315 Starting Battery Specifications

[Skipper John]

Our new 315 was ordered with the starting battery option, but the manual did not address how the battery selectors were set up with a starting battery. Warren Pandy at Catalina was kind enough to send the description from the 385 manual, which he says is how the 315 is set up. Warren authorized sharing this with the group in hopes that it will help others who wonder how to use the battery switches.

The full document is attached.

Happy sailing! John

 

[jviss]

I'm interested in this topic. My initial reaction is that I find that chart confusing. Reading the doc I've found one error so far, on page 32a there are two batteries labeled "Battery 1."

What does that middle switch do?

 

[Skipper John]

Yes, not perfect but better than nothing!

The middle “switch“ is the main circuit breaker.

Good luck…

 

[jviss]

O.K., thanks!

 

[jviss]

It has always been my intention to write a short, succinct user manual for my boat, for those onboard in the case I am incapacitated.

Also, a laminated chart showing the battery switch arrangement, and a troubleshooting table that goes along the line of "if this happens, do this."

 

[leslie894]

I’m a bit late to this conversation but we just went on a voyage of discovery this spring to figure out exactly how our battery switches were wired on our 2018 Catalina 315. Completely unlike the wiring diagram supplied by Catalina in our manual.

Our dedicated starting battery was only dedicated if you didn’t charge the house batteries with the alternator.

To run your boat with the idea your starting battery is dedicated and your house batteries only run the house AND charge all batteries with the engine you would have to:
(1) start your engine with the Engine selector switch in position 1 and your Main Battery Selector switch in position 1 and 2.
(2) Immediately run down and turn the Engine switch to position 1+2 (without turning it through the OFF position) so that all three batteries would charge. At this point all three batteries are connected in parallel in the switch.
(3) As soon as you shut the engine off, run down and turn the Engine Selector switch back to position 1 so the house doesn’t draw down the starting battery.

This is nuts.

All three of our original batteries (two 4D and one group 27) have leaked. They have all been replaced. We have rewired the batteries completely so that the house batteries (lithium) are in parallel and our starting battery (AGM) is isolated. We use a DC-DC charger to charge the house batteries when the engine is running.