Battery Installation

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CCHer

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Jul 7, 2010
230
Beneteau 37 Cranes Creek, VA
I'm replacing my OEM 4Ds after 7 years-5 with PO and 2 with me. One has failed and the other is probably not too far behind. I've settled on 2 pair of 6 volt, like the Trojan T105. My question is the size of cable to put the pair in series. The boat's battery cables are 1/0 guage. Do I need it that large to run 6 or 8 inches between the + and - posts? Seems like 2 or 4 guage should be well sufficient based on the charts, but your opinions and experience would be greatly appreciated.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
I'm replacing my OEM 4Ds after 7 years-5 with PO and 2 with me. One has failed and the other is probably not too far behind. I've settled on 2 pair of 6 volt, like the Trojan T105. My question is the size of cable to put the pair in series. The boat's battery cables are 1/0 guage. Do I need it that large to run 6 or 8 inches between the + and - posts? Seems like 2 or 4 guage should be well sufficient based on the charts, but your opinions and experience would be greatly appreciated.
The bigger the better especially for series and series parallel. They should ideally be the same GA as what you have now or bigger. Also run your neg and pos of opposite ends of the banks to charge & discharge through the bank more evenly.

 

CCHer

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Jul 7, 2010
230
Beneteau 37 Cranes Creek, VA
Thanks Maine Sail! The configuration for the + and - leads makes a lot of sense. Not sure that I would have thought of that. I saw your article on battery monitors and it is certainly on my agenda.
 
Jan 22, 2008
106
Catalina 350 Tacoma, WA WA
Check out Costco for the 6 volt batteries. $79.95 here in Seattle. Cheaper than most anywhere else I have checked.

Jon Freeman
 

CCHer

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Jul 7, 2010
230
Beneteau 37 Cranes Creek, VA
Thanks Jon, unfortunately I live in the boonies, 70 or 80 miles to nearest costco, sams club, etc. and can't find the specs on what they may stock online. The best I found locally is $89 at the Advance Auto but rated only 180 AH. I'm going with the 232 AH Interstate from the local golf cart guy for 115. WM wants 229 for theirs and that's a flooded battery, not the AGM or gel-amazing the price difference.
 
Aug 24, 2009
444
Catalina 310 Sturgeon Bay, WI
Will the four (4) 6 Volt units fit where the two (2) 12 Volt 4-D's were? Has anyone wired an inverter into there system? I had one on a past boat but never paid attention to how it hooked back into the 110V system. PS: Has this site been inactive all week or what no activity at all.
 

BillyK

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Jan 24, 2010
502
Catalina 310 Ocean City, NJ
CCHer said:
Thanks Jon, unfortunately I live in the boonies, 70 or 80 miles to nearest costco, sams club, etc. and can't find the specs on what they may stock online. The best I found locally is $89 at the Advance Auto but rated only 180 AH. I'm going with the 232 AH Interstate from the local golf cart guy for 115. WM wants 229 for theirs and that's a flooded battery, not the AGM or gel-amazing the price difference.
Remember that gels and acid batteries have different charging requirements..
 
Aug 24, 2009
444
Catalina 310 Sturgeon Bay, WI
With the above set up drawing there is no A-B is there, both supply power through a common circuit?
 

CCHer

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Jul 7, 2010
230
Beneteau 37 Cranes Creek, VA
Long, The 6 volts are a bit longer and taller but narrower. They fit in the battery compartment fine placed like in Maine Sail's drawing though the hold down had to be reconfigured. I rigged them in two banks (without the pos to pos jumper in MS's drawing) just like the 4Ds that came from the builder with the 1-2-both switch. I don't have a dedicated starting battery yet-keep one of those auto jump starters charged up as my emergency backup for the time being. I'll post a picture at some point soon.
 

CCHer

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Jul 7, 2010
230
Beneteau 37 Cranes Creek, VA
Here are photos Longstory (and all). As you see the hold downs had to be altered and I still need to make cut-outs in the settee plywood over the two aft cells to maintain them more easily. Other than that, and getting those 100+ lb 4Ds out, it was pretty stright forward.
 

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Dec 25, 2008
1,580
catalina 310 Elk River
I'm a bit confused, it looks like you wired (4) 6v's in series, that would be 24V???
 
Aug 24, 2009
444
Catalina 310 Sturgeon Bay, WI
I think I see two 12 v banks with a common negative - is that the confusion? If I see this right banks are right - left, and top/bottom make a single bank?
 
Dec 25, 2008
1,580
catalina 310 Elk River
Yea, I see it now, my error. Looks good, except where are the fuses located?
 

CCHer

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Jul 7, 2010
230
Beneteau 37 Cranes Creek, VA
That's right, 2-12 volt banks. # 1 on the right (actually port) and #2 on the left. The black cable is the common ground and the red/positive from each bank go to their respective fuses that I left where the builder put them: on a wood block on the starboard side of the battery compartment-hidden in the picture-which also holds the batteries from sliding that way.
 
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