Voltage Meter...

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GEM555

GEM555

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Jun 13, 2011
15
Catalina 30 Manchester, NH
I've got an '84 MK1 catalina 30 and it doesn't have a voltage meter. Should I get one of those voltage "computers" that measure resistance and give you charging history, etc or just a plain old needle-scale meter?
 
Siamese

Siamese

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Aug 2, 2009
651
Catalina 315 Muskegon
Ditto on the Victron. I just installed one on my Catalina 309. I got the 600, which just monitors one battery bank. Easy install. Highly recommend you check out the instructions provided by Maine Sail at Compass marine website.
 
GEM555

GEM555

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Jun 13, 2011
15
Catalina 30 Manchester, NH
Is "one bank" the same as two batteries? How does it read the values for two independent batteries?
 
GEM555

GEM555

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Jun 13, 2011
15
Catalina 30 Manchester, NH
So.... it can read the values for two independent batteries? How can it differentiate between a starting and a deep draw if tghe two are wired in parallel?
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,721
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
GEM555 said:
So.... it can read the values for two independent batteries? How can it differentiate between a starting and a deep draw if tghe two are wired in parallel?
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You would not wire a starting and deep cycle together into one "bank". Batteries in parallel should all be of the same age/date code, model, type and size. When you wire them together in parallel you have just "one" battery to measure not two. The meter is programmed for the new "combined" bank size and it measures the current flowing into and out of the bank..

There is really no need to monitor a "start" battery for Ah consumption so most folks just use a single bank monitor on the house bank.

Where do you sail a C-30 out of from Manchvegas?
 
Bad Obsession

Bad Obsession

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May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
GEM....The original Catalina setup is for 2 batteries. This was one house group 27 and 1 starting group 27. This is a very minimal setup for the batteries.

I added a third battery into the system. I put two group 27 deep cycles in the factory installed battery location and then made a battery bracket in the area under the rear quarter berth. The two together are my house bank and the other battery is an auxiliary battery. It was a very easy modification and I did put a post on here about it. It is a very good idea if you intend to do some cruising and stay on the hook.

I also would suggest getting yourself a Link 10 battery monitor to monitor your house bank.
 
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