PBase Compass Marine How To site

B

BrentB

New member
Joined
Jul 15, 2006
Messages
4,420
Reaction score
0
Just a fyi that Compass Marine site is user supported like the C-Brats. I donate to both sites and know others generously support the C-Brats site and thought you colud help support Rod's site and planned improvements


Here is a note from Rod

Brent,



I apologize for this delay. I had somehow apparently turned off donation notifications in my PayPal screen. Paying my quarterly taxes alerted me to this problem and I sincerely apologize for not thanking you sooner.

I really appreciate your very generous donation. Thank you!! Your support helps keep the site growing and the articles coming. Donations like yours help me to fund the website and will eventually lead me to a new site, it's in the works but very complicated & very $$$.. It will have more features, more articles and more content & a better web store. Again, thank you very much. Reader support and donations like yours are the back bone of my site.

I have done a slight upgrade in that my new web domain is www.marinehowto.com

This was all paid for through reader support like yours. Please book mark the new web address as the full site will eventually be hosted there.

Again, thank you for your support!!!

Thanks,

-Rod Collins

Compass Marine Inc.

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects


Thanks


Brent
 
Brent,

Thank you for that link. It looks like a very informative site. I just read through several of his folders -- threads or posts and seems ot me to be pretty thorough.

His article on the Installing a Battery charger seems very good. I wonder if that one he is showing in either the 20 or 40 amp version would be practical for a CD-22. Since I am thinking I should maybe update to something that is more battery smart and protective than my basic "Guest 5/5"

I think it is at this site:
Installing A Marine Battery Charger
http://www.marinehowto.com/

Thanks and have a great day,

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

Friends_Cal_09_10_Oct.thumb.jpg
 
Thanks Harvey and Dave

Here is a thread of Hull Truth site\http://www.thehulltruth.com/charger-guy/559519-faq-picking-right-battery-charger-your-boat.html

that might be useful
 
I'm glad you brought up Maine Sail's site. I've benefited greatly from many of his "how to's" (starting on sailing forums/prior boats). He also has very high quality butyl tape for sale, plus sells the Smart Gauge (useful battery monitor - I run one alongside a coulomb counter type gauge).

A few examples of tutorials that have benefited me:

1) How to professionally buff out and polish gelcoat.
2) How to overdrill/fill deck core (which I was already doing but it's a great place to point people and it's fun to "see" it in cutaway view; plus, who can't learn more tips? I know I did).
3) How to install a battery charger (don't have one on my boat but did put one in my RV).
4) How to terminate tiny wires (my old chartplotter).
5) How to label wires.
6) How to terminate battery cables (i.e. big cables/lugs).
7) How to install a battery monitor (both coulomb counter and Smart Gauge type).

Gee, the list goes on.

Of course it's not a "family" like the group here, but strictly a technical how-to. So nice to have really high quality examples of how to do things.

Also a great reminder to contribute there and here :thup
 
Thank you Sunbeam,

I just read through his section on re-bedding and butyl tape and was going to PM you about that to see if you agreed on his tape. Thanks again.

The charger you put into your RV, is that the one he has written up in the "Installing" thread?

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

Friends_Cal_09_10_Oct.thumb.jpg
 
Hi Hardee,

Yes, I installed a Promariner 60 amp charger in my RV (no shorepower on the C-Dory and no immediate plans to add it). I have AGM batteries and also a generator, so I went with the 60 amp for faster bulk charging. If it were only for when plugged in a shorepower, I would likely have chosen the 40 as it is physically smaller than the 50/60. Typically when plugged in it would be for at least overnight, but I'd go insane if I had to run a generator that long.

