Battery Storage

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Hello fellow Cbrats,

I was able to fit three group 24 batteries, battery charger, switch, Victron BMV post and three breakers in the starboard lazarette. I just uploaded a picture of the setup to my album. I was very happy with this setup as it made the best use of a small space and everything fit......then I launched the boat.

When I launched the boat on Lake Tahoe I immediately noticed the boat listing hard to the starboard side. It didn't dawn on me right away and after a night on the water, I woke up the following morning and thought.....duh. It was so obvious. Too much weight in the starboard lazarette was causing the boat to list hard.

So now my question is obvious - Where do I move my "house" batteries - which consist of two group 24s? It seems like my best two options are between the fuel tanks in a sealed battery box or to the port lazarette. Ryan at Sportcraft Marina suggested they be moved to the port lazarette to achieve good weight balance. I was planning on using the port lazarette as a place to put rockfish, etc because it drains and I can fill it with water and I don't really want give up this space. He said it would need to be property vented (i need to drill a lot of holes in the base of the lazarette). Once I do this, there is no turning back.

Suggestions? Thoughts?



:thup
 
Curious on why you need 3 batteries? Do you overnight often and for several days? Do you one have start and 2 deep cycle? thanks
 
I have had the batteries in several places on the 22--and agree that 3 in the starboard lazarette is goo much weight. I currently have 2 group 31 batteries in the center in battery boxes. My 3rd battery (also AGM group 31) is in the center just outside of the area between the two in-between.

In our case we use 3 group 31's because we carry a chest freezer/refrigerator, or two of them--on our longer trips. The group 31's for the higher capacity-and the AGM because of the ability to charger faster than flooded lead acid, and no requirement to pull them out to check the electrolyte.

I have also had them in the Port Lazarette--but as you say that is a compartment which has some better uses.

I have also had one under the galley sink, and one under the forward dinette seat. Problem with these, is that you have to run significant charging cables, and thus more fuses etc...
 
ThumbsUp":3xgbeqn2 said:
Hello fellow Cbrats,

I was able to fit three group 24 batteries, battery charger, switch, Victron BMV post and three breakers in the starboard lazarette. I just uploaded a picture of the setup to my album. I was very happy with this setup as it made the best use of a small space and everything fit......then I launched the boat.

When I launched the boat on Lake Tahoe I immediately noticed the boat listing hard to the starboard side. It didn't dawn on me right away and after a night on the water, I woke up the following morning and thought.....duh. It was so obvious. Too much weight in the starboard lazarette was causing the boat to list hard.

So now my question is obvious - Where do I move my "house" batteries - which consist of two group 24s? It seems like my best two options are between the fuel tanks in a sealed battery box or to the port lazarette. Ryan at Sportcraft Marina suggested they be moved to the port lazarette to achieve good weight balance. I was planning on using the port lazarette as a place to put rockfish, etc because it drains and I can fill it with water and I don't really want give up this space. He said it would need to be property vented (i need to drill a lot of holes in the base of the lazarette). Once I do this, there is no turning back.

Suggestions? Thoughts?



:thup
Click to expand...

Sportcraft (good Folks) put two Group 24s in my Starboard lazerette, plus the kicker is on that side, too. I lived with it until I replaced the batteries at three years, then went with a Group 24 starboard, and a Group 27 port. I did drill a few one inch vent holes in the forward bottom of the lazerette, but they can be easily resealed if needed. When we use the freezer, I carry another Group 27 that is dedicated to it. I charge with a Yamaha 1000, and good marine charger.

Fish go in the Yeti that's filled with ice.
 
Brent B "Curious on why you need 3 batteries? Do you overnight often and for several days? Do you one have start and 2 deep cycle? "

My dream is a summer on Puget Sound and I am rigging the boat so I can spend a few nights on the water and have extra volts for my cannon down riggers, windlass, anchor light and extra accessories that I may add later.

Thanks for the advice Wandering Sagebrush and Thataway. I will probably move the group 24's to the port lazarette and buy a Yeti for my fish 8)

Thank you fellow Cbrats :thup
 
My boat had a similar problem. Both in original and in my first "re-do" configuration. Boat came with two Group 24's in the starboard lazarette, plus had a very heavy kicker engine on starboard (~110# Honda 8D). I changed the batteries to one Group 31 (house) and one HC44 (start). The original battery configuration would have been around 100#, and my re-do was around 105#, so I didn't really change that much. Sounds like your three Group 24's would be around 160#.

