I may be overdoing it but my technique for putting the boat away is to disconnect the battery. Is this really important? If so, I'd like to install an isolation switch. These switches must be inside the cabin or are they okay in the cockpit? These switches are the red rotary for selecting Battery 1 or Off positions. I'd like to install it right next to the battery locker on the vertical wall of the seat bench. I'm just sick if opening the battery locker...especially at night and messing with the wing nuts and so on.
Battery Isolation
- Thread starter Nrmlspeed
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In most cases turning everything off is good enough. Until its not and you kill your battery. Its rare, buts its happened. If your worried about it, install a battery cutoff switch.
A disconnect switch is a good idea and is a ABYC recommendation. It makes sense if you have a major short or need to work on the system and want to shut down power a switch helps. You should install it as close to the battery as possible. It is not a bad idea to power everything down but you may want to leave power to the auto switch on your bilge pump. If that is the case wire the auto side to the always hot side of the switch and install an in line fuse.
If you have a small sail boat w/ outboard and just simple basic electrical needs with one battery and you trailer....Then this is all you may need... http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?6110......Next for more convenience there is a way to plug extension cord in for on board battery charger use .... http://shop.sailboatowners.com/prod.php?4292 This plug inlet can be located somewhere on transom were you can easily reach it . Hard wire it to a GFI protected out let inside boat next to battery charger. Battery charger can then plug into GFI outlet...Make sure that the outdoor rated extention cord is always plugged into a Water Proof GFI protected outdoor outlet.
If you occasionally stay in a slip over night then this set up should allow to have some basic electric needs and give you some protection.
BTW.... All the marina designs I have done or been involved in, especially say transit over night tie ups. I always spec electrical service dock side boxes to have one 50 amp 125/250 outlet w/breaker, one 30 amp 125 outlet w/breaker, and one 20 amp rated GFI protected outlet w/ breaker for each slip. For slips 50 feet or larger I will spec two 50 amp outlets. And I always spec the electrical box outlets and breakers to be at eye LEVEL !! No crawling on your belly like reptile to line up the plug with the outlet!:cussing::cussing::cussing:
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Remember he just has some basic needs...
I believe he keeps his boat on a trailer most of the time??.... And as others have pointed out which I will try and repeat that he knows he can connect the bilge pump to the battery on the cut off switches battery side with a fuse or breaker direct to battery... Repeat battery side of cut off switch.
This boat has a manual bilge pump. The boat lives on the trailer. My main concern is the need to isolate the battery which I think is a good idea and if I do so if placing the switch in the cockpit where it will be exposed to the elements is a no go. I'd like to place the switch close to the locker. Might be a good idea considering I could wire an electric bilge right to it. I have been looking at the removable key type and rotary style switches. Next step is to choose the switch that will be the simplest to install. Round hole style preferred over some of the square looking switches.
Here's one I found that is white. The bottom of the switch panel is exposed however. Many are like this though...dimensions say 5.25" x 5.25" x3". Pretty big.
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Removable Key On/Off Battery Switch
Hella: Removable Key On/Off Battery Switch the better deal and easier to install. Plus the cheapest...If there is a better or cheaper brand then I am not a where.
I mounted one a long time ago in the cockpit... "MOUNTING" All it required was one hole drilled. And a small amount of black caulking around the hole. There are no screw heads visible. How did I do this ? I used a small amount of 3m5200 to glue a small wood block to the back side of the mounting location. Once glue was set I drilled the appropriate size hole. Placed switch into bulkhead hole from the back side and used two just long enough s.s.wood screws into the back side of switch see picture of switch, it already has the holes in switch. Next squeezed in some of the black caulk and then wiped away the excess. Waited for caulking to set. Then connected my cables. Enjoy!
The removable red key switch can be stored below ..... which keeps some kid from messing with the switch and turning it on . It is mounted nearly flush and is barely noticeable. In fact no one but me knows what it is unless I tell them. Just be sure in your case to mount it, if you can were when its in use that the key will not get stepped on and broken it off. Mine is not mounted that way... but the key has only been used and left in the hole slot for a minute or two at a time. I have mine placed were I will not forget about it.
