battery location help

[Wes Ellsworth]

I liveaboard my 85 cat 30 and want toinstall a 3rd bank for cranking theengine.I,m leaning towards building abox and locate it at the bottom of thecompanionway.Cutting out the bottomstep and using the box as the step.Please help with anyother suggestions.Also what are my options as far asrecharge goes,alternator only or is there a way i can wire it so that mycharger can charge all 3 banks.Please excuse my ignorance of electricalsystems.I,m slowly learningthanks

 

[Robert McKay]

3rd Bat.

My 30 has 2 battries on the stbd. side and 1 next to the hot water heater under the rear sleeping area. ( 1/2 birth) Two are in series and I keep one for starts.

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

3rd bank not necessary

You should really think about keeping it just two banks to simplify your charging. Wire the two you have in parallel, forming one large house bank. You'll want a good cold cranking battery w/high amperage for your starting battery. Wire it into your switch as "Battery 2", the house bank being on "Battery 1".As far as location is concerned, I've seen C30s w/as many as 4 batteries on the starboard side under the settee (keeping in mind this is a lot of weight on one side so you might want to distribute some weight to port if necessary). If it just doesn't fit there, the space next to the water heater (as Robert McKay mentioned) under the aft bunk should work OR even the compartment next to the compression post in the salon if you can't find any place else.LaDonna

 

[James]

Battery Help

Wes,1. Get Nigel Calder's book "A Boatowners' Guide to Mechanical and Electrical Systems". It is the best guide I've seen, very thorough. Good guide to 12V electrical theory. Since you are a Catalina owner, now is a great time to become an electrician.2. As LaDonna recommends, parallel the two existing house batteries and wire them as battery 1 or 2 or the selector switch. That would give you 170 amp hours on that bank.3. I've seen battery boxes on Islanders located at the base of the companion way steps. If you need a lot of juice, a 8D (truck) battery could be nicely fitted in a box there. 4. Order the engine panel wiring upgrade kit from Seaward Products. This kit will fix a wiring problem and improve battery charging. Seward's phone # 562-699-79975. On your '85 there is just enough room in the Starboad settee compartment to fit a Group 24 battery.