However, if I were doing it again I would choose the 40 amp, because as of yet I have never used it at all! Since I added a solar system I haven't plugged in or run the generator (past year). Oh well, it's there. I was replacing the typical "stupid" RV charger because no way was I using THAT to charge my AGM's - it was completely un-customizable (couldn't set absorption/float/etc.) and the wiring was too small/too long, fusing inappropriate, etc. Got that all squared away when I installed the new charger. Not sure I would install one if it wasn't there originally though, for the above mentioned reasons. But then I'm not a heavy power user - I'm used to a relatively "power light" existence. Since the basic system existed (generator/shorepower/charger) I upgraded it rather than eliminate it. Who knows, it may come in handy.

The Bed-It tape is the best I have found that is purchasable now. My "gold standard" was some old rolls from the far recesses of the parts shelf. You could stretch the butyl FEET from a ~3" piece. It had to have been at least 10-20 years old (based on the fact that it wasn't even in the current-day computer inventory system), and was still as stretchy and resilient as ever. Not realizing that wasn't the case of all butyl tape, I ordered some online when my stock got low. Stretch it an inch and it broke apart like cheap clay. Then I bought some from a specialized vintage place that doesn't carry "bottom dollar" gear. Same as the "clay" stuff. Then I bought some of the Bed-It (which wasn't available on the first go-round) and it acts JUST like the old/good stuff. Only difference is my old stuff was, IIRC, 1/8" thick and the BI is 1/16" (or if I have that wrong the basic idea is the same). This is actually fine as you can use it thin when you need it thin, and double it up when you need thicker. It "amalgamates" just fine. I still have and use both, although my old stash is dwindling. No problem though as long as I can get the Bed-It.
 
Sunbeam, Thanks for the reply and good info. Maybe instead of replacing my battery charger, I should go with the solar cells, but since the boat is stored inside and I leave it there when not on the water, I really think the charger should be a strong consideration.

Enjoy the warm and thanks for you good input here.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
 
hardee":29nrhe6u said:
I should go with the solar cells, but since the boat is stored inside and I leave it there when not on the water, I really think the charger should be a strong consideration.
Click to expand...

Just a thought: If you are using the charger mainly for when indoor storage (vs. hooking up at marinas overnight), you might consider just a stand-alone smaller (but still smart) charger for when in storage. I use a very small one that just attaches by battery clips, but is still a "staged" charger. Then too, I have AGM batteries, and they do not self-discharge much, even over long periods of time, so they only need a bit of help. I turn things off so there are no parasitic loads when in storage.

For cruising then - if you are only adding one thing at a time - you could think about whether you spend more time at anchor (where solar panels would be better) or at marinas (where a charger would be helpful). Or just do both :D I'm not much of a marina person, so don't have an installed charger; might as well use the space for other things. You may be different. I also have very few 110 volt things in my life. Since, I didn't have 110 available in past years on other boats, I just got used to either non-electrical, or 12-volt things. For very occasional 110 charging, I have a small (75 watt) inverter that plugs into a cigarette plug, and I haul that out once a month or so. Sounds laughable, but currently it's only my toothbrush that takes 110 to charge. Yep, got sucked into an electric toothbrush - who'da thunk? :mrgreen:

Main thing is just to match it to your usage pattern, as I'm sure you already know :thup
 
Hi Sunbeam,

Thanks for the good advice. I have been researching the solar option more for the very reasons you mention. I also had a good visit with Marty K at Rodger’s Marine and even though I went there looking to replace my on board charger, his advice was not to do that, based on my use. Instead, I am going to add a pair of BatteryMINDer 1500’s that will do specifically what I need and, like you, will just clip on for storage.

BatteryMINDer® Model1500 includes full-time automatic high frequency pulse desulfation (not high voltage), which helps extend the life of a battery up to four times over its normal life.

Here is the link to the BatteryMINDer site.

Seems like they are priced right for what it does, too.

If this device works good enough for the marine EE at Rodger’s, it will do the job for me, and I really appreciate that he would steer me this way even though they do not sell the device through their store. That is good customer service.

This one (1500) will also plug directly into my motorcycle battery system so it can be taking care of that one when I’m cruising in the summer.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

1_10_2012_from_Canon_961.highlight.jpg
 
Back
Top