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Relocating Battery

 
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Anita Marie



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 826
City/Region: Oak Harbor
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Anita Marie
Photos: Anita Marie and Little Buddy
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:59 am    Post subject: Relocating Battery Reply with quote

I presently have both my batteries in the starboard lazerette. I want to move one of them into the port lazerette to try to balance some of the weight. When routing the new battery cables did people remove the drain and route them thru it or did people drill new holes in the lazerette. I also am curious where the cables were routed, in the back of the transon or under the lip in the front of the transom where the fuel line runs.
I also was wondering if anyone installs overcurrent protection directly off of the battery terminal?

Fred
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MOOSE



Joined: 07 Nov 2003
Posts: 619
City/Region: Rainy Lake - Int'l. Falls
State or Province: MN
C-Dory Year: 2001
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: MOOSE
Photos: MOOSE
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The MOOSE came to us set up with a battery in each lazarette. The dealer chose to drill a separate hole in the forward corner of the port lazarette to accomodate the cable, which then runs under the lip of the transom.
Al
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Sea Wolf



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fred-

The two batteries in the starboard lazarette must be a tight fit! Are they group 27's? Too bad they're both on the same side and also on the side of the helmsman-very unbalanced when out alone!

Some of the newer boats have room between the gas tanks for two batteries amidships on the floor. If I had room in my older '87 Cruiser with the original Moller tanks, that's where I'd put 'em both (lowers center of gravity). Currently I have one in the starboard lazarette and one between the tanks, which seems ok, especially with the water tank under the rear dinette seat full and some minor weight shifting.

If you don't use your port lazarette / bait well for bait or as a live well, I'd still preserve it's intended usefulness as a live/bait well by routing the cables through the drain and or water inlet. Should you sell the boat to move up to a 25 or for unforseen reasons, it will be more salable that way. You'll probably have to use both to get 2 gauge cables to the battery.

Does your lazarette lid leak? If it does, be sure to put the battery into a covered battery box. You may also want to seal the cables with silicone at the drain and inlet, but then how does the water get out? Maybe just seal the lid as tight as possible and just let any leak water drain into the bilge to be pumped out by the pump?

Run the cables either at the front or the back, just a long as 1)access to them is as easy as possible, 2)they look good (hidden), and 3)they're up and dry of the bilge. 4) Most Important: Keep them away from friction contact with the tank and fuel hose components. A unlimited amperage short on top of a gas tank and you WILL be buying a new boat!

A big fuse or circuit breaker would be a good idea on any installation that has a reasonable chance of shorting out. Usually battery-to-battery switch and switch-to-motor connections do not have these to eliminate any extra resistance in the circuit which would drop battery voltage to the starting motor, which then leads to high amperage draws / overheating /shortened starter life.

If you can keep the cables up out of the way and held with rubber grommeted fasteners and grommeted through the drain and inlet, etc., you should be ok w/o the interruptors. The cables could also be sheathed together with a split cable wrap over problem areas. Wrapping them together with electrical tape would be ok in freshwater applications, but I wouldn't want to have a set up where salt is held inside of anything, even with the plastic covers over the wire inside. A more expensive solution would be to use duplex cable, which has two cables wrapped together with a material and then a plastic outer cover, but it's very hard to find in gauge 2 and probably costs about $10 a foot (6 gauge is $5.29/ft @ WM).

Be sure to use tinned marine grade battery cable back there. Salt water migrates up any exposed cable or wire and is not completely washed out with the daily rinse down, and salt corrosion then destroys the copper strands. Also use marine grade tinned lugs on the cable. Don't try to cheat and use smaller diameter cable because of the voltage drop problem. The extra cost is much less than that of a new starter.

Sorry if I've over-explained this, but I'm a retired H.S. teacher and have developed a habit of trying to write things so that others who read things later without the background of our more experienced members can learn as much as possible by making all the connections. Joe.

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Lake Shasta, California

"Most of my money I spent on boats and women. The rest I squandered'. " -Annonymous
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Chivita



Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 218
City/Region: Hansville
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Chivita
Photos: Chivita
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fred,

C-Dory factory removed the port drain plug and routed the battery cable through the hole on our '03 Cruiser. Sure is a pain in the behind to service the batteries in ours, I can imagine that it is even tougher with your current set-up. Good luck on your relocation project!

