My next task after new rudder and lower rudder bearing is to upgrade the boats electrical system. When purchased, the DC side was powered by a group 31 AGM start battery (110AH) in the starboard cockpit locker (suitable for the Yanmar 3JH3E) and a house bank made up of 4 T105s located in the bilge. Prior owner mounted positive and negative buss bars under the Galley sink, and then supplemental AC and DC distribution panels mounted on the side panel of the galley area next to the chart table. Many things I don’t like about this configuration, but I also want to go to lithium for my new house bank.
One of the thornier issues on the upgrade is locating the new batteries and supporting infrastructure. I’ve decided that the best location for the new AC/DC charger and isolation transformer will be under the chart table next to the original panel location. I can’t find any place on the port side of the boat to locate positive and negative buss bars or batteries. The location of the fuel tank under the quarterberth, and difficulty running larger grade wires through the aft cabin area are pushing me to the starboard side of the boat.
I’d like to get all batteries out of the cockpit locker just for accessibility reasons and to use that space for the myriad things that usually end up in cockpit lockers. In order to do that, the best location candidate looks like the space under the Starboard settee and aft of the starboard water tank. At a minimum, I would like to make this the location for a single 314AH Lithium battery with dimensions not much larger than a Group 31 (and it would fit). Then I‘m wrestling with keeping the start battery in the cockpit locker, and wiring the B to B charger between the two, and putting the buss bars in the space below the the top two galley drawers (losing the two bottom drawers) which are next to the engine compartment. This location was already modified by a prior owner who put a Red Dot heater in there and, in the process, cut away the liner under the drawer cabinet to run the thick inverter and alternator pos/neg wires under the stove and into the bottom of the galley sink. Battery switch would go back to the original location below the companionway.
Any H37C owners undertake this kind of upgrade? Where did you decide to place your new lithium battery(ies)? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for your input.
One of the thornier issues on the upgrade is locating the new batteries and supporting infrastructure. I’ve decided that the best location for the new AC/DC charger and isolation transformer will be under the chart table next to the original panel location. I can’t find any place on the port side of the boat to locate positive and negative buss bars or batteries. The location of the fuel tank under the quarterberth, and difficulty running larger grade wires through the aft cabin area are pushing me to the starboard side of the boat.
I’d like to get all batteries out of the cockpit locker just for accessibility reasons and to use that space for the myriad things that usually end up in cockpit lockers. In order to do that, the best location candidate looks like the space under the Starboard settee and aft of the starboard water tank. At a minimum, I would like to make this the location for a single 314AH Lithium battery with dimensions not much larger than a Group 31 (and it would fit). Then I‘m wrestling with keeping the start battery in the cockpit locker, and wiring the B to B charger between the two, and putting the buss bars in the space below the the top two galley drawers (losing the two bottom drawers) which are next to the engine compartment. This location was already modified by a prior owner who put a Red Dot heater in there and, in the process, cut away the liner under the drawer cabinet to run the thick inverter and alternator pos/neg wires under the stove and into the bottom of the galley sink. Battery switch would go back to the original location below the companionway.
Any H37C owners undertake this kind of upgrade? Where did you decide to place your new lithium battery(ies)? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for your input.
