Hello Fellow sailors, I am looking for some advice. Hope some of you out there can help. I have an 87 Hunter 31 and I need to expand the battery bank. At the present time I have only (1) house battery and (1) stand alone starting battery. With Hunter's ingenious design on this model boat, there is very limited room in the battery box area. Due to the raw water intake I can only get (1) Group 27, and (1) Group 24 in there. So, my question is has anybody out there with this model boat put a bigger battery bank in? Thanks Guys, ;D
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2 Group 31's in the area aft of the engine.
Robert: I had 2 Group 31's in the area aft of the engine. I then added 2 additional Group 31's in the aft lazarette, port side (helped to offset the starboard list). I have since changed the starter battery to a Optima (the rest of the batteries are AGM)
Robert: I had 2 Group 31's in the area aft of the engine. I then added 2 additional Group 31's in the aft lazarette, port side (helped to offset the starboard list). I have since changed the starter battery to a Optima (the rest of the batteries are AGM)
Sounds Good to Me
Steve, Isn't a Group 31 bigger than a Group 27? If you have a picture, please forward it on. Somehow having trouble seeing 2 Group 31's in this area. I understand in prior years the battery was in the starboard lazzerette area. thanks, Robert
Steve, Isn't a Group 31 bigger than a Group 27? If you have a picture, please forward it on. Somehow having trouble seeing 2 Group 31's in this area. I understand in prior years the battery was in the starboard lazzerette area. thanks, Robert
Minimal difference.
Robert: If you believe the WM catalog one of the G31's is 12.94" vs. 12.75 for a G27 (length) another on is .5" longer, another 12.9" vs. 12.75". The 31's are also shorter. If you use the Optima for the starting battery there would be plenty of room.
Robert: If you believe the WM catalog one of the G31's is 12.94" vs. 12.75 for a G27 (length) another on is .5" longer, another 12.9" vs. 12.75". The 31's are also shorter. If you use the Optima for the starting battery there would be plenty of room.
Lots of room
Robert; I have a 1984 31. I have one 27 battery aft of the engine for starting. My house batteries are under the port sette in the cabin. I have 2 sets of 6v each set in series. This set up gives me more than 400 amps. Dennis
Robert; I have a 1984 31. I have one 27 battery aft of the engine for starting. My house batteries are under the port sette in the cabin. I have 2 sets of 6v each set in series. This set up gives me more than 400 amps. Dennis
Try under the aft dinette seat
I have 2 Group 27s in the 'normal' location aft of the engine over the stuffing box - I consider this a marginal location because excessive engine run time may heat the batteries more than they like. A PO also stuck an 8D... no, that's NOT a mis-print ;D under the aft dinette seat. It's almost 10 years old and I'm sure it won't last much longer. Removing it promises to be a chore involving the boom, mainsheet, cussing and swearing, but the location is actually pretty good. When the time comes, I'm considering replacing it with a couple of Group 27s, which should fit in the large plastic case the 8D is in now. On the other hand, wiring would probably be easier if you put them in the starboard lazarette, where the original batteries were located.... I'm not sure I could get INTO that space if there were a couple of batteries in the way, though
The port settee also sounds good... with the right platform, I suppose that 4 cells would sit in there nice.... and compensate for the starboard list (which I have never noticed Regardless of location, be sure to plan your wiring, including the dreaded orange switch. Cheers, Bob
I have 2 Group 27s in the 'normal' location aft of the engine over the stuffing box - I consider this a marginal location because excessive engine run time may heat the batteries more than they like. A PO also stuck an 8D... no, that's NOT a mis-print ;D under the aft dinette seat. It's almost 10 years old and I'm sure it won't last much longer. Removing it promises to be a chore involving the boom, mainsheet, cussing and swearing, but the location is actually pretty good. When the time comes, I'm considering replacing it with a couple of Group 27s, which should fit in the large plastic case the 8D is in now. On the other hand, wiring would probably be easier if you put them in the starboard lazarette, where the original batteries were located.... I'm not sure I could get INTO that space if there were a couple of batteries in the way, though
The port settee also sounds good... with the right platform, I suppose that 4 cells would sit in there nice.... and compensate for the starboard list (which I have never noticed Regardless of location, be sure to plan your wiring, including the dreaded orange switch. Cheers, BobMy current layout
The previous owner of my boat installed an 8D in the aft berth indentation where I guess your feet are suppose to go. He made a platform to house the battery box and just extended the berth. Of course the 8D is now dead. I also have two 27's in the normal location by the stuffing box so I have just isolated the dead 8D till I find a way to get that monster off the boat without killing my back. I would like to replace the 8D with a group of 6V AGM's, but I need to make up my mind on where to locate the new batteries.
The previous owner of my boat installed an 8D in the aft berth indentation where I guess your feet are suppose to go. He made a platform to house the battery box and just extended the berth. Of course the 8D is now dead. I also have two 27's in the normal location by the stuffing box so I have just isolated the dead 8D till I find a way to get that monster off the boat without killing my back. I would like to replace the 8D with a group of 6V AGM's, but I need to make up my mind on where to locate the new batteries.
My battery setup
Hmm... this thread makes me wonder if my current battery setup is what the factory installed on my 1983 Hunter 31. Three house batteries make-up my #2 house bank and are installed under the starboard side of my cockpit, on a crossways ridge between the water heater and the fuel tank. I placed a starting battery atop the water heater in one of those black plastic battery boxes to make-up bank #1. With all the hoses and connections around the top of the water heater this battery hasn't budged from its position and I've been through some rather wild seas. Scott Fraser Key West
Hmm... this thread makes me wonder if my current battery setup is what the factory installed on my 1983 Hunter 31. Three house batteries make-up my #2 house bank and are installed under the starboard side of my cockpit, on a crossways ridge between the water heater and the fuel tank. I placed a starting battery atop the water heater in one of those black plastic battery boxes to make-up bank #1. With all the hoses and connections around the top of the water heater this battery hasn't budged from its position and I've been through some rather wild seas. Scott Fraser Key West
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