"Chivita' Dave
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TyBoo



Joined: 23 Oct 2003
Posts: 5310
City/Region: Warrenton
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1996
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruise Ship
Vessel Name: TyBoo
Photos: TyBoo
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fred -

Can't help you much on the routing hole for the cable. Whatever you choose, it will be the right way, though.

You must do a pretty good job of distributing your weight inside the boat if swapping the 50 pounds from one side to the other will balance it perfectly. I'm kind of that way, too. Gotta have things flat. My goal is always to get the boat to sit level when at rest, and use the tabs while running.

I use a 100 amp Blue Seas breaker between the house battery and the run up to the cabin. I think it's a good idea, and it also seems to me that it is required by some regulation somewhere. Even the distance from the battery for the breaker is spelled out in some rule (don't know what the distance is, but my breaker has about 3' of cable run betwixt it and the battery). I use #2 cable from the battery to the helm station, and a short would probably be able to create enough heat in it to burn fiberglass.

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TyBoo Mike
Sold: 1996 25' Cruise Ship
Sold: 1987 22' Cruiser
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Sea Wolf



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 8650
City/Region: Redding
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 1987
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Wolf
Photos: Sea Wolf
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fred- (Hi Al!)

After reading about the approach used on Moose by the dealer, maybe the hole in the upper corner is a better idea than using the drains. It wouldn't present the drainage problem, and could be sealed up with some plastic plumbing fittings if one ever wanted to regain the use of the well. May well be the KISS solution! Joe.
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B~C



Joined: 31 Oct 2003
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City/Region: Bend
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1999
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Blue~C
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would sugest leaving the batteries where they are and saving that lazeret for storing stuff....two batteries on the starboard side help compensate for the water tank me thinks
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1999 22' boaterhome
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CAVU



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
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City/Region: Spokane
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2002
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: CAVU
Photos: CAVU
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a 2002 cruiser with the small plastic hatches. The boat was purchased used with two group 24 batteries in the starboard lazarette. The batteries just barely fit. I just removed them for winter storage and am considering moving to the floor under the splashwell. Does anyone have their batteries located this way? Pro and cons?
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Ken Trease
22 CD Cruiser, CAVU
Twin 40HP Hondas
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Lynn Marie



Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 440
City/Region: Redmond
State or Province: OR
C-Dory Year: 1997
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fred,
Just another thought cause I have the same out of balance problem. The Kicker motor could be relocated to starboard and the swim step then also goes to port. The motor and baterries both on the starboard are a lot of wait and I've often thought about this move.

Tim

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Anita Marie



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 826
City/Region: Oak Harbor
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2005
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Anita Marie
Photos: Anita Marie and Little Buddy
PostPosted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I have two Optima blue tops in the Starboard lazerette. I need to give this some real thought before I drill into that port lazerette just to help level the boat at the dock, seems a little to drastic on reflection. Tim you are right, I wish I had put the kicker on the port side when we were rigging the boat. Maybe if I ever have to take the boat in to the factory I will have them shift the swim step.
I have been pulling fuel from alternate tanks and when the port gets low the problems gets worse, dah. I guess I will pull from both, keep the water tank topped off, make sure Robbin always comes and if possible brings a friend. I guess if it still is unlevel at the dock I just will have Robbin sleep on the high side so she just rolls to my side during the night. Not all bad.
Again thanks for all the good advice.
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DaveS



Joined: 01 Nov 2003
Posts: 3204
City/Region: Arlington
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2004
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sea Shift
Photos: Sea Shift
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 3:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Fred,
It's 0030 HRS and I finally made it out to the shop to check out the "battery wiring" on Sea Shift.

I too have the Blue Optima batteries. The one in the port lazarette has all of the cables routed through a hole in the upper forward area of the lazarette with leads running under the lip of the forward transom to the starboard lazarette and to the battery selector switch. There are also leads from the battery in the port lazarette routed through the same hole and then under the lazarette and out of another hole to the port engine.

Since the Blue Optimas are fairly compact, there is plenty of room in the port lazarette with the one Blue Optima to store numerous docking lines, 50' "Handi-Hose", hose nozzle etc.

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Dave S.
"Sea Shift"
C-Brat #16
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