Will try to keep the rest of my ramblings simple if I can....
I first used it as a simple quick way to combine start battery to house bank without having to run below. This was when I was having trouble with the factory defective yanmar wiring harness back then. The defective yanmar harness issue has "FINALLY" been solved !! The cut off switch is still there...It was mounted in a convenient location already so I now only used it as a way to combine main engine start/reserve to the generators dedicated and otherwise separate gen start only battery. I have yet found the need to use it for that purpose. Been thinking of just switching it around to use it as a cut off for the generator battery. Luckily this would not be hard to do because both generator and engine reserve/start batteries are only about 3 feet away.
Nrmlspeed... I found the
Hella: Removable Key On/Off Battery Switch the better deal and easier to install. Plus the cheapest...If there is a better or cheaper brand then I am not a where.
I mounted one a long time ago in the cockpit... "MOUNTING" All it required was one hole drilled. And a small amount of black caulking around the hole. There are no screw heads visible. How did I do this ? I used a small amount of 3m5200 to glue a small wood block to the back side of the mounting location. Once glue was set I drilled the appropriate size hole. Placed switch into bulkhead hole from the back side and used two just long enough s.s.wood screws into the back side of switch see picture of switch, it already has the holes in switch. Next squeezed in some of the black caulk and then wiped away the excess. Waited for caulking to set. Then connected my cables. Enjoy!
The removable red key switch can be stored below ..... which keeps some kid from messing with the switch and turning it on . It is mounted nearly flush and is barely noticeable. In fact no one but me knows what it is unless I tell them. Just be sure in your case to mount it, if you can were when its in use that the key will not get stepped on and broken it off. Mine is not mounted that way... but the key has only been used and left in the hole slot for a minute or two at a time. I have mine placed were I will not forget about it.
Will try to keep the rest of my ramblings simple if I can....
I first used it as a simple quick way to combine start battery to house bank without having to run below. This was when I was having trouble with the factory defective yanmar wiring harness back then. The defective yanmar harness issue has "FINALLY" been solved !! The cut off switch is still there...It was mounted in a convenient location already so I now only used it as a way to combine main engine start/reserve to the generators dedicated and otherwise separate gen start only battery. I have yet found the need to use it for that purpose. Been thinking of just switching it around to use it as a cut off for the generator battery. Luckily this would not be hard to do because both generator and engine reserve/start batteries are only about 3 feet away.
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Dual Battery Article in the MainBrace
The latest issue of the C-22 publication, the MainBrace, has an article I wrote on installing a dual battery set-up with a charger and the switch you mentioned.
Don
The latest issue of the C-22 publication, the MainBrace, has an article I wrote on installing a dual battery set-up with a charger and the switch you mentioned.
Don
Here is a link to the C-22 National Association, but you need to be a member to download the MainBrace magazine. If your not already a member, another reason to join up!
http://www.catalina22.org/
If the boat is kept on a trailer, leaving the battery unattended is not good for it either. The battery will naturally run it's self down, which is not good. So here is a little project I did to keep the battery topped off on our C-18 and C-22 when they were sitting on the trailer. It's made from common 1" PVC plumbing supplies, and a cheap solar cell from Harbor Freight. Works great, had a built in diode to prevent discharging at night, and I just kept it plugged into the battery to keep it fresh and charged. I even used it when we went to Catalina Island. I ran the autopilot, radio, and GPS going to the island. Once we arrived, I installed my little solar charger on the lifeline station while we were on the mooring and by the time we left 5 days later, the battery was topped off and good to go for the trip back to the mainland.
