What size battery (or batteries) do you keep on your boat? I've got a group 24, but I can't imagine that would be enough for a sailing trip of a couple days without access to a charger. Especially if the anchor lite is to be left on all night. Thanks
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Dave Condon
Battery life
Generally you will find a group 24 battery on most boats. Check to make sure you have a deep cycle and the age. Once it reaches the max life, time to get another and during winter layup, do not place directly on the ground or floor but on a board. The mast light(anchor Light) is a two bulb light which does draw alot of amperage and possibly drain your battery too low. You may want to consider a group 27 or you may want to go to a two battery system with one for the anchor light only. I have suggested an alternative source for example a lighted battery rechargable lattern type hanging off the mast carrier pole for that purpose. Like I said, the two bulbs will draw down a 24 group battery if used even for one night Crazy Dave
Generally you will find a group 24 battery on most boats. Check to make sure you have a deep cycle and the age. Once it reaches the max life, time to get another and during winter layup, do not place directly on the ground or floor but on a board. The mast light(anchor Light) is a two bulb light which does draw alot of amperage and possibly drain your battery too low. You may want to consider a group 27 or you may want to go to a two battery system with one for the anchor light only. I have suggested an alternative source for example a lighted battery rechargable lattern type hanging off the mast carrier pole for that purpose. Like I said, the two bulbs will draw down a 24 group battery if used even for one night Crazy Dave
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Paul Akers
Anchor Light substitute
Davis Instruments has introduced a utility light that can be used as a substitute for an anchor light that draws little power. I saw it at one of the boat shows. Check out the following URL. http://www.davisnet.com/marine/products/marine_product.asp?pnum=3300
Davis Instruments has introduced a utility light that can be used as a substitute for an anchor light that draws little power. I saw it at one of the boat shows. Check out the following URL. http://www.davisnet.com/marine/products/marine_product.asp?pnum=3300
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Russ King
Battery Chargers: Alternative Energy Sources
There are some dandy devices on the market for charging sailboat batteries. They are: 1. Wind-powered generator. 2. Solar-powered generator. 3. Water-powered generator (you need to be moving, or anchored in a current). 4. A generator/charger built into your outboard. 5. An auxiliary gas/diesel generator (usually too big for a trailerable). There should be a lot of these in the garage sales; a lot of people bought these because of the Year 2000 "crisis". I have heard good comments about solar powered battery chargers, but they can't perform miracles. There are wind-powered generators small enough for trailerable sailboats, but most are designed for the larger boats.
There are some dandy devices on the market for charging sailboat batteries. They are: 1. Wind-powered generator. 2. Solar-powered generator. 3. Water-powered generator (you need to be moving, or anchored in a current). 4. A generator/charger built into your outboard. 5. An auxiliary gas/diesel generator (usually too big for a trailerable). There should be a lot of these in the garage sales; a lot of people bought these because of the Year 2000 "crisis". I have heard good comments about solar powered battery chargers, but they can't perform miracles. There are wind-powered generators small enough for trailerable sailboats, but most are designed for the larger boats.
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Roger Mummah
Wind Generators
You asked about wind generators for trailerable sailboats. Endless Summer is a 1983 Hunter 31 and she has a fixed mount mast that supports a Four Winds 20 amp wind generator. It works great! We also have (in the closet) a rigging hung version of a Hamilton Ferris wind generator. We used it before we got the fixed mounted one. I would recommend the two bladed wind generators if you have the room for it. The propeller is about 5' in diameter. The Air Marine unit is smaller, but I don't think they have a rigging mount. The rigging mount wind generator is pulled up with a halyard. We also used a control line off the backstay to suspend it in the triangle where the mainsail normally flies. The bottom of the thing is secured at three points by control lines that you tie to a convenient place , like the toe rail on each side and maybe the stern rail aft. The electrical cable comes from the generator and is led to your charge controller and then to the battery that is to be charged. Both Hamilton Ferris and Four Winds (Everfair) have two bladed rigging hung 20 amp wind generators. Advantages of this rigging hung thing is that they do not pass noise to the hull and they do not require the installation of a mast and with support legs. Disadvantages are that they hang where the sail goes, so unless you want to leave a sail down, you can't have it running while sailing. We also pulled the thing down during big winds so it wouldn't swing around and possible tear itself and something else apart. You also have to store the thing someplace.
