Control Panel settings

[Alansails]

As I am a new owner and the previous owner and broker never shared how they used to leave the control panel/12v/110v switches. which are on/off. We are connected to shore power and also have a battery charger. which switches do you leave on? We also have a 1-2-B switch that we have been turning off-bilge pump is connected to the battery directly. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[c130king]

On my boat I leave the Battery off. Only DC switch on is the Bilge Pump which, as you said, is connected directly to the battery.

On the AC panel I have the main AC switch on plus Battery Charger plus AC/Heat for my air conditioner which I normally leave on and in the "De-Humidify" mode. And recently I have been leaving the Outlets switch on as I have plugged in an AC fan to circulate some air.

However, I am using my boat 5+ days per week so I am on it frequently. Others that let their boats sit a little longer may do things a little differently.

Cheers,
Jim

 

[pk104]

I do the same as Jim and also leave the battery on 1 or 2 because I keep the 12v frig running all the time. I am usually on the boat an average of four days.
Gary

 

[Alansails]

Thanks for the reply, leaving the 12v on with the fridge running and battery charger on does that not drain the batteries or not keep them fully charged? I would like to leave the fridge on but only come up on weekends. but we are leaving for an 8 day trip and would like to have it cold to store food etc when we come up to leave. we also have not run the fridge on 12v once we leave the dock we trust it to be cold until we get to our next destination. we have chartered before where we had to run the engine to maintain the batteries-do you leave the fridge on when you leave the dock?
we have agm batteries and we do not want them to die!
our only other power drain would be the electronics.

 

[pk104]

I have two 4D batteries. I leave one battery on and rotate it when I get to the boat. I am usually only away from the dock for a couple days but do keep the fridge running. Always on one battery when the motor is off so I have a backup. The danger when leaving the boat is loss of electric to run the battery charger but that has only happened one time so far and the battery survived. Nice to have cold drinks and to leave few other things in the frig. It gets pretty frothy after a month so I defrost it once in awhile.

 

[Bob James]

Hi Alan: We leave the AC outlets and battery charger on at the dock and select "all" battery selector and leave the refridgerator on along with bilge automatic and usually the cabin lights with none on. With a smart charger (Xantrex) and the 2 4-D AGMs it seems to work OK. This past weekend we left Saturday noonish and anchored at Kelleys overnight and the on a ball at PIB Sunday night and then most of Monday at MB and back to CM Monday night. I select battery 1 or 2 when under sail or moored based on even-odd day of month. When motoring I select all but I think both charge when under motor even if 1 o2 is selected.

 

[Alansails]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the information!
Bob, Friday we went to the bay, got a ball and than left saturday went sailing to the danger zone than to sandusky bay and back, had a better docking expierence-still no damage! Sunday sailed to green island than back and had the docking thing-knock on wood-awesome! we wondered where you had gone-glad you missed the storms..

 

[Bob James]

Alan: Caught the storm while anchored at KI and a little squall line Monday at MB.

 

[Alansails]

What anchor do you have and how much chain?
Glad you survived OK!

 

[Long Story]

One kind of important switch to watch. The power for your hot water heater. If there is no water in the system, or in the water heater make sure it is off and stays off. It only takes a few min to burn out the element if on with a dry tank. I also make sure I switch it off when not on the boat, in case I loose water in the system. That water will stay hot for hours and hours.

 

[Bob James]

Alan: 35 lb Delta Fast Set with only 30 ft of chain - I had 100 ft out in about 15 ft of water plus free board or about 5X. Probably should have had more but I monitored the lat-lon to see if we were dragging during the big blow - also had the engine running at idle in case bad things happened

Long Story: Good recommendation - right about how long the hot water lasts at least hot enough to wash dishes or to rinse off on the swim platform.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I select battery 1 or 2 when under sail or moored based on even-odd day of month. When motoring I select all but I think both charge when under motor even if 1 o2 is selected.

Bob, most boats came with the alternator output (AO) wired to the C post of the 1-2-B switch. This means that the switch is both a USE switch (which battery serves for power) and a CHARGE switch (which battery gets charged when the engine - alternator - is running.

Many C310 skippers have modified/improved their electrical systems based on these links:

Basic Battery Wiring Diagrams This is a very good basic primer for boat system wiring: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6604.0.html

This is another very good basic primer for boat system wiring: The 1-2-B Switch by Maine Sail (brings together a lot of what this subject is all about)
http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=137615


HOT WATER HEATERS: Turn them OFF after the water gets hot. Don't leave them ON all the time when you're plugged in. Why? The water could get hot enough to pop the pressure relief valve. It only takes 15 - 20 minutes to heat the water, then turn it off. It's NOT like your house.

Another heater trick: even when you don't have hot water, get in the habit of using the hot faucet. It keeps the water moving thru the coils and avoid any rotten egg smells.

 

[Alansails]

Stu, You do always provide that extra insight!
I am assuming that the C post is the BOTH right?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Nope. The links have the answer to your question.

Three posts, four switch positions.

 

[Stu Jackson]

This might help some, too

Electrical Systems 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5977.0.html

 

[Bob James]

Stu: Great suggestion re the hot water heater shutdown. After 13 years it is good to still learn something about your boat.

 

[Long Story]

This is a pretty mixed thread, so I am mixing in some more - sorry. Anyone know the Ah rating of our standard alternator? Also, in the past someone posted some info about a standard Delco I be

lieve alternator that is CG approved, right from auto parts store, that was 95 Ah internal regulator, with option to take external.

:cussing: I suck at searching get a lot of nothing using the function on here.

 

[rpwillia]

Man

This is a pretty mixed thread, so I am mixing in some more - sorry. Anyone know the Ah rating of our standard alternator? Also, in the past someone posted some info about a standard Delco I believe alternator that is CG approved, right from auto parts store, that was 95 Ah internal regulator, with option to take external.
:cussing: I suck at searching get a lot of nothing using the function on here.

Installed on the Universal MX-25XPB is a 50 amp Mando OEM alternator. It has a Westerbeke part number, but is identical to the Mercruiser 50 amp model and others on the market. Most manufacturers take the Mando alternator and put their part number on it. I recall it only cost me $85 dollars and that was at a local electrical supply - Arlington Armature which is now located in Springfield, Va.

Here is a good link for information. http://www.arcomarine.com/xhtml/Tech Marine Alternator tips.pdf