Looking for O'Day 19 Electrical Advice

[lsmarden]

For those with an O'Day 19 Weekender, what do you have for an electrical system?

I have a 1981 O'Day 19 Weekender, that I trailer sail, without any electrics and I'm thinking about installing a battery and some navigation lights in case I get caught out at night. I have a SailPro outboard which has charging ability, but I hardly run the outboard. I'd like to be able to power more than just the NavLights, but I don't know how much more I want to add.

Did O'Day make a 19 with a factory installed electrical system? If so, what did it look like? If not, has anyone added an after-market system?

Here are the questions I'm trying to answer:
- Where is the battery stored?
- Where is the electrical panel/fuzes/switches/etc?
- What devices are you powering with your system? (Nav Lights?, Bilge Pump?, Compass?, Cabin Lights?, Gauges - Wind/Depth?, Horn?, USB Charger?)
- How are you charging your system? (Outboard?, Solar?, A/C Charger when off the water?)

If I do install an electrical system, what's a reasonable sized system for such a small(ish) sized boat? I don't need a battery for the outboard, so I don't need a cranking battery, just a house. Do I go with one 12v house, or two 6v golf cart batteries instead to save space?

I want to have some ability to scale up later if I just start with NavLights, but how do I determine what to start with to give me some upward mobility for future devices/loads?

Any system diagrams as examples would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[jepomer]

I will be rewiring the navigation lights this spring. Use marine grade wire. I have a small switch panel with separate switches for:
1) Running lights (bow and stern)
2) Steaming light (when using the motor)
3) Cabin lights
4) AUX - radio, depth finder, etc.

Provide a fuse within 7 inches of the battery terminal plus a master isolation switch to be able to quickly disconnect the battery in an emergency.

Your outboard motor charging system provides about 8 watts of power when rev'ed high. At lower speeds, the output is much lower. It will not recharge the battery unless you motor for at least an hour or more. It will also not provide the proper charging voltages to fully charge the battery. Most often, it will be reach only 80% charged.

On my O'Day 19 (and my Capri 22), I installed a Group 24 (a U1 size would work also) deep discharge 12 volt battery to run the electronics (navigation lights, radio, depth finder). The battery needs to be fastened so it cannot move more than 1 inch in any direction. The terminals need to be shielded from accidental contact and any fluids (battery acid) needs to be contained (USCG regulations). Use a battery box with tie-down straps (westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=102091&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50523&subdeptNum=50543&classNum=50546#.Uv1RVnmR9uo)

Typical users can recharge the battery using a small watt solar panel. I use a Ganz 12 watt - www.cbcamerica.com/microsite/resources/article_level2b/640/GSP_Series0911.pdf_.

Although the small panel *can* be used without a charge controller, I highly recommend using one. You will usually overcharge (and ruin) the battery if there are several days between use.

I use a Genasun GV-4 50W 4A Solar Charge Controller with MPPT — genasun.com/all-products/solar-charge-controllers/for-lead/gv-4-pb-4a-solar-charge-controller/.

The Ganz semi-flexible panel can be mounted on the forward hatch or the deck.
(See these mounting options: www.pbase.com/mainecruising/solar_panel).

BTW, I have been using a 100 watt solar panel to charge a much larger set of batteries that power a Torqeedo Cruise 2.0 electric motor. My boat is on a mooring and never needs to connect to shore power.

 

[Sunbird22358]

I can't find any reference to the O'DAY 19 ever having an electrical system either standard or optional. The 192 did have a system as standard as I recall. Rudy Nickerson at D&R would know for sure.

That said, I added a system to my DS II, powers NavLights (separate sidelights/sailing sternlight/all-around sternlight), light on compass, lighter socket for accessaries, and a small "map light" on a short gooseneck that I built into the panel. Presently my VHF Radio plugs into a lighter plug (remotely located below panel), might finally hard-wire that this Spring.
I bought and modified a pre-made switch panel that included a battery level meter.
I originally used a "Group-24" dual-purpose battery (can be used for starting and Deep-Cycle applications) but have since replaced that with a DC-1 deep-cycle battery (same physical size as a UC-1 garden tractor starting battery) it has worked fine for me, but I don't have any cabin lighting and have not really done any nightime sailing since adding the VHF, so I can't really comment on the time between needing to recharge that battery (I'm on a mooring and bring the battery ashore when charging).
My battery is just inside the cuddy, on a boat with cockpit locker like the 19, I would most likely mount the battery (in a box!) there. I made a box to house my Battery, including a cover to protect the terminals from dropped objects. Unfortunately, the battery and box were not in place when I took the picture.

