Moving Lead Acid Batteries to inside the cabin

[smokey73]

I'd highly recommend reading the top three reports from 2024

dj

I am not sure how those reports relate directly to the location of batteries. I don't see much in there where the location of the batteries had any impact on the ability of the vessel to have avoided the incident. Of course, flooding of the batteries would cause the loss of the billge pump but in those first three reports the issue appeared to be the flooding beyond the ability of the bilge pumps to keep up with the rate of taking on water. The location of the batteries would only have delayed the point at which it became a "point of no return.

@jssailem with your batteries in the area under your salon settee now, not sure if the location of the batteries would have had much impact. It was apparent that your bilge pump was not keeping up with the water ingress. The level rose to one foot above your salon deck, which in only a few more inches would have flooded the batteries in the location below the salon seats. The issue is actually that the bilge pump could not keep up with the water ingress. The location of the batteries is a matter of when, not if, the batteries were flooded.

 

[dLj]

I am not sure how those reports relate directly to the location of batteries. I don't see much in there where the location of the batteries had any impact on the ability of the vessel to have avoided the incident. Of course, flooding of the batteries would cause the loss of the billge pump but in those first three reports the issue appeared to be the flooding beyond the ability of the bilge pumps to keep up with the rate of taking on water. The location of the batteries would only have delayed the point at which it became a "point of no return.

In all three cases the batteries were located where they could keep the bilge pumps running long enough to give the crew enough time to effect a rescue. With batteries located in the bilge area, that would not have been the case. In the case of S/Y Solution that would have been substantially less time than necessary given their location and the length of time for the Coast Guard to arrive to air lift the crew off. In the case of SV Alliance, they would have not likely had power to run the VHF and lights long enough for the S/Y Ceilidh clearly see them and locate them at the early hour they arrived. In the case of S/Y Gunga Din, they were located through their AIS and VHF by S/Y Desna. If their batteries had flooded out, that might not have been as easily done.

I would never locate my batteries that low in the boat. My battery system is located under my aft bunk. By the time water would reach a level to short them out, my boat would be 3/4's full of water. I'd prefer loosing my batteries to take as absolutely long as possible if a hull breach of that magnitude were to occur. I want my emergency communications and bilge pumps to run as long as possible to allow the best possible outcome. You can take it for what it's worth to you.

dj