You asked about wind generators for trailerable sailboats. Endless Summer is a 1983 Hunter 31 and she has a fixed mount mast that supports a Four Winds 20 amp wind generator. It works great! We also have (in the closet) a rigging hung version of a Hamilton Ferris wind generator. We used it before we got the fixed mounted one. I would recommend the two bladed wind generators if you have the room for it. The propeller is about 5' in diameter. The Air Marine unit is smaller, but I don't think they have a rigging mount. The rigging mount wind generator is pulled up with a halyard. We also used a control line off the backstay to suspend it in the triangle where the mainsail normally flies. The bottom of the thing is secured at three points by control lines that you tie to a convenient place , like the toe rail on each side and maybe the stern rail aft. The electrical cable comes from the generator and is led to your charge controller and then to the battery that is to be charged. Both Hamilton Ferris and Four Winds (Everfair) have two bladed rigging hung 20 amp wind generators. Advantages of this rigging hung thing is that they do not pass noise to the hull and they do not require the installation of a mast and with support legs. Disadvantages are that they hang where the sail goes, so unless you want to leave a sail down, you can't have it running while sailing. We also pulled the thing down during big winds so it wouldn't swing around and possible tear itself and something else apart. You also have to store the thing someplace.
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chip and dale
power
Two squirrels in a cage turning with a blet driven generator will provide yor needed ah power I am thinkim. Food cheap Chip and Dale
Two squirrels in a cage turning with a blet driven generator will provide yor needed ah power I am thinkim. Food cheap Chip and Dale
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Bernie LaScala
Batteries and other electrical infrastructure
I have installed two 220AH 6 volt golf cart batteries in series for the house loads and a separate starting/deep cycle 12 volt battery for the engine. I decided on the golf cart batteries because my research found that they provide excellent price performance and can really stand up to a lot of use/abuse. I have also added a 1000 watt inverter, a shorepower connection, a 900watt generator, a 50amp battery combiner, a 20 amp 4-stage charger, and digital battery monitors. My outboard has a ten amp charger. If you have any questions on any of this equipment, send me an email and I will gladly provide additional detail.
I have installed two 220AH 6 volt golf cart batteries in series for the house loads and a separate starting/deep cycle 12 volt battery for the engine. I decided on the golf cart batteries because my research found that they provide excellent price performance and can really stand up to a lot of use/abuse. I have also added a 1000 watt inverter, a shorepower connection, a 900watt generator, a 50amp battery combiner, a 20 amp 4-stage charger, and digital battery monitors. My outboard has a ten amp charger. If you have any questions on any of this equipment, send me an email and I will gladly provide additional detail.
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Bill Welsch
What's a "Grp 24?"
At the risk of sounding really stupid what is a "group 24" battery? Thanks Bill Welsch s/v Renewal St Louis
At the risk of sounding really stupid what is a "group 24" battery? Thanks Bill Welsch s/v Renewal St Louis
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Ron Mehringer
What's a "Grp 24?"
I don't know where the Group 24 moniker comes from, but it seems to be a classification of batteries in a general size range. West Marine lists the following amp-hr ratings for one of its battery models. Group 24 - 75 Ah; Group 27 - 90 Ah; Group 31 - 105 Ah.
I don't know where the Group 24 moniker comes from, but it seems to be a classification of batteries in a general size range. West Marine lists the following amp-hr ratings for one of its battery models. Group 24 - 75 Ah; Group 27 - 90 Ah; Group 31 - 105 Ah.
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Jon Bastien
Battery "Groups"
Believe it or not, it's almost strictly the dimensions of the battery. All group 24's are the same size, all group 27's are the same size, all group 30's are the same size... but if you change the type of battery (flooded, gell, AGM) then they will produce different Amp-hour ratings. Also, the thickness of the plates inside the battery will have a bearing on the type of battery (thin plates in a starting battery, thicker in dual purpose or deep-cycle batteries). The "group" will only tell you whether or not the battery will fit into your mounting location; It really tells you nothing about the capacity. --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind' H25 'Adagio'
Believe it or not, it's almost strictly the dimensions of the battery. All group 24's are the same size, all group 27's are the same size, all group 30's are the same size... but if you change the type of battery (flooded, gell, AGM) then they will produce different Amp-hour ratings. Also, the thickness of the plates inside the battery will have a bearing on the type of battery (thin plates in a starting battery, thicker in dual purpose or deep-cycle batteries). The "group" will only tell you whether or not the battery will fit into your mounting location; It really tells you nothing about the capacity. --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind' H25 'Adagio'
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Ron Mehringer
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