340 Battery Move

[Bill19233]

After three years of thinking about it, I finally moved the batteries and battery switch on my 2000 Hunter 340. And not long after I finish, I find a new article on Maine sail's web site about battery orientation. I got it half right, I put two batteries fore and aft and the other two port and starboard. But, the starboard corner of the stern sits about three inches higher now, the battery switch is actually usable, and I've got a 250 A fuse on each bank and a new xantrex battery monitor. Hopefully the weather will let us get out on the bay soon and see if she sails any better on a port tack.

 

[robertsapp]

So where did you put these batteries, and what type did you use? We have the "three in the starboard lazarette" configuration, and the only way we can get our boat to level out is to put everything from the outboard to the groceries on the port side of the boat.

 

[Rocket1]

Bill-

I too, have a 2000 340 that sits low starboard aft. The PO managed to pile 4 GC batteries and the starting battery in that lazarette, and actually broke the floor. I've removed 2 of the GC batteries and re-glassed the floor in, but I have been wrestling with where to relocate the batteries. I would love to get some more detail from you on what type of batteries you're using, how many, and where you have stashed them.

I built an access door into the bulkhead in the aft stateroom (see pics) for easier access to that space, and was considering fabricating a shelf between the holding tank and the fuel tank for the house batteries. Only issue with that would be that I'm not certain I can fit 4 GC batteries into that space (probably only 2).

Always good to chat with another 340 owner, and I look forward to your reply.

 

[robertsapp]

I've spoken with another 336 owner who put two 4D's under the port settee. I thought if I ever moved our batteries, that's probably where I'd put them, as the PO decided to put the A/C unit there rather than on the stbd side where it belongs, and there's not a lot of useable space left because of the ducting. Plus it's just a hard area to access.

The 336 is the same boat as the 340 minus the arch. Oh, and it doesn't lie about its size. Both boats are built on the same hull, but for some reason Hunter decided the 340 was half a foot longer. Maybe they added six inches to the bow roller with the stainless steel they saved by cutting the 336's dual roller to the single one on the 340.

 

[Rocket1]

Hunter lists the LOA of the 340 at 33' 9". What's 3" when you're in love??

If I bolt a 4' bowsprit on the darn thing, can I call it a 38 footer? I know my marina would.

 

[BayMan]

Hunter lists the LOA of the 340 at 33' 9". What's 3" when you're in love??


That's what she said.

(Sorry. I couldn't stop myself)

 

[Bill19233]

I have been making lists, drawing on napkins, and accumulating parts for three years. My girlfriend asked me what I wanted to do on my birthday, and I said I wanted to move the batteries on the boat. She thought I had lost my mind, but that happened years ago when I bought my first boat. She was a big help, she could actually get inside the cabinet aft of the nav station to help pull wires. And my ace crew Lloyd, spent a whole Saturday splicing, crimping , and running for parts. Two solid days to get it functional, I’ll probably have another day on loose ends.
The PO had four group 31 AGM’s in the aft starboard lazerette. With anything in the waste tank and a full grown person on the rail seat, there could be a thousand pounds on that corner of the boat. Does not make for good trim on a port tack. At the dock I had to keep a full bow water tank (600 lbs.) to “seesaw” the stern out the water enough to keep it above the bottom paint and there was a noticeable starboard lean to the mast
I moved three of the group 31 AGM’s to the aft end of the port settee, inboard of the water heater. Almost over the keel, perfect spot for 250 lbs. of batteries, and I ran new cables under the floor to the new location of the battery switch. I gave the fourth 31 to my son for his boat, and bought a group 24 for a dedicated start battery that I put it in the cabinet behind the new location of the battery switch to balance a little. My air conditioner is in the starboard settee. I tried to keep the + and – cables away from each other and put them thru separate holes in floors and bulkheads. I put some photos, and plan to put more, of the new setup on my profile.
She sits level port to starboard, and just a little down in the bow now, but the water tank is still pretty full. The stern has several inches of bottom paint showing now, and I like it. There are four 336’s and another 340 in my marina, I walk by a 336 live-a-aboard to get to my boat. They all sit low in the stern, but mine was the worst.

 

[sailcapt340]

Give us more info please

I'm interested in the same types of moves in my 2000 340 also. Give us some more information and maybe pictures if possible. And what about the battery cable sizing running the longer distance? Thanks for more info.

Bob I really liked the access panel you created. It makes it a whole lot easier I'll bet.

 

[Rocket1]

Re: Give us more info please

Thank you, and yes it does. I wrote up a brief article about it for the owner modifications section for the 340 a few weeks ago, but it hasn't shown up yet.

So far, it's been the best $30 I've spent on mods to the boat.

 

[robertsapp]

Sounds like an excellent installation. Not sure if we could do it, because I'm a big fan of the cost to benefit ratio of lead acid batteries, and I need to research whether they'd be properly ventilated in that location.

The previous owner of our boat dealt with the issue of the stern squat by raising the waterline to the bootstripe. That way there's never any bare hull underwater. I have to admit I don't miss that little one inch stripe of gelcoat.

I'm trying to get my head around the idea of living aboard a boat this size. I'm 6 feet tall, and there are just too many places where I bang my head! I'm OK with it for a weekend, or the occasional week's vacation, but full time? Ouch.

I've thought of ways to use that empty space where you put your access door. Some things I'm considering is a recessed bookself to provide a home for the various nautical volumes that are drifting around the boat, or a spare fuel tank to extend our motoring range so she'd be a better island hopper. It would also be just the right size for a 5K or 6K A/C unit to cool the aft cabin. A Honda eu2000i could run that all night long on less than a gallon of gas, and there's no need to run the main 16K unit and cool the whole boat when we're sleeping.

I've also been going "hmmm" about the outboard crescent shaped bulkhead at the aft port corner of the rear berth. There's a nice chunk of wasted space outboard of the fuel tank that it would be nice to access from the rear berth as a storage puka.

 

[Bill19233]

I'm interested in the same types of moves in my 2000 340 also. Give us some more information and maybe pictures if possible. And what about the battery cable sizing running the longer distance? Thanks for more info.

Bob I really liked the access panel you created. It makes it a whole lot easier I'll bet.

There are photos on my profile, I plan to take more and submit an article to the modifications page when I get the time. I attached a .pdf diagram to the last post, here's a .jpg if you can't download the .pdf. The drawing tells which cables & wires are new and where I used existing wires.
I used the existing #2 cables that ran from the batteries to the motor, same distance to new location of the battery switch and those carry the most current. I ran new #2's from the house bank to the switch, about 10', that replaces #6's that ran 20'. The battery charger runs are now 20' of #6, but I plan on adding a new inverter/charger in a new location as one of the next projects.
Not real concerned about ventilation, batteries are sealed and there is a square foot vent grate in the settee right by the batteries, more ventilation than in the old location. I will keep an eye on the temperature in there, but the same type of compartment is used by thousands of other boats for their batteries.
I like my idea of using an old pelican box I found in my hoarder stash for the negative junction box, worked slick and was cheap.