Batteries

[hanksga20]

On my 37 hunter the house batteries are below the decking in the main cabin. I am sure this is not where they were originally. Does anyone know were they were when the boat was built? I want to remove them from the living spaces for the obvious reasons.
Thanks
Jack

 

[Seattle Scott]

Original locaiton was probably cockpit starboard locker where start battary is. I have 4 house battaries in the bilge, over the keel, under the salon sole, lead acid, since I got the boat 7 years ago. Good access and no smells/gasses I can perceive.

 

[hanksga20]

Thanks Scott. Mind are in the same location. You also let me know where the starting battery use to be. The previous owner relpaced the 3 cylinder with a 4- Yanmar and the battery now sits in front of the engine. Not a good place since it cannot be strapped down. My house batteries are not either. Jack

 

[Jim Legere]

" I want to remove them from the living spaces for the obvious reasons."

Jack - what are the obvious reasons? I relocated my house bank of 3 gp 24 batteries to under the cabin sole for what I thought were obvious reasons: weight in the right place, ease of access to check electrolyte, and proximity to the switchboard. There is, I suppose, some possibility of hydrogen off-gassing during heavy charging but the risk is less than having a propane stove (hydrogen is lighter-than-air and migrates up as opposed to heavier-than-air propane, which settles in the bilge). BTW I left my starter battery in the starboard cockpit locker and it is a pain to check. I suggest you leave the batteries below the cabin sole and be thankful the PO did all the grunt work. However, the batteries all need to be well secured especially that one infront of the engine.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Off-gassing (of wet cells) should only occur due to improper over-charging. Under normal circumstances, there is nothing wrong with having the batteries inside the boat under the sole. I would think that if gassing is a problem, it will be so regardless of where the batteries are located and should be fixed before you destroy them prematurely.

 

[Jim Legere]

"Off-gassing (of wet cells) should only occur due to improper over-charging. Under normal circumstances, there is nothing wrong with having the batteries inside the boat under the sole."

Don: I disagree with your first statement and agree with your second. Hydrogen and oxygen are ALWAYS produced when a conventional lead acid battery is charged. (Some types of batteries are designed to recombine the gases back into water - ie maintenance free, Absorbed Glass Mat, etc.) However, under normal charging conditions and electrolyle levels, the battery should release very little gas, so I feel safe having them located under the cabin sole, where marine electrical components in the bilge must be ignition protected. Attached link to lead acid battery safety bulletin:
http://groups.ucanr.org/ehs/files/34516.pdf

 

[Jim Boernge]

37c DC Wiring Plan

Jack,
Here is the DC wiring diagram from the original owner's manual. This is a jpg. I've also added a pdf that provides a cleaner view.
Note that batteries "B" were in the aft stbd locker originally.
Jim