2-6v water fills through the hatch that the factory screws down just forward of the front dinette seat hatch under the vee berth cushion.

JB,
If your batteries have the rope handles, or the flat plastic style handle, I'm pretty sure that both the Gp 24 and the Gp 27 should drop straight down thru that seat hatch without any trimming. Taking hints from Duane's Tempo tanks post, you can use a ratchet strap around one corner to lock down the battery boxes. That is, bolt a metal strap on the locker's inside face (where Roger bolts his batt-bracket), also on the locker's inside-aft face, and use those metal straps to anchor a nylon ratchet, making it pretty easy to release it & scoot for maintenance.



Walmart's big boxes offer a bit too much "perimeter clearance" for retaining your batteries. NAPA Auto, PepBoys or Kragen might have smaller plastic boxes. I wanted something to catch any nasty drips, before they reached the bilge (but Roger doesn't bother).

A scrap of lumber can span beamwise across both batteries. Screwed to the hatch lip, it reduces the "headspace" above the batteries. Absent any lumber, my batts have ~2.5" of headspace below the hatch lip. A flatwise 2x4 takes a good measure of the space, or a 2x3 on edge? Strictly optional (I haven't done it yet) but it seems a good measure for helping to constrain(?) the batteries when the boat heels past 40*.
Heaven forbid it ever goes beyond that.

Duane,

I did not know that, good thing I read your post before drilling anything down there. For now I have the batteries just resting on the plywood, and as yours, its not actually attached to anything. Good point on the padding, just hope it doesnt get too wet and start growing things.

My G27 is 14" wide (in a 14"wide battery box). Its about .75 inches wider than the access hole under the cushion.

I have a piece of flat galv. steel which is slotted to fabricate the outboard battery tiedown. As the inboard is a G24 which is more narrow, I may swap the positions... So I'm considering placing a section of 1x6 against the seat side, bolting the existing tie-downs to this board, and then attaching the new retaining steel strap around both batteries to the board. I'll post some pictures hopefully tomorrow.

Cheers!

The twin if this ballast tank tube is found under the cooler locker. If you open enough hatches you can get the feel for where the tank is fore and aft with the two connecting channels between. The channel in the center is the centerboard trunk. In general any raised glassed area's in the bilge are the tank.

For foam just use the same flotation styrofoam, water won't hurt it.

I didn't like the idea of loose batteries in the event of a knockdown from wind or in the event of a collision from another boat. For good ventilation purposes I didn't want to close off the battery compartment from the under galley spaces where metal pots and pans are stored.
I used Liquid Nails exterior construction adhesive to mount a well sealed and painted plywood plate between ballast tank and outboard hull to make a level platform. To that I screwed two battery boxes with hold down straps. Two of the three Optima batteries, one engine and one house, are mounted there, with box lids that are strapped down so the terminals are covered. There's no maintenance to be performed so it's both safe from galley pots, etc. and convenient. The third Optima is mounted the same way in the foremost dining area seat compartment next to the head of the centerboard trunk. #6awg stranded cable connects all batteries.

I am also happy I now have my new batteries in a battery box with lid for spill and shorting protection, but I couldn't see or fit a standard battery box in the aft galley compartment with my old setup.

I wasn't concerned the batteries would go anywhere as the inboard one sandwiching the plywood base down was securely strapped with the factory SS holder and the outboard one was strapped down to the plywood.

I was however worried about stray metal stuff shorting the terminals. Even though my wide open galley mod has an aft plywood wall a couple inches forward of the aft fiberglass end of the galley (creating a nice boxed in cavity for my switches and fuse panels) I still wanted to protect the battery terminals.

I found some nice battery terminal covers that did a great job of completely insullating the terminals.

Here's a picture of the old setup.

Just keep in mind . No-Ox IS your friend and all D/C cables should be fine stranded not Commercial or residential grade cable. We never use common wire for D/C work even on land where there is little to no vibration or movement present.

Gerry,

Are you planning on "Goin doon thi waater" any time soon. Or just getting prepared for next year when it really warms up over there. ie over 10 celcius at least.

Happy Hogmany

Ron