Need an opinion. I...(sorry)...WE just upgraded to a Catalina 310 and have a question. When leaving the boat for a week or two (maybe longer), can we leave the AC pwr on and run the battery charger along with the fridge? Unsafe? Just want to know how to keep the six pack cold and waiting for us when we return. Of course we are aware of the added burden to the elec bill this may cause. -VERY happy and recent 310 owner. -Jay P.S. I know I shouldn't leave the boat for a week or two to begin with! ;-)
- Status
A cure for your worries.
If you are worried about electrical induced corrosion due to having your shore power pluged in you are not alone as it could be a problem if your boat is not wired correctly, and bonded properly. To help eliminate this risk you could install a ISOLATION TRANSFORMER. This will basically isolate you from the shore via a magnetic field. Thus you have no actual connection to the shore so your boat's ground is isolated. For a Marine 30 amp transformer expect to pay around $600-$700. Ebay users also sell them cheaper but they may not be as well suited for salty environments.
If you are worried about electrical induced corrosion due to having your shore power pluged in you are not alone as it could be a problem if your boat is not wired correctly, and bonded properly. To help eliminate this risk you could install a ISOLATION TRANSFORMER. This will basically isolate you from the shore via a magnetic field. Thus you have no actual connection to the shore so your boat's ground is isolated. For a Marine 30 amp transformer expect to pay around $600-$700. Ebay users also sell them cheaper but they may not be as well suited for salty environments.
Cold Beer
Been doing the same thing for years. Never had and problem or any transformer. Enjoy! Sean
Been doing the same thing for years. Never had and problem or any transformer. Enjoy! Sean
We leave ours on 24 x 7
Jay: We leave our shore power on 24 x 7. We are running a Statpower 40+ with 4 batteries. I have 1 starter battery, 1 house keeping battery and 2 refrigeration battiers. My friend with a Catalina 34 has had nothing but problems with chargers and batteries on his boat. Don't really know if this is a Catalina problem or not.
Jay: We leave our shore power on 24 x 7. We are running a Statpower 40+ with 4 batteries. I have 1 starter battery, 1 house keeping battery and 2 refrigeration battiers. My friend with a Catalina 34 has had nothing but problems with chargers and batteries on his boat. Don't really know if this is a Catalina problem or not.
Cold Beer is Great
Jay Why bother? To have "a cold one" when you get to the boat? Why not just stop at a 7 11 on the way there? Pick up a cold six pack, and some ice while you're at it. I still can't understand people leaving their boats plugged in all the time (with potential for corrosion) and using the limited life of the refrigeration equipment, all the while running unnecessary current through their DC system, including batteries. Check the link for a bit more discussion. Your boat, your choice. Stu
Jay Why bother? To have "a cold one" when you get to the boat? Why not just stop at a 7 11 on the way there? Pick up a cold six pack, and some ice while you're at it. I still can't understand people leaving their boats plugged in all the time (with potential for corrosion) and using the limited life of the refrigeration equipment, all the while running unnecessary current through their DC system, including batteries. Check the link for a bit more discussion. Your boat, your choice. Stu
I leave it on all the time
We also have a 310 and leave the boat plugged into shore power 24/7. We set the AC on dehumidify and leave the fridge running. Never a problem.
We also have a 310 and leave the boat plugged into shore power 24/7. We set the AC on dehumidify and leave the fridge running. Never a problem.
- Status