Hunter Legend 290 - Some Questions

Oct 10, 2020
15
Hunter Legend 290 Brightlingsea
Good Evening All,

I popped down to the boat today to do a few jobs. It's amazing how time flies when you are tinkering around with your boat.
So, I have realised a few things today and I need your expert advise again please.

I would like to fit a solar panel as I dont have shore power and am having to run the engine to charge the batteries. My boat has two leisure batteries, plus a smaller one for starting the engine. I found them today whilst looking at all my cubby holes for storage and working out what to put where :) (This was great fun, I have had such a good day)
The leisure batteries are Bosch S4 010 (740A / 80Ah).

The boat has a battery level indicator, but not one to show what the current usage is. Which is inconvenient, but I can go back with a multimeter and see what each device uses. My guess is the fridge is the main thing. I haven't been using it as I am worried about killing the batteries. I don't have anything entertainment wise that uses power. So it's just onboard instruments, lights, fridge, etc. I have no idea what size solar panel I need or where to put it. What size do you have on your boat?

Whilst thinking about this, this evening at home I thought this place (see attached), not sure what thats called. Companion way cover (or something like that?)
Would a panel on this be sufficient in terms of the power it can put out? Looking on Amazon, there are a lot of choices with Charge Controllers. I have seen a few videos on Youtube of people installing them and I think its something I could do myself.

My second question is about the toilet. My boat has a jabsco toilet fitted. At the back of the unit is a valve to change it from the waste holding tank, to out to sea. I have tried it both ways, but can not work out which way is which. Is there an easy way to tell? Also, there is a panel at the back of the boat (see the other attachment) I am sure during the hand over I was told there is some kind of switch or valve for emptying the holding tank. (Also warned to be far out to sea doing this). Perhaps if anyone has a similar setup can advise?

Lastly, my boat has a diesel heater, like what people use in a lorry overnight. I don't know very much about them. It was only today that I was looking through the paperwork and figured out what the strange dial is. Does this use battery power as well as diesel to run?

I am sorry for all the questions, this is very new to me and I am trying to learn as quickly as I can.

Many thanks
Andy
 

Attachments

May 1, 2011
4,190
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
It was only today that I was looking through the paperwork and figured out what the strange dial is. Does this use battery power as well as diesel to run?
It likely has a fan to move the hot (warm) air.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Q1. I would like to fit a solar panel
A1 Suggest you explore the forum. Search for "Solar Power". There is a wealth of info on this site from what, to how, to when solar power can help the boater. From what I have read the space you are thinking of using will not be adequate to charge the two batteries you currently have. In the northern latitudes we need larger panels to charge up the batteries needed to keep the boat running.​
Q2. My boat has two leisure batteries, plus a smaller one for starting the engine. The leisure batteries are Bosch S4 010 (740A / 80Ah).
A1. To answer the implied question - Will these batteries supply the amount of energy I need to power my boat? My first answer is NO - or more politely - Likely not if you want to run your refrigerator for any length of time. The best refrigerators I have seen use about 3-5 amps per hour. Lets guess that the insulation around the refrigerator is excellent so the motor on the unit only needs to run half the time to maintain you cold beer. So 12 hours a day your going to be consuming 36-60 amps.
Now we come to the Batteries. These are two car batteries. Bosch identifies them as the S4 E with EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery) technology. It provides a reliable supply of energy for vehicles with start/stop system and several electrical consumers. The rule about batteries is you can only consume about 50% of the amp hour capacity before you need to fully recharge the battery. Based on your 2 batteries you have 80AMP hours - about a day and a half of power to give to your refrigerator.
@mainesail here on the forum or on his website has "How To" articles (Marine How To ). He shares a wealth of knowledge about batteries. Since you are the boats "Director of Energy Services" it would be valuable to brush up on some of the issues of serving a boat with electrical power.
Understanding your electrical consumption by preparing an energy budget is the first step in gaining control of the issue.


Q3. My boat has a jabsco toilet fitted. At the back of the unit is a valve to change it from the waste holding tank, to out to sea. I have tried it both ways, but can not work out which way is which. Is there an easy way to tell?
A3. You can find out lots of detail by searching the forum for toilets. One of our experts here @Peggie Hall HeadMistress has published an extremely complete and handy guide to your job as "Chief Sanitation Engineer" aboard your boat. You can find it offered for sale here on the site. It is my go to resource for all my sanitation jobs. There is nothing worse than a stinky boat.
The vale you are inquiring about sounds like a "Y" valve. One way goes to a holding tank and the other dumps the effluent overboard. I would think if it is working and you put some TP in the toilet then pump you will either see the fluid and TP flow into the holding tank or out in to the harbor. Perhaps posting a picture of the Valve in question would be helpful.

Q4. Also, there is a panel at the back of the boat (see the other attachment) I am sure during the hand over I was told there is some kind of switch or valve for emptying the holding tank. (Also warned to be far out to sea doing this). Perhaps if anyone has a similar setup can advise?
A4. Again it would be better to see the panel you are talking about. It sounds like the "switch" turns on a pump. The Pump would try to send the effluent from your tank to the thru hull located on the boat after the pump. You would open the thru hull then turn on the pump once you were out about 3 miles to sea. Pumping your tanks clear like the big ships.

Q5. Lastly, my boat has a diesel heater, like what people use in a lorry overnight. I don't know very much about them. It was only today that I was looking through the paperwork and figured out what the strange dial is. Does this use battery power as well as diesel to run?
A5. If this is a diesel heater it will need fuel. If the fuel is not gravity fed, then it will need a pump to move the fuel from the tank to the heater. Yes that would use battery power. Once you have burned enough fuel to warm up the heater, then you will need to get the heat into the boat. Two common methods is to pump water throught a heat exchanger and let the heated water heat the boat, or more comon it to run a fan and blow the hot air from teh heater into the boat. Both methods requre battery power to accomplish the work.
Note when you are running the engine the alternator is helping to provide power to accomplish this benefit. If you are sailing then the batteries are the source of power.
 
Jan 4, 2006
6,444
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Would a panel on this be sufficient in terms of the power it can put out?
This is the most likely place to install a solar panel but as far as area goes, I don't think it's sufficient. Do some arithmetic and check the area of the panel compared to the area of the panel you require for needed power. I think you 'll find it a little lacking.


The boat has a battery level indicator, but not one to show what the current usage is. Which is inconvenient, but I can go back with a multimeter and see what each device uses.
If you enjoy spending money, invest in a battery monitor. The best investment I ever made. Check the archives here as it's quite a lengthy subject.

My boat has a jabsco toilet fitted. At the back of the unit is a valve to change it from the waste holding tank, to out to sea. I have tried it both ways, but can not work out which way is which. Is there an easy way to tell?
The single entrance to this valve is called the common port. The other two are called the outlets. The handle points to the outlet which is passing flow.