2 ??'s ST4000 and 3rd Battery

[david S.]

Two questions for all you vets. 1st, I have a Magellen 315 and am wondering if it's possible to use this with the ST4000 wheel pilot. The 315 says it's NMEA 0183. Has anyone used this combination?? What data cable and how do you install?? The second question is probably a little easier. I want to install a dedicated starter battery. My 30 is a 1990 and the 2 batteries ar eunder the starboard settee. Where is the best location to install a third battery?? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks David Szerlag

 

[Joe Luciano]

Battery Location

Can't help you with the autopilot location, but I have an '87 C30 and I installed my 3rd battery under the aft berth. I built a battery box holder out of plywood and shaped some legs to level it up to the bottom curvature and attached it to the wood where my water heater is attached. Works great and keeps the cable lengths to a minimum back to the batteries under the settee. I wired this 3rd battery in parallel to battery #2. So, I use a starting battery for battery #1 and the two parallel deep cycle batteries for the house system. All are wet cell size 24 batteries of similar age. Be sure not to mix battery types. Good luck.Joe

 

[David S.]

To Joe:

Thanks for the info. Was there any reason other than personal preference that you didn't tie the two settee batteries for house and use the aft mounted battery for the starter?? Thanks

 

[Michael]

david S. of no. kingstown

David;Does your Magellan 315 have a data cable? You will need the cable that plugs into the Magellan GPS. The manual for the GPS will tell you which leads are the NMEA (2 wires). Connect these wires to the back of the ST4000 where it shows NMEA, I think they are

 

[Steve B]

NMEA 0183

Hi again,I tied my Lowrance GPS into the auto pilot. There are only two wires and -, the positive is the data out from the GPS and the - is the ground. You will need to check out which codes your GPS sends. I found the following website was very good and had all the information and more. http://www.vancouver-webpages.com/peter/idx_wire.htmlA point bear in mind. Are you considering hooking a VHF up to your GPS so that you have DSC (Digital Selective Calling), If so run two cables for your NMEA now to save you having to crawl round at a later date.

 

[Gerry @ GMJ Marine]

Battery location

Have a third designated starter battery installed just inside and under the quarter berth on my 84-C30. It has it's own battery On -Off switch located there also. House batteries located inside nav station.