H34 batteries replaced for the about the 8th time

Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
Well this is about the 8th or 9th time I have change out all three batteries on my H34 since I bought it in 1983. As anyone that has this vintage boat knows getting into the starboard lazarette is a challenge in of itself due to the space limitations.
Now for 35 years I have done this thankless task, promising myself that the next time I am going to relocate the entire battery bank to the aft lazarette on the port side. I'm not getting any younger and getting into that God forsaken hell hold to change and or inspect them is just becoming harder and harder every year.

Unfortunately it's Still on the to do list for next time. I have read on this forum that others have done this mod.

Does anyone have any pictures of this or any other suggestions for a better and more cost effective location.

Also if anyone has relocated the batteries to the port side has the additional battery weight it helped with the Boats problematic factory list to starboard.
 
Last edited:
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
I feel your pain ! I installed a remote watering system a few years ago and that has decreased the trips into the "pit".. I have tools and spares in port settee and would like to put batteries there but have no suitable place to put the tools/spares that I need quick access to. I recall a H-34 owner posted putting batteries in that settee, but I don't remember who it was.. definitely would help our starboard list.
 
Jan 22, 2008
1,654
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
That could have been me. I went to a 4 battery 6 volt configuration a few years ago. Two of them are under the port settee forward of the water tank and the other two are under the aft starboard settee next to the water heater. I left the starter battery in the basement because it only needs dealing with every 5-7 years. I also have the watering system that makes life easier.

I routed a pair of long 4 gauge wires from the batteries on the starboard settee behind the stove and into the basement. I installed a power post and the new positive to the original positive wire that goes back to the battery selector switch. That way nothing else changed. Same with the negative, combining it with the negative from the starter battery. The two sides are connected together with 0 gauge and I was able to snake them through the girder forwad of the bilge. I drilled a couple of inspection holes through the floor and girder inside the settees to fish them where I needed them to go.

I've made other changes over the years including adding a second battery selector switch. I can swap house and starting functions. My switches are set up so "Both" is never used. Charging is directly to the house bank and an Echo relay takes care of the starter battery. The attached pictures are old and don't show the watering system yet. I didn't have one of the starboard pair. I added fuses also on both halves of the bank. That is all on the attached .pdf schematic. You can see the power post in the basement ( under the red cover) where everything ties back into the original system. I still want to make improvements.

I only see a marginal improvement in the list to starboard. Keep the port water tank full.

Hope this helps. Its a big job, but worth it.
 

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Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
I did the same thing that Allan did. I moved the batteries to the port settee just in front of the water tank. I also moved the battery charger to underneath the nav station. It helped to balance out the boat. Also, you can cut a hatch to access the "dungeon" where the batteries are now in the aft berth wall.
 
Feb 3, 2015
299
Marlow Hunter 37 Reefpoint Marina Racine, WI
I feel your pain ! I installed a remote watering system a few years ago and that has decreased the trips into the "pit".. I have tools and spares in port settee and would like to put batteries there but have no suitable place to put the tools/spares that I need quick access to. I recall a H-34 owner posted putting batteries in that settee, but I don't remember who it was.. definitely would help our starboard list.
Tell me more about this remote watering system!
 
May 12, 2004
1,502
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
Well this is about the 8th or 9th time I have change out all three batteries on my H34 since I bought it in 1983.
I first read this post late last night but decided to wait to respond hoping someone might address my question. Looks like you are replacing batteries every four years or so. Seems excessive to me as I usually get eight to ten years out of my 6v T-105s. Is this normal or am I just lucky?
 
Jan 22, 2008
1,654
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
I first read this post late last night but decided to wait to respond hoping someone might address my question. Looks like you are replacing batteries every four years or so. Seems excessive to me as I usually get eight to ten years out of my 6v T-105s. Is this normal or am I just lucky?
I got 9 years out of my last set. Just replaced them in June of 2016. I think the previous set was 7 years. That was before the watering system so I might have neglected them.
 
Jun 3, 2004
890
Hunter 34 Toronto, Ontario Canada
I am planning to replace the 3 batteries this year- the largest ( group27) is 14 years old, the first smaller (group 24) I think is 12 years old and the other 24 ( starter battery- altho all on a combiner) is 9 years old. I still get down through that ever shrinking opening to tend to them.
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
Roland,
To your question I should get about 8-10 years but unfortunately due neglecting the matinance of water level and a few unfortunate mishaps beyond my control "hurricane Sandy and a freak lighting strike " I looked at my records and averaged out how many times I had to change them out. Some of the batteries went before there time do to an old charging system that was not functioning properly.

So judging by the response I have to keep my sumo wrestler as part of the crew, seated on the port side to correct the list issue.;)
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Roland,
To your question I should get about 8-10 years but unfortunately due neglecting the matinance of water level and a few unfortunate mishaps beyond my control "hurricane Sandy and a freak lighting strike " I looked at my records and averaged out how many times I had to change them out. Some of the batteries went before there time do to an old charging system that was not functioning properly.

So judging by the response I have to keep my sumo wrestler as part of the crew, seated on the port side to correct the list issue.;)
Replacing standard deep cycle lead acid Grp. 27's over 3+ decades, I don't do much better. I'm happy with 5 seasons. I fully charge them in November - disconnect everything - and do a voltage test in late April or May.

If I don't get 12.5-6 volts, I replace them. It's tempting to try to get another season but with a small house bank, I don't trust their capacity to allow me to spend a few days on the hook and sailing, without having to start the engine.

Is there some way to ease their removal instead of relocating them?
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
Tomy,
It not that it's just a pain in the A** :soapbox: to do. On this vintage Hunter, whoever is the unlucky person is to climb into the lazarette aka " the pit, the basement, the dungeon, or as refer to it as hell"
has to fit thru an opening 18"x18" and should not be more then 100lb. They also need to be contortionist.
 
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