Don
http://www.catalina22.org/
If the boat is kept on a trailer, leaving the battery unattended is not good for it either. The battery will naturally run it's self down, which is not good. So here is a little project I did to keep the battery topped off on our C-18 and C-22 when they were sitting on the trailer. It's made from common 1" PVC plumbing supplies, and a cheap solar cell from Harbor Freight. Works great, had a built in diode to prevent discharging at night, and I just kept it plugged into the battery to keep it fresh and charged. I even used it when we went to Catalina Island. I ran the autopilot, radio, and GPS going to the island. Once we arrived, I installed my little solar charger on the lifeline station while we were on the mooring and by the time we left 5 days later, the battery was topped off and good to go for the trip back to the mainland.
Don
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CaptDon ...... Thanks.... Could not find your article...... But from what I could see. It looks like you C-22 Sailors are a bunch of rowdy hard core racers...
BTW... Do you have a patent yet on your little solar panel invention?
BTW... Do you have a patent yet on your little solar panel invention?
Nice Work Capt. Good info here. I have a similar setup for trickle maintainer (not a charger). Very nice and I will steal that mounting idea. Is that orange thing a tray for a baby highchair? Just kidding...need to find something like that to put my Sunforce onto. The key will get in the way on my boat...it will get stepped on and lines will wrap onto it. It's either the round dial external option or mount inside the cabin for me.
I will check out the Mainbrace pub. I just subscribed today.
Don...love the plastic on the slide rails and hatch boards. Did you make your own boards out of Starboard or buy them? Came with the boat I bet..?
I will check out the Mainbrace pub. I just subscribed today.
Don...love the plastic on the slide rails and hatch boards. Did you make your own boards out of Starboard or buy them? Came with the boat I bet..?
Yeah, there are some pretty die-hard racers in the C-22 community, but there are a lot of die-hard cruisers,(like me), also. My article in the rear section of the latest MainBrace. The plastic trim on the photo of our C-18 is factory stock. My MK-II C-22 doesn't have any exterior wood either. Catalina Yachts made a corporate decision years ago and eliminated exterior wood from their boats. Yes, this sometimes gives them the personality of a Clorox bottle, but I would rather sail than varnish wood, and at the end of the day, I simply hose down the boat and walk away.
Glad you joined the C-22 Association Nrmlspeed.....now don't forget to vote for me for National Commodore in the upcoming elections.
Don
Glad you joined the C-22 Association Nrmlspeed.....now don't forget to vote for me for National Commodore in the upcoming elections.
Don
I mounted a simple cut off switch like the one above by simply bolting a flat piece of copper to the hot stud on the battery. I bolted one side of the cut off switch to the other end of the copper. Then, everything that I wanted switched went on the remaining terminal of the switch. Every thing not switched went on the battery stud with the copper. The battery switch terminals were plenty strong to support the switch and it is out of the way, close to the battery. I would guess a piece of 1/2 copper tubing about 2 inches long, flattened with a hole in each end would work great. I just happened to have a flat bar laying around.
Brian... it was so great to meet you in person last weekend! That is one ship-shape C22! Great job on all your mods! Here's a shot I took looking through your mast into the small but smiling Moon. You can see the wind is still dancing the tell-tales!
Stan
Stan
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It was good to hook up with you guys...good people! Avery is still sick. He caught a virus. Home from school. I'd love to get back out there this week though. I have this electric stuff to do and would like to install an anchor hangar from the bow pulpit.
Keep charged
As already stated, if the boat is in storage and electric for battery charging is not available like my situation, I take the battery home and using a motorcycle battery charger keep it plugged in for 6 months.
Automobile batteries last for 5 to seven years because they are always fully charged all the time. Think of your boat battery, it is built heavier than an auto one so it should last longer if it is kept charged. I take my battery home a couple times during the season and charge it up even if I never used it.
As already stated, if the boat is in storage and electric for battery charging is not available like my situation, I take the battery home and using a motorcycle battery charger keep it plugged in for 6 months.
Automobile batteries last for 5 to seven years because they are always fully charged all the time. Think of your boat battery, it is built heavier than an auto one so it should last longer if it is kept charged. I take my battery home a couple times during the season and charge it up even if I never used it.
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