I'm going for a two-part solution. First, I exchanged the kicker for a 45# version (I wanted to keep it on starboard because I like the swim step to port where it is). That pretty much fixed the list. So for you I'm wondering: Is your kicker to starboard? Could it be exchanged for a lighter one?

On your batteries, I'm not sure how you are using them, but if you have one for start and two for house (just guessing), then you have 160 amp hours for house bank (around 80 usable typically) at around 110#. If you went for a Lifeline Group 31XT, you'd have 125 amp hours (62 usable) at around 74#. Not sure that would be enough to help, but just mentioning it. I was pretty well balanced with the Group 31 plus smaller start battery (HC44 with 560 CCA), along with the 45# kicker.

But as I mentioned, I'm doing re-do #2 for a few reasons. One is I wanted to replace my Group 31, two is that I might like a touch more house bank size (now that I have the capability to re-charge more - which I did not have before), three is that I'd like to see how things go with the battery weight further forward and a bit further to port, and four is that I wouldn't mind a bit more room in the lazarette, especially because I'd like to add an autopilot pump.

I haven't fully decided on which combination/size of house battery(s) yet, although I will soon as I'd like to get them situated before heading to Powell. I'm considering either one Group 31XT (which would be just 10 amp hours more than what I have now) under the helm footrest (which I raised); or a pair of batteries with one under the helm seat footrest and one across the aisle under the port forward seat - perhaps a pair of GPL 4CT's so I would only need one "loop" of cable between them since they'd be in series.

Or, I'm considering one of the carbon foam Firefly Group 31 AGM's. "Only" 115 amp hours, but supposedly they can be happily used down to 20% SOC, without the negative results that you'd get doing the same with "traditional" AGM's. It's realtively new tech, so somewhat unproven over the long haul, but has interesting test results. I guess if I were to decide today, that's the way I'd go -- just the one Firefly Group 31 beneath the helm footrest (on the inboard side, so more centered athwartships than when in the starboard lazarette).

I thought about going to lithium, which would have many advantages (weight and size being the biggest for my 22). But the reason I ruled it out (at least for this round, at least I think...) was that I'm not sure I can rely on solar only to charge (I know I could in sunny climates, but what if I want to do, say, the Inside Passage - not so much sun), and I couldn't quite satisfy myself that the "stupid" charging from the outboard would work without killing the lithiums prematurely ($$$). Maybe with a B2B charger, but my brain started to feel like it was buried too deep in the murk and I kind of gave up for now.

Running the Dometic CF-50 over the past year, I've tended to use between 30- 50 amp hours per day between that and my other gadgets (not counting nav stuff, but that's used under way). So I figure around 50 amp hours per day max, just to let you know my usage ballpark.

Always an interesting puzzle!

I will say that it was much more of a pleasure on my last Powell trip, after getting rid of the starboard list. No looking sad sackedly crooked at anchor, and more level for sleeping. Just more ship-shape.
 
Looking at your albums, you have done a lot of great electrical upgrades. To further reduce the draw you may want to go to LED light bulbs. We are using a Med size JawBone amp/speaker when not running the engine, for I pod or Sirius music/information.--portable radio for local news and weather--or hand held if we want to monitor the VHF--all of these save battery power.

I usually read from the Kindle at night, so I use a small AAA Led battery powered light--and it lasts months. The ACR does have a small residual draw even when not combining--but probably not significant for your situation.

I believe you have two Yahama 40 or 50 outboards, and they each putout 17 amps, so that you have at least 20 amps available to charge batteries, when underway. Not sure what the output is at trolling speeds, but should be more than enough to cover down rigger power. You also will have the engine running when using the windlass--so you should be good to go!

One minor comment--that is to be sure that all positive terminals are covered to prevent shorts or arcs--Little chance in the current locations, but might be if other areas. Also some times, it pays to either modify the battery box, to fit your battery, or to make a custom made glass (door skin ply) to keep battery boxes small and fitting your smaller batteries...

Great job with the boat!
 
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