Hunter 41 DS Power Consumption On The Hook

[sailtheworld79]

The batteries are Trojan T105 Deep Cycle Golf Cart Batteries. Half the size of a 4D. Four (4) will fit under the nav station seat in the battery compartment and two (2) more will fit under the sole plate where the start battery is. Solar Panels are LG 395w (2). My Solar Controller is a Victron 150/60. I use a Xantrex Linkpro to monitor the whole system. I have attached a couple of pictures and a wiring diagram for my system!

Nodak, I thank you very much for your detailed response here. As we have the same boat I may try to more or less copy what you've done here. I think it's a great idea and a much more cost effective setup than switching to LiPo4 batteries. I'll be posting photos and what not as I progress on this path. I have to assume that with all that solar you are self sustaining in Florida? My last boat made the run between Clearwater and the Keys with stops along the way hundreds of times. I miss it down there but not enough to move back - too hot!! Anyhow, thanks again!!

 

[Nodak7]

Nodak, I thank you very much for your detailed response here. As we have the same boat I may try to more or less copy what you've done here. I think it's a great idea and a much more cost effective setup than switching to LiPo4 batteries. I'll be posting photos and what not as I progress on this path. I have to assume that with all that solar you are self sustaining in Florida? My last boat made the run between Clearwater and the Keys with stops along the way hundreds of times. I miss it down there but not enough to move back - too hot!! Anyhow, thanks again!!

Thought I would share these pictures as well. The first is under the Nav Station and the second is under the sole plate where your start battery is located! Yes indeed we are self sustaining at anchor in FL. Of course if it is a very cloudy day or lots of storms that changes the game. We still have the original Frig and freezer and they are such power hogs! I would love to change them out but cannot find anything that fits in the spaces. Also I did do a engergy estimate for Wild Oats before I installed the panels. The Refrigerator is really the Refrigerator/Freezer combination. You might want to see if it might be applicable to what you see on your H41DS.

 

[DayDreamer41]

Similar set up on our 41DS, but, I put (2) Trojan T105's under the nav seat and (4) under the cabin sole just in front of the DC switches. I ordered a battery box to place the (4) batterys under the cabin sole.

Century Plastics: Heavy Duty Battery Box - Holds (4) 6 Volt Golf Cart Batteries

Designed to contain four 6-volt golf cart batteries and their corrosive battery fluids Century Plastic battery boxes are an environmentally safe.

allbatterysalesandservice.com

I already had the D4 boxes which hold 2 T105's.
I had to cut one of the sole supports out and make it removable to get the (4) battery box in, this moves the weight of the bats lower and closer to the centerline of the boat.
I'll see if I can take some pictures the next time I am at the boat. This also allowed for some nice storage under the nav seat, for things like cleaning supplies and engine spares.

 

[Nodak7]

Similar set up on our 41DS, but, I put (2) Trojan T105's under the nav seat and (4) under the cabin sole just in front of the DC switches. I ordered a battery box to place the (4) batterys under the cabin sole.

Century Plastics: Heavy Duty Battery Box - Holds (4) 6 Volt Golf Cart Batteries

Designed to contain four 6-volt golf cart batteries and their corrosive battery fluids Century Plastic battery boxes are an environmentally safe.

allbatterysalesandservice.com

I already had the D4 boxes which hold 2 T105's.
I had to cut one of the sole supports out and make it removable to get the (4) battery box in, this moves the weight of the bats lower and closer to the centerline of the boat.
I'll see if I can take some pictures the next time I am at the boat. This also allowed for some nice storage under the nav seat, for things like cleaning supplies and engine spares.

Day, I used the D4 boxes as well under the Nav seat. I thought about the set up you have but with the start Battery there it was a bit tight. One other issue was battery ventilation under the sole plate. I did end up putting the solar panel controller in that area as well. Looking forward to seeing your pictures!

 

[DayDreamer41]

Day, I used the D4 boxes as well under the Nav seat. I thought about the set up you have but with the start Battery there it was a bit tight. One other issue was battery ventilation under the sole plate. I did end up putting the solar panel controller in that area as well. Looking forward to seeing your pictures!

Funny our start battery is between the water tanks just infront of where the charger is below the cabin sole. The box I linked has a cover and the area is fairly open to the engine bay through a gap between the cabin sole and the hull ribbing. I guess Hunter moved the start battery there when they installed the bow thruster as this area is where the thruster battery is/was, its all (1) bank now with the start battery separate.

 

[Nodak7]

Funny our start battery is between the water tanks just infront of where the charger is below the cabin sole. The box I linked has a cover and the area is fairly open to the engine bay through a gap between the cabin sole and the hull ribbing. I guess Hunter moved the start battery there when they installed the bow thruster as this area is where the thruster battery is/was, its all (1) bank now with the start battery separate.

