Improving my old H26

[Doug J]

I've been working on improving my 94' H26, installing new accessories, re-doing a lot of the wiring, moving stuff around to better locations, etc.

I added a new Plastimo Contest 101 compass. I like this one because you can see the compass from inside the cabin.


Here you can see the compass inside the cabin. I upgraded the DC switch panel with a Blue Sea 13 position circuit breaker panel, that has voltage and amp meters. There is also a dual 12V/USB outlet, a new West Marine Stereo, Garmin GPS and FishFinder on a RAM mount.


In the aft berth I installed an AC shore power circuit breaker with a separate breaker for AC outlets, DC on/off switch, 12V/USB outlets and an LED reading light. Below you can see a battery charger, AC outlet, an 1800watt inverter and a DC bus bar.


Here you can see one of two LED reading lights (port & starboard) and the new stereo speakers. The wires will be hidden behind the wood paneling I intend to replace.


Work is ongoing. I purchased two 6 volt golf cart batteries for my battery bank. I will need to fabricate a new battery mount platform, clean up the hanging wires, connect my AH, etc.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Nice job but as to batteries I would go with the 27 series. I kknow what you are trying to do but like the added supply

 

[rgranger]

Looking Spiffy. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Dennis Kitchen]

Nice work! Especially the ceiling on the side walls. I hate the carpet in these things.

 

[Doug J]

Nice job but as to batteries I would go with the 27 series. I kknow what you are trying to do but like the added supply

Thanks Dave! I went with the golf cart batteries for the added amp hours. The GC batts provide 232 ah vs around 80 ah for a group 27. I could have put two group 27's in parallel providing around 160 ah, but the GC batts provide longer run time. Also, the GC batts allow more cycles.

 

[Doug J]

Looking Spiffy. Thanks for the pics.

Thanks! Spiffy is the objective!
Please post more pic's of your projects, love to see them!

 

[Doug J]

Nice work! Especially the ceiling on the side walls. I hate the carpet in these things.

Thanks Dennis!

 

[rgranger]

Thanks! Spiffy is the objective!
Please post more pic's of your projects, love to see them!

So far the only significant project I've completed is the solar panel installation. Crazy Uncle Dave (or is that Uncle Crazy Dave?) and I are pulling the boat tomorrow and I'll be taking her home for a few weeks. I'll get more done then.

 

[Doug J]

Solar is on my list. Can you provide info and pic's of that project?
I want to be able to spend a few days on the boat with no shore power connection, and not run out of power. That's why I went with GC batts. I think I will add a 100 watt solar panel system. Something I can attach and remove as needed.

 

[rgranger]

Hey Doug

Here is the thread on my solar install

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...nstall-on-a-hunter-26-w-pics-and-part.177625/

It was very easy and only took a few hours. I'm guessing I'll want to install a second panel on the same post and next time I'll go a bit larger. But I won't know that until I stay out a few nights and see what my power drain issues look like. I'll only be running a VHF, nav. lights (not much) and two fans at night, so my power draw is not going to be huge... I also have a 6A charger on the O.B.. My O.B. is manual start so I'm good there also. My plan (at first) is to keep my two batteries isolated and have the solar on one and the O.B. on the other. That way I can get a good sense of how each approach is working for me.

 

[Regular Guy]

Doug:
Great job, looks very professional. Interesting choice regarding your battery; I looked up a typical 12 V Group 27 battery and a golf car battery: http://www.interstatebatteries.com/...gc2-gc2-xhd-utl?dsNav=N~2147384911-2147384903
I compared the ReserveCapacity-25 (means how many minutes on a full battery a load of 25 Amp may last): 140 min on a 12 Volt Group 27 but 470 min on a 6 V golf car battery, that's a real advantage with two golf car batteries in series. I suppose you are having a 12 V system on board. The weight of a golf car battery is about 64 lb again 49 lb for a Group 27, a 30 lb disadvantage for two batteries each of one kind.
Some may have rather to two 12 V than two 6 V batteries for the option to split them between house and start purposes.

 

[flynhi4u]

Looking good Doug. Solar is the way to go. We only have a 40 watt panel and a single deep cycle 140 ah battery and it keeps up with our usage just fine.
I installed this led volt amp meter http://www.ebay.com/itm/281850122861?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT in the main 12 volt circuit so I could keep track of how much power we are drawing and it provides a easy way to see that the solar panel is charging as well. It is only rated to 10 amps but that is more than enough for 95% of our usage. I have the fixed VHF and a single 12 power outlet fused wired directly to the battery as the vhf will pull a little over 10 amps when transmitting on high and the inflator pump for Cindy's paddleboard does as well. But both of those see so little use I am not worried about their pull being shown on the meter. With all the lights(all led) on, the stereo on and the fan running we are right at 3 amps total pull. At night with the mast head light and the stereo on down low, it is about a half amp. The fan is a low draw fan at .3 amps. The meter is sensitive enough on the low side to show the amperage draw increase with the beat of the drum through the stereo. The meter has tiny pots on the board that allow you to calibrate it to a real meter which is sweet.
They sell a version that is rated to 100 amps and it runs through a shunt if you need much more than 10 amps. I had that one to begin with but it was not very sensitive in the lower range which is where it turned out I needed to be. Cell phone chargers turn out to be the biggest power pigs. Each one of them pulls a little over one amp. Luckily they don't take long to charge.
I installed a compass on the bulkhead as well. That little wedge bulb in it pulled right at one amp. It had to go. I replaced it with a led and it dropped to .02 amps. That I can live with LOL!

