Snaking wires from Batteries to Charger

[rpwillia]

I have my new battery charger (ProNautic 1220) installed and it has an optional connection that goes onto the battery negative terminal that is used by the charger to detect battery temperatures. How it works I have no idea.

To run the wire I got out my trusty snake, opened the battery compartment and started feeding my snake into the tube where the two positive wires from the charger come out. I got about 4 feet and the snake got jammed. From the stern compartment (and yes I can fit back there ) the tube appears to start somewhere under the stern berth floor and the hull so I don't think I can use the tube that way. Any ideas?

The only alternative I see at this point is to just run it through the bilge, which just seems a bit wrong.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

I just look and I don't have a photo of this area, but from memory I can try to explain what we have.

If you take out the board under the rear berth on the starboard side of the boat you should be able to see two about 1.5 inch diameter pipe (I think just schedule 40 PVC glassed to the bottom of the liner). These will already be pretty full. But there is a third, larger pipe just outboard of those two that should have room.

From there I ran wires along the stringer to the stern of the boat and up to the battery charger.

I can tell you there is room. I have 5 2/o AWG wires, 5 4 AWG wires, 3 data cables and 2 sets of 16 AWG wires in the area.

You do have to get your face right near the thru-hulls for the head intake and the macerator to see the openings.

Good luck and fair winds,

Jesse

 

[rpwillia]

Thanks

I just look and I don't have a photo of this area, but from memory I can try to explain what we have.

If you take out the board under the rear berth on the starboard side of the boat you should be able to see two about 1.5 inch diameter pipe (I think just schedule 40 PVC glassed to the bottom of the liner). These will already be pretty full. But there is a third, larger pipe just outboard of those two that should have room.

From there I ran wires along the stringer to the stern of the boat and up to the battery charger.

I can tell you there is room. I have 5 2/o AWG wires, 5 4 AWG wires, 3 data cables and 2 sets of 16 AWG wires in the area.

You do have to get your face right near the thru-hulls for the head intake and the macerator to see the openings.

Good luck and fair winds,

Jesse

Jesse, I will give that a shot. Thanks

 

[rukidn]

ProNautic uses a thermistor potted into what looks like an ordinary crimp terminal. Mine has a RJ11 style phone connector to plug into the charger. There is no electrical contact between the battery terminal and thermistor. The terminal only offers a thermal conduction path to the sensor. Be sure to strain relief the sensor wire. I snagged and broke mine.

I was able to fish mine forward on the port side, but I don't recall which tube I used.

 

[rpwillia]

Length?

ProNautic uses a thermistor potted into what looks like an ordinary crimp terminal. Mine has a RJ11 style phone connector to plug into the charger. There is no electrical contact between the battery terminal and thermistor. The terminal only offers a thermal conduction path to the sensor. Be sure to strain relief the sensor wire. I snagged and broke mine.

I was able to fish mine forward on the port side, but I don't recall which tube I used.

That is exactly what I need to fish through. I am a bit concerned it may not be long enough. Am I correct to assume you got yours to run from the aft port locker to the battery?

 

[rukidn]

That is exactly what I need to fish through. I am a bit concerned it may not be long enough. Am I correct to assume you got yours to run from the aft port locker to the battery?

Yes, I had no problem with length. Found a pretty direct route from batteries back to the charger. If you do need to splice, more phone line with soldered joints will not compromise the temperature measurement. Mine is now spliced since I broke it. /Ed

 

[rpwillia]

Yes, I had no problem with length. Found a pretty direct route from batteries back to the charger. If you do need to splice, more phone line with soldered joints will not compromise the temperature measurement. Mine is now spliced since I broke it. /Ed

That is good news. Thanks