Sensor wiring to battery compartment

[marchem]

Those of you who have added a battery monitor shunt and/or a temperature sensor for your battery charger: How did you run the sensor cables to the battery area? Our 2000 (#31) C310 has two PVC pipes running under the head floor. Positive cables in one, negative in the other. There are fewer cables in the negative pipe, so that's plan "A". Any tricks to getting the phone jack connectors (Victron monitor and ProMariner charger) through without any damage? Did you pull the 1/0 wire out to make room and put it back later?

 

[seadaddler]

Electrical snake.
Nick

 

[KZW]

When I installed a new charger, I ran a snake through the conduit, attached a line that went all the way back to the charger, and pulled the wires through. There was plenty of room in the conduits. Be aware they break. There are separate conduits from under the rear bunk to the stern where the battery charger is mounted above the holding tank, and another under the head to the battery compartment. They are offset by about 5 inches. Lift the port panel under the stern bunk and you will see them.

 

[marchem]

I had been trying it with an electric fish tape, but doing it thru the hatch in the head (too lazy to move things out of the aft berth), not a good idea. After moving things and opening up that area I was able to get them run under the head floor. There are actually three conduits, but none of them continue to the charger, luckily, since the temperature sensor wire isn't long enough to reach.

Getting over to the DC panel for the Victron monitor was pretty easy after that.

Unfortunately the charger thinks the battery temperature is 200 degrees, so either the sensor is bad, or the cable got messed up in all the pushing and pulling. I'll see about getting a replacement, hopefully with a longer cable on it.

 

[KZW]

When I installed my new charger, I had to extend the temperature cable by 12 feet.

 

[rpwillia]

You will need to extend the wire. Cut it in the middle and slice a new piece of two conductor wire in the middle. There are two pieces of conduit that go under the head and come out in the battery compartment as well as just aft of the head (you will see your wire come out if you open the access for the raw water for the head and the macerator thru hull).

 

[marchem]

It's too bad that the cable for the temp sensor is so short. The one for the Promariner remote panel is way too long; same thing for the Victron monitor.

 

[rpwillia]

It's too bad that the cable for the temp sensor is so short. The one for the Promariner remote panel is way too long; same thing for the Victron monitor.

Usually the cables are a bit too long and you have to roll them up and tie wrap them out of the way.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

Rob, I didn't have enough space to get everything through. So I ran another PVC pipe as a third conduit. Really you need to get into the back area to get the wires through easier but I get having too much stuff back there.

 

[marchem]

Usually the cables are a bit too long and you have to roll them up and tie wrap them out of the way.

That's a much easier problem to solve...

 

[marchem]

Rob, I didn't have enough space to get everything through. So I ran another PVC pipe as a third conduit. Really you need to get into the back area to get the wires through easier but I get having too much stuff back there.

Interesting. Hull #31 has 3 pipes, pretty sure they're original. Luckily I got both wires thru one of them, because I'm not sure I could get another one piece of pipe in there.

I agree, clearing everything out to open that space up is a real pain. I figure I've got at least two more adventures back there: one to finish hooking up the temp. sensor, and another to pull one of the #4 wires off the charger and connect it to the alternator (then install an ACR at the batteries).

My problem is that I'm always bringing things down for a project, and then leaving more stuff on the boat, mostly in the aft cabin (garage).

 

[pk104]

For those of you with to much stuff in the rear area, this might help sometimes. I cut all of the boards in half that cover the areas. The cuts are the same as where the two cushions meet. I can remove the the cushion closest to cabin area and leave the rear cushion in place but still be able to get to everything underneath. Sorry I don't have pictures.

 

[Tom J]

I like that idea of cutting the boards, Gary. One of my projects in the spring.