Link 2000 Install - John Nantz

[Buck2796]

It's GREAT !

Had mine since the boat was commissioned in 01.I think it's great... makes monitering alternator output, power usage, charging amerage etc. etc. SOOO much better.I also really like the "Power Share" function that allows you to change the A/C charger amperage delivered to the batteries from 5 amps to 45 amps.When you come in to the slip on a hot Summer day and want to run the air conditioning you can lower the charger output to (say) 10 amps to keep from overloading shore power. ... Out at anchorage, in the morning, when you run the generator to charge the batteries you can increase to amps to 45 to rapidly put current back into the house bank. Sweet!Oh, my 4 fuses are on a block about 2 feet from the alternator.

 

[Buck2796]

It's GREAT !

Had mine since the boat was commissioned in 01.I think it's great... makes monitering alternator output, power usage, charging amerage etc. etc. SOOO much better.I also really like the "Power Share" function that allows you to change the A/C charger amperage delivered to the batteries from 5 amps to 45 amps.When you come in to the slip on a hot Summer day and want to run the air conditioning you can lower the charger output to (say) 10 amps to keep from overloading shore power. ... Out at anchorage, in the morning, when you run the generator to charge the batteries you can increase to amps to 45 to rapidly put current back into the house bank. Sweet!Oh, my 4 fuses are on a block about 2 feet from the alternator.

 

[Stu Jackson]

In defense of procrastination

All of the projects we have "finally gotten around to" were never at the expense of SAILING. I'd do fix its when required, but we use the boat weekly. Our goal when we bought a bigger boat was to disprove the theory that the amount of use a boat gets is inversely proportional to its length. We have been extremely successful.I know the link is going to be fun and I can do energy budgets and amps used in my head with the best of the meters, which is why I didn't see it as a high priority.Thanks for the helpful hints.

 

[Stu Jackson]

In defense of procrastination

All of the projects we have "finally gotten around to" were never at the expense of SAILING. I'd do fix its when required, but we use the boat weekly. Our goal when we bought a bigger boat was to disprove the theory that the amount of use a boat gets is inversely proportional to its length. We have been extremely successful.I know the link is going to be fun and I can do energy budgets and amps used in my head with the best of the meters, which is why I didn't see it as a high priority.Thanks for the helpful hints.

 

[John Nantz]

Hey Stu! I'll defend procrastination too!

Sometimes procrastination is a positive as projects can become OBE, overcome by events. At least this way there is a savings in time. Shortly after we bought our boat in '88 (my gosh, it doesn't seem that long ago!) my wife bought a clineometer for me to install and that was, what, (quick in-head calculation....) only 19 years ago. Well... I still have it and it never did get installed. The problem is that over the years the plastic has turned yellow and the little ball has apparently rusted. Needless to say it doesn't look very good. Now the plus side of all this: First, there are no holes on the cockpit bulkhead or on the interior bulkhead, and Second, I saved the time of getting screws, drill bit, etc. and installing it. However, there is a pretty major downside: I'm frequently reminded about this project and the fact it was never completed. Fortunately (I think), she doesn't harp on this one all the time. Unfortunately, she has a few others she can pick on. Isn't there a saying that goes something like "variety is the spice of life?"So, another upside to procrastination is it can help put some spice in your life.Maybe getting everything done, then, should be just a lofty goal? And besides, isn't there another famous old saying that "Haste makes waste"?There's nothing like having something for us procrastinators to think about.

 

[John Nantz]

Hey Stu! I'll defend procrastination too!

Sometimes procrastination is a positive as projects can become OBE, overcome by events. At least this way there is a savings in time. Shortly after we bought our boat in '88 (my gosh, it doesn't seem that long ago!) my wife bought a clineometer for me to install and that was, what, (quick in-head calculation....) only 19 years ago. Well... I still have it and it never did get installed. The problem is that over the years the plastic has turned yellow and the little ball has apparently rusted. Needless to say it doesn't look very good. Now the plus side of all this: First, there are no holes on the cockpit bulkhead or on the interior bulkhead, and Second, I saved the time of getting screws, drill bit, etc. and installing it. However, there is a pretty major downside: I'm frequently reminded about this project and the fact it was never completed. Fortunately (I think), she doesn't harp on this one all the time. Unfortunately, she has a few others she can pick on. Isn't there a saying that goes something like "variety is the spice of life?"So, another upside to procrastination is it can help put some spice in your life.Maybe getting everything done, then, should be just a lofty goal? And besides, isn't there another famous old saying that "Haste makes waste"?There's nothing like having something for us procrastinators to think about.

 

[Arturo]

Wiring the Link2000

Does anyone know if it is absolutely necessary to buy the $40./ wiring harness in order to install this product. It does not come with wire and specifies wire that must be twisted so many times a foot. In addition the wires are color coded. Is Links wiring harness the only way to go, or did anyone find another approach?Thanks Guys.Arturo, the sailing vato.

 

[Arturo]

Wiring the Link2000

Does anyone know if it is absolutely necessary to buy the $40./ wiring harness in order to install this product. It does not come with wire and specifies wire that must be twisted so many times a foot. In addition the wires are color coded. Is Links wiring harness the only way to go, or did anyone find another approach?Thanks Guys.Arturo, the sailing vato.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Link instructions have your answer

They say buy ours or make your own, using a slow rotating drill. I don't have the page, but it's there. It's only wire, buy it or make your own, but there's a reason it needs to be twisted to avoid interference from parallel wiring.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Link instructions have your answer

They say buy ours or make your own, using a slow rotating drill. I don't have the page, but it's there. It's only wire, buy it or make your own, but there's a reason it needs to be twisted to avoid interference from parallel wiring.

 

[Rick D]

Ordered A Harness

Thanks, guys. One of the reasons I put it off was because of the harness. I didn't realize one was available until this discussion. I just ordered it through Jack Rabbit Marine along with other connecting hardware. Thanks for the tip *5 Of course, I also ordered the AIS receiver while I was at it. DON'T tell my wife!*x Rick D.

 

[Stu Jackson]

The wiring harness isn't shielded

it's just regular wire twisted in a sleeve. The manual says you can make your own by simply twisting wiring into a bundle with a drill -- but their lawyers insisted on the wording: be careful out there if you do this at home ")

 

[Rick D]

Yea, Stu, But...

...it's hard enough to pull wire through the channels. I figure the bundled harness will be money well-spent especially since I'll need to pull coax for the AIS antenna and an extra power lead from the batteries since the existing lead to the switch panel is marginal in size with all the add-ons now. I HATE pulling wire so I try to bundle the projects. Rick D.

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi all, I installed our Link 1000 a few months...

ago and opted to use regular 18 awg marine grade wire (tinned copper). After checking WM prices and limited color choice I bought all the color coded wire in 100 foot spools ($7.50/spool from Interstate Batteries) and saved a bundle. Xantrex technical support told me that it was unnecessary to use shielded wire, or twisting for that matter. Only three of the eight wires required fuses and I used the spade variety. Of course I have lots of left over wire for other similar projects.Terry