Sam

 

[Regular Guy]

Regarding the addition of a solar panel. I installed a 100 Watt flexible panel with a 30 Amp pulse with modulation controller. Paid $284 for the panel and $124 for the controller.
https://www.emarineinc.com/blog/Flexible-solar-panels-cannot-be-flexed
http://gpelectric.com/products/30-amp-digital-solar-controller

 

[Doug J]

Hey Doug

Here is the thread on my solar install

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...nstall-on-a-hunter-26-w-pics-and-part.177625/

Installation looks great! Nice write-up!

 

[Doug J]

Doug:
Great job, looks very professional. Interesting choice regarding your battery; I looked up a typical 12 V Group 27 battery and a golf car battery: http://www.interstatebatteries.com/...gc2-gc2-xhd-utl?dsNav=N~2147384911-2147384903
I compared the ReserveCapacity-25 (means how many minutes on a full battery a load of 25 Amp may last): 140 min on a 12 Volt Group 27 but 470 min on a 6 V golf car battery, that's a real advantage with two golf car batteries in series. I suppose you are having a 12 V system on board. The weight of a golf car battery is about 64 lb again 49 lb for a Group 27, a 30 lb disadvantage for two batteries each of one kind.
Some may have rather to two 12 V than two 6 V batteries for the option to split them between house and start purposes.

RG, thanks for the info and compliment! Yeah I did see some 12V batts that had high reserve capacity, but the price seemed high to me too! Indeed the GC batts I got are 63 lbs ea. I did a lot of reading and the general consensus seems to be GC batteries are a better choice if you will be spending say three days unplugged. Also the life expectancy is greater, more cycles. They can be more deeply discharged and re-charged. At this point I don't have electric start on my OB, so a single battery bank will work for me.

 

[Doug J]

Reg Guy, is that you backyard? Man talk about the ultimate setup. I always wanted to get a house where I could have my boat in the water in the backyard - awesome! I guess everyone in Florida has a boat out back right!

 

[Doug J]

I finally finished installing two new 6 volt golf cart batteries, and cleaned up all the wiring in the aft compartment.
First, I needed to make a new platform to hold the two 63lb batteries. The original platform was not going to cut it, only big enough for one battery.

I made it out of 3/4" Birch plywood and Poplar, cutting and shaping it to fit the contours of the hull, in an effort to maximize surface area. I primed and sealed it real good with three coats of Rust-Oleum Topside paint. I used Oyster White, which is a real close match to the color of the inside of the boat. The new platform is fastened to the old one with six #12 SS screws. A 3/4" piece of Poplar provides the starboard side with vertical support. The new platform is very strong, I'm sure it will hold the 126lbs. nicely.

I plan to add a Flow-Rite battery watering system to make it easy to top off the batteries, as they are not easy to access.

I ended up moving the 1800 watt Inverter to the starboard side away from the batteries, along with the battery charger and shore power GFCI outlet.

I'm happy with the way it all turned out. Next I am working on a replacement bulkhead panel to replace the one the PO hacked up. Then I plan to install a Solar system.

 

[Tally Ho]

Looks really nice!

One suggestion...I learned the hard way....would be to build a retainer around the base of the batteries to keep them from shifting and coming loose from the straps. My Hunter 280 had 2 batteries on a plywood shelf, and held in place by straps.

On day, after a wild sail, I happened to open the battery compartment and found both batts broken loose from the straps. One was on its side and a puddle of liquid under it. Freaked me out! Imagined the acid eating a hole in the boat. Flushed it and neutralized with baking soda.

Built a 1" high "frame" around the batts to make sure they would not move around and pull free of the straps.

Your boat really looks nice.

Greg

 

[rgranger]

Tally Ho

That seems like a really good idea. I think I'll do the same with mine. I knocked over a battery doing the "trailer bump". Thats when you you drive a few feet and slam on the breaks to nudge the boat up into the bow stop on the trailer.

 

[Doug J]

Greg, that's a good suggestion. I thought about it when I was making it, but I thought the straps would be enough. After reading about what happened to you and rgranger, I will definitely add a retainer around the boxes. I think maybe I'll use some aluminum angle. That way no more painting required. Thanks for the compliment!