John has given pretty good advice above, the only thing I might add is to be sure that your NavLights meet the required configuration to avoid possible confusion by other vessels. Remember, you will need to be able to display proper lights for a sailboat while under sail and for a powerboat while under power (basically the same, except for need for a steaming light on mast while under power [225deg forward white light at least 39" higher than sidelights] or, like me use a 360deg white light on a pole [or at the masthead] the 360deg light will need to be switched to allow use with or without the sidelights, but must be setup so the sailing sternlight is not on at same time, I use a 1-off-2 switch with the sailing sternight as #1 and the 360deg light as #2, that way I turn on whichever sternlight is proper for the situation. Steaming light would be used at same time as sailing sternlight while powering (sailing sternlight is 135deg white facing aft, so 135 + 225 = 360) I included a picture of the proper configuration, the sidelights can be separate, the combination is one option, and the setup that I have, using the 360deg white light for a sternlight under power isn't shown.

Confused yet?? Don't be..... it isn't as complicated to do as it is to describe!

 

[jepomer]

According to the original brochures, the O'day 19 did not have any electrical options but the O'Day 192 did have cabin lights and running lights as an option.

My O'Day 19 came with legal running lights. The wiring was a mess. I quickly rewired it several years ago when I got the boat. I am redoing the wiring again to bring it up to code as I described.

 

[lsmarden]

jepomer & Sunbird22358,

Thank you both for your insight. I've been doing a lot of reading (online & books), and I'm slowly pulling together my system. I still have a number of questions. Appreciate any insight you (or anyone) might have.

Here is my concept at the moment (see wiring diagram attached). I started with a Victron BMV-600S Battery Monitor as outlined by Maine Sail (http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_monitor) (see attached picture), added in the A/C Charger(tbd-will not be an automotive chgr from what I've read) & Solar Panel(Ganz)/Controller(looking at the Genasun), added a Bilge Pump Panel w/ Rule Pump/Switch and High Water Alarm. I'm not sure how big a Switch Panel to get. I want to make sure I have some room to grow. With this configuration I need a 7-8 switch panel, but that seems like a lot. I'm wondering if I can combine more than one piece of equipment on a switch.

Here are my questions:

1) A Group-24 battery is quite large. I'd rather go with a U-1 battery instead. As a trailer sailor I won't be cruising days on this setup, maybe an overnight or weekend. How do I determine if I can get away with a U-1 battery instead of a G24? Based on my calculations, with everything running, I will be pulling about 25AH(?). It appears that there are 35AH U-1 AGM batteries. Can I get away with a U-1 AGM Battery?

2) Does the Solar Charger Controller wire directly to the pos(+) and neg(-) of the battery? Should the neg(-) be on the other side of the shunt? Is there some type of switch or fuse in the line?

3) How do I spec out the Batt. Fuse that's required to be within 7" of the Batt? Do I need to add up the draw of all of the loads and figure out what the maximum current draw might be? Is there a good rule of thumb based on the size/type of Battery?

4) I see that there are Switch Panels with Fuses and Panels with Circuit Breakers. Should I go with Fuses or Breakers? Should I go with Fuses so I can change the sizes of the fuses based on the individual equipment being switched? Do all of the switch panels that offer circuit breakers all use the same size breaker?


Thanks for your help

 

[jepomer]

Nice wiring drawing.

The best way to fuse the battery is to get a post mounted fuse assembly. These are not very expensive and are easy to use.

Size the fuse for a worst case current draw (everything on at once) then provide some headroom 10-20%. I use an electric motor so I have a 120 amp main battery fuse.

Each of the circuits have their own fuses sized for the particular devices on that branch. 10 to 15 amp Is typical for a branch.

The Group U1 deep discharge size will be sufficient for most trailer sailers. But make sure it is not a "starting" or "dual purpose" battery. It won't take the deep discharging well and will need to be replaced much sooner than you would like.

I connected the solar charge controller and the external charger directly to the battery with no additional isolation.