LOL... I think every one of these beasts are different! I put our thruster in myself and placed the thruster batteries under the forward bunk. But the area you mention is really a good place for batteries. I put bottled water and wine in that space!!!

 

[sailtheworld79]

Nodak, your energy budget is very close to what I figured for mine. There are few gadgets that you have that I removed but it's very similar. I think I am going to order the same panels that you have but I think I am also going to attempt to do a hard dodger and bimini to mount them on. It's going to be a bit of a challenge but I think I can pull it off. It seems to me that those panels (even in Ohio) will be sufficient to keep the boat going more or less indefinitely. I could also a wind generator if need be.

Day Dreamer, I like the thought of placing my batteries lower in the boat! Mine did not come with a bow thruster and that space down low would have been a perfect spot for Hunter to just factory install a larger battery bank. It seems that it's what everyone is doing so I'm gonna go along. It wouldn't be hard for me to move the start battery under the aft berth on the port side and just get it out of that space all together. I'll have to do some new wiring but it wouldn't be overly difficult and would potentially make space for 8 T-105's (4 under the seat and 4 under the sole). Any thoughts on that? Thanks again for all of the insight here. I'm good at doing these types of things but I'm not very good at thinking them up!

Lastly, I have ordered a Balmar alternator and I'm beefing up the belt. I don't want to use it to charge batteries regularly but it'll be nice to have if I need it.

 

[Nodak7]

Sail, keep us posted on the Balmar alternator. I have considered them but really have not seen a need with my current set up. Let me know what you think of the install if you do it. We have been at anchor on a really cloudy day but we carry two Honda EU2000i's for our back up if that happens. I just hate to run the Yanmar at low rpm for any length of time to charge batteries. I have been told it is not good for them.

 

[DayDreamer41]

Sail, keep us posted on the Balmar alternator. I have considered them but really have not seen a need with my current set up. Let me know what you think of the install if you do it. We have been at anchor on a really cloudy day but we carry two Honda EU2000i's for our back up if that happens. I just hate to run the Yanmar at low rpm for any length of time to charge batteries. I have been told it is not good for them.

Installed a 150 amp Balmar and serpentine belt last year with a MC614 Balmar programmable regulator. No more belt dust and the batteries are now being charged with the correct voltage while motoring.
@sailtheworld79 would love to do a hard dodger its something I am kicking around as well.

 

[Nodak7]

Installed a 150 amp Balmar and serpentine belt last year with a MC614 Balmar programmable regulator. No more belt dust and the batteries are now being charged with the correct voltage while motoring.
@sailtheworld79 would love to do a hard dodger its something I am kicking around as well.

View attachment 197318

Day, was it a difficult install? How long does it take to charge your batteries? What is your battery bank aH? Does it require any modification to the engine compartment? Does it make the engine run hotter? Was it expensive?

 

[DayDreamer41]

Day, was it a difficult install? How long does it take to charge your batteries? What is your battery bank aH? Does it require any modification to the engine compartment? Does it make the engine run hotter? Was it expensive?

Was it a difficult install?
No and there were no modifications needed to the engine compartment to achieve the install. Took me about 12 hours.

Key things to note
- As recommended I ran a seperate equivelant sized ground cable (00) from the alternator ground stud to the last negative terminal in the bank.
- I added a service switch in the engine bay to isolate the batteries from the alternator for servicing
- The exciter circuit (regulator power) is powered from a point downstream of the service switch to safegaurd from ruining the alternator should the engine be started with the service switch open.
- Ran the positive (00) cable to the opposite end of the battery bank

What is your battery bank aH?
3 x 225 ah (6 x T105's)

How long does it take to charge your batteries?
This is dependent on depletion level, charging curve is adjustable currently set to:
Step #1- Bulk 14.9 V - 30 minutes
Step #2 - Absorption 14.7 V - 4 Hours
Step #3 Float 13.5 V

Does it make the engine run hotter?
Not that I have seen. I never put the belt guard back on in an attempt to keep the alternator running cooler

Was it expensive?
Cables, switch, alternator and regulator, serpentine belt kit, Balmar SG200 Battery Monitor and miscellaneous items approximate cost just shy of $2K without batteries.

Great little project, I also bought but have not installed yet is a Blue Seas ACR to replace the Cole Palmer solenoid, which would allow me to connect my house bank to the engine starter if I ever needed to do that.

 

[Valerio]

On my h 41 i have 4 trojan 6v lp 16, (in the space below the nav seat), i have one big panel 1 by 2 meters, installed between the davids, i can make around 1.5 kw each day, (80 amps), and i can sail 24 hrs with autopilot gps radar fridge freezer etc, and i get even at the end of the day (100% charge). I will do not buy litium because if you do not live year around and by the hook litium is a waste of money.