Cannot locate positive bus bar Catalina 42 MK ii

Jul 16, 2021
5
Catalina Catalina 42 Mk II Kemah
I’ve scoured the boat, taken stuff apart, made a mess, and invented a few new cuss words looking for the positive bus bar on my Catalina 42 MK ii (2 cabin centerline layout). The “schematics” in the manual that came with the boat are worthless; the drawings are more of a vague notion of where stuff is supposed to be.

Anyone out there have any experience locating the power supply bar for the 12 v system? Thanks.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Hello again! :) See my answer over on CF. Which was:

Hi,


Nice boat. For us C34 skippers, it's usually "our next boat!:



IIRC, and I've had my C34 for 24 years now, Catalina never did install positive bus bars. I don't know about the new 5 Series, though.


They relied on dual house banks of 4 or 8Ds for altogether too long. Positive distribution was through battery switches, with the alternator outputs going back through the switch.


Many knowledgeable skippers have revised that to better batteries and the AO going directly to the house bank.


Good luck, happy detective work, I know the feeling.


Have you been here? Catalina 42/425 International Association
 
Last edited:
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
There's another answer over on CF: Wheres the positive bus bar on my Catalina 42? - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

There may be more later on when other folks see it.

BTW, you can always add one. I did: a Power Post Plus, which gathers all my positives at the house battery bank before it goes to fuse and the bank (wire sizes are similar and /or fused separately). Because Catalina did their "bus bars" right at the back of the panel.