I am in Virginia and my boat is in Florida. I am about to hire a guy to change out my old battery charger and replace it with a Heart Freedom 20, Inverter/Charger. When he gets that done, am I going to have room in that locker for four golf-cart batteries and a starting battery? If I were less than a 14 hour drive away from my boat I could figure this out without asking, but I'll not be back there until March. Thanks for any advice. Rodney S/V Avanti
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If 336 is like my 340
You probably will not have room for all that. I have 2 12v deep cycle 105 A/Hr house batteries and 1 starting battery and still room for a big fender. . So if it will fit, it will be very tight, thats if your charger and batteries are in the same location as on my 340 and I think it is. Mine are in the Starboard rear corner cockpit locker. This will also limit access to your battery switch and main circuit breakers. It also means that to get access to the top of the holding tank the batteries would have to be removed. I am not going to be near my boat for a couple of weeks or I could make some measurements for you. I too hope to install a new inverter charger so would be interested in hearing how it works out. Maybe someone else has already installed 4 golf cart batteries in a 336.
You probably will not have room for all that. I have 2 12v deep cycle 105 A/Hr house batteries and 1 starting battery and still room for a big fender. . So if it will fit, it will be very tight, thats if your charger and batteries are in the same location as on my 340 and I think it is. Mine are in the Starboard rear corner cockpit locker. This will also limit access to your battery switch and main circuit breakers. It also means that to get access to the top of the holding tank the batteries would have to be removed. I am not going to be near my boat for a couple of weeks or I could make some measurements for you. I too hope to install a new inverter charger so would be interested in hearing how it works out. Maybe someone else has already installed 4 golf cart batteries in a 336.
Weight, Ballance, and H2
It may be worth considering not to have the inverter in the same space as the batteries because of the proximity to hydrogen gas, unless the batteries are in their own vented enclosure. Also, that's a lot of weight in one location and it may cause a list to the boat. One might consider placing the inverter somewhere toward the opposite side of the boat so as not to have too much weight on the battery side. The inverter leads are only 6 feet long or so and they need to be connected directly to the battery as possible. While the instructions for my Heart 1000 allows for extensions of the leads they seem to do this with reluctance and then allow only four feet between the cable ends and the battery terminals. When the battery leads are factored in this doesn't leave much.
It may be worth considering not to have the inverter in the same space as the batteries because of the proximity to hydrogen gas, unless the batteries are in their own vented enclosure. Also, that's a lot of weight in one location and it may cause a list to the boat. One might consider placing the inverter somewhere toward the opposite side of the boat so as not to have too much weight on the battery side. The inverter leads are only 6 feet long or so and they need to be connected directly to the battery as possible. While the instructions for my Heart 1000 allows for extensions of the leads they seem to do this with reluctance and then allow only four feet between the cable ends and the battery terminals. When the battery leads are factored in this doesn't leave much.
Broken record is what. . .
I know this sounds like. I have written about the advantage of Gels on this site numerous times. Now AGMs are getting similar press. I have a Freedom 20 and four Gels(one starter, three house) in the starboard locker of an H37C. They stay there all winter and start the Yanmar first time in the Spring(no charge for five months). Two of the Gels are so deep in the hull you would never want Wets down there. No boxes or covers needed, only straps and post covers. That's the beauty, you can put them anywhere. And there is still plenty of room for covers, hose, oil, rope, spare anchor and rode. I'm pretty sure a 336 has more nooks and crannies than a 1979 H37C. Definitely worth the expense, initial cost is high and they won't last as long. But maintenance free and the Heart has a setting for Gels.
I know this sounds like. I have written about the advantage of Gels on this site numerous times. Now AGMs are getting similar press. I have a Freedom 20 and four Gels(one starter, three house) in the starboard locker of an H37C. They stay there all winter and start the Yanmar first time in the Spring(no charge for five months). Two of the Gels are so deep in the hull you would never want Wets down there. No boxes or covers needed, only straps and post covers. That's the beauty, you can put them anywhere. And there is still plenty of room for covers, hose, oil, rope, spare anchor and rode. I'm pretty sure a 336 has more nooks and crannies than a 1979 H37C. Definitely worth the expense, initial cost is high and they won't last as long. But maintenance free and the Heart has a setting for Gels.
Ed! They won't last as long as what?
Ed: I had West Marine group 30 gels in my H'31. Installed in May 1990 and just replaced them this past summer. They lasted for 10 years and a couple of months. I was charging them with a Pro Mariner 20 that did not even have the correct settings for these batteries and got that much time out of them. I have heard about some flooded batteries lasting this long but they are exceptions and not the rule. I just replaced my gel's with some AGM's for the Battery Warehouse. They costed $119 for a 100 amp battery. So if they last 10 years without looking at them I'll be quite happy.
Ed: I had West Marine group 30 gels in my H'31. Installed in May 1990 and just replaced them this past summer. They lasted for 10 years and a couple of months. I was charging them with a Pro Mariner 20 that did not even have the correct settings for these batteries and got that much time out of them. I have heard about some flooded batteries lasting this long but they are exceptions and not the rule. I just replaced my gel's with some AGM's for the Battery Warehouse. They costed $119 for a 100 amp battery. So if they last 10 years without looking at them I'll be quite happy.
More Info
Here is more of my thought on the weight issue. The fuel is to port, and I never use much of that (it is a sailboat)on my weekend or week-long outings. The holding tank is to starboard, and I make every effort to keep that as empty as possible. So one more battery should not matter or make her list. I currently have two golf cart and two deep cycle group 24 batteries. I know, why two group 24s? Because they were in there, and new, last year when I bought her. I have a Guest charger in her how (I think the standard model), is the Freedom 20 going to weigh significantly more? Thanks for the thoughts, Rodney S/V Avanti
Here is more of my thought on the weight issue. The fuel is to port, and I never use much of that (it is a sailboat)on my weekend or week-long outings. The holding tank is to starboard, and I make every effort to keep that as empty as possible. So one more battery should not matter or make her list. I currently have two golf cart and two deep cycle group 24 batteries. I know, why two group 24s? Because they were in there, and new, last year when I bought her. I have a Guest charger in her how (I think the standard model), is the Freedom 20 going to weigh significantly more? Thanks for the thoughts, Rodney S/V Avanti
Weight difference.
Never thought about the weight of a Freedom 20 because it was already mounted when I bought the boat. But I see from the West Marine catalog that it is not insignficant at 55 pounds.
Never thought about the weight of a Freedom 20 because it was already mounted when I bought the boat. But I see from the West Marine catalog that it is not insignficant at 55 pounds.
Inverter/Charger Placement
I installed our Inverter/Charger in our 95 336 in the Aft Cabin on the Starboard Side... Works out very well.
I installed our Inverter/Charger in our 95 336 in the Aft Cabin on the Starboard Side... Works out very well.
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