I am investigating the installaton of refrigeration aboard my boat. I presently have 4 12 v batteries group 27 wet. I have a 55 amp alternator. I am planing to divide my batteries into 2 banks of 1 and 3 batteries. That would give me one battery for engine only and approx 300 ah for the house bank which would leave me with 150 usable ah. I would also like to run my refrigeration from shore power bypassing the batteries so as to cut down on the charge /discharge cycles while it is in the slip. Does Adler Barber or anyone else have a 120 AC to 12v DC step down transformer of the appropriate amperage that can be hardwired into my system and switched in and out of circut. I cruise two weeks per year and every weekend. the rest of the time the boat is in its slip.
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Am I missing something here?
Maybe I'm missing something here. If you have a battery charger hooked up to you battery banks and you are running your refridgeration while you are at the dock the battery charger is going to keep your batteries topped off (correct?). What is the advantage of not having the system run off the batteries all the time. If you do not want to use the refridgeration system just turn off the breaker!
Maybe I'm missing something here. If you have a battery charger hooked up to you battery banks and you are running your refridgeration while you are at the dock the battery charger is going to keep your batteries topped off (correct?). What is the advantage of not having the system run off the batteries all the time. If you do not want to use the refridgeration system just turn off the breaker!
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Don
Depends
There are a lot of variables to consider, like how cold do you like your beer, what kind of boat, where you sail, and how long do you want to run your engine to replace all the power required for refrigeration. I have a C27 with an AB Cold Machine. I run 2 banks of deep cycle batteries with 220 amp rating for each. When I cruise, I alternate banks each day. At the dock, I let the battery charger handle the load. I do not use more than 40% of rated amperage before recharging. That gives me 88 amps per day, which is about what it takes to run the AB and all electrical goodies. I have a 105 amp alternater with "smart charging regulator". Since electrical usage is not an exact science, due to heat loss, etc, I have to run my engine for 2 hours to replace the power from the battery. A 55 amp alternater would probably take twice as long. Hope this gives you something to think about. Good luck.
There are a lot of variables to consider, like how cold do you like your beer, what kind of boat, where you sail, and how long do you want to run your engine to replace all the power required for refrigeration. I have a C27 with an AB Cold Machine. I run 2 banks of deep cycle batteries with 220 amp rating for each. When I cruise, I alternate banks each day. At the dock, I let the battery charger handle the load. I do not use more than 40% of rated amperage before recharging. That gives me 88 amps per day, which is about what it takes to run the AB and all electrical goodies. I have a 105 amp alternater with "smart charging regulator". Since electrical usage is not an exact science, due to heat loss, etc, I have to run my engine for 2 hours to replace the power from the battery. A 55 amp alternater would probably take twice as long. Hope this gives you something to think about. Good luck.
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Bill Thomas
battery chargere
Steve is absolutely correct. Leave the system as it is and let the charger operate it when on shore power. This is far safer than trying to add a converter which will most likely put out some AC ripple. Without a battery, the ColdMachine will eventually be destroyed by this ripple. Most chargers also put this out and the battery acts as a buffer, protecting your ColdMachine and most likely your electronic devices.
Steve is absolutely correct. Leave the system as it is and let the charger operate it when on shore power. This is far safer than trying to add a converter which will most likely put out some AC ripple. Without a battery, the ColdMachine will eventually be destroyed by this ripple. Most chargers also put this out and the battery acts as a buffer, protecting your ColdMachine and most likely your electronic devices.
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Ron
Agree with Don
If you have 300ah of battery power you really have 105ah usable. You should only charge the batteries when they reach 50% and then only charge to 85% full. The charging system takes as long to charge the last 15% as it does to charge the first 35% so charging to full cap. on an alternator is very ineffcient. Ron
If you have 300ah of battery power you really have 105ah usable. You should only charge the batteries when they reach 50% and then only charge to 85% full. The charging system takes as long to charge the last 15% as it does to charge the first 35% so charging to full cap. on an alternator is very ineffcient. Ron
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R.W.Landau
3 batteries
I would be cafeful mixing three batteries together. Remember that your batteries will be as good as your least battery. Explaination, If you are buying all new batteries I think it would be ok. If you are mixing old with new, or extreme differant sizes, I would hesitate. An older battery has probably dropped quite a bit of residue to its bottom. Meaning that it rate of natural discharge is pretty high. If the older battery is put with new ones it will drain the new ones working them harder and loosing power that could be used in powering something. My suggestion is not to bank more than two similar batteries. You could add another selector switch that will divide your present 2 bank switch into 3 banks. Say your bank 1 is your engine starting battery. Bank 2 could be wired to the next 2 bank switch to seperate battery potentials. If I am not clear, ask and I'll try again. r.w.landau
I would be cafeful mixing three batteries together. Remember that your batteries will be as good as your least battery. Explaination, If you are buying all new batteries I think it would be ok. If you are mixing old with new, or extreme differant sizes, I would hesitate. An older battery has probably dropped quite a bit of residue to its bottom. Meaning that it rate of natural discharge is pretty high. If the older battery is put with new ones it will drain the new ones working them harder and loosing power that could be used in powering something. My suggestion is not to bank more than two similar batteries. You could add another selector switch that will divide your present 2 bank switch into 3 banks. Say your bank 1 is your engine starting battery. Bank 2 could be wired to the next 2 bank switch to seperate battery potentials. If I am not clear, ask and I'll try again. r.w.landau
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Mitch
110AC. 12DC
There is one listed in the West Marine catalog for 2000, which I don't have with me. Let me know if you find any others. I am a liveaboard and spend 90% of shore time with 110AC availability.
There is one listed in the West Marine catalog for 2000, which I don't have with me. Let me know if you find any others. I am a liveaboard and spend 90% of shore time with 110AC availability.
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Mitch
110AC. 12DC
There is one listed in the West Marine catalog for 2000, which I don't have with me. Let me know if you find any others. I am a liveaboard and spend 90% of shore time with 110AC availability.
There is one listed in the West Marine catalog for 2000, which I don't have with me. Let me know if you find any others. I am a liveaboard and spend 90% of shore time with 110AC availability.
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