Want to move batteries

B

bmcminn

New member
Hi. I have two BFBs in the...whatever you call that cubby in the part of the gunwhale behind the transom. They are on the starboard. And I am usually solo.

So that means I have a 19' with outboard, kicker, two gas tanks, and two batteries in the stern and the batteries and me are on the same side.

If I could move them under the v-berth and onto the port side then I would take care of some trim issues. Any reason not to have them there? It is where when the previous owner bought the boat.

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The issue is going to be having a heavy enough cable too start the engine. Since it will be longer, it will have to be a higher cross section (or diameter). Were cables left from the other installation?

II suspect that it was on the starboard side, because it was easier to run cables aft from there. If cables were left, what size were they? You are going to be looking at 1 AWG or to be extra safe 0 AWG. I don't know what your starter draws. If you have a clamp on ammeter, you can measure the starting current. Most are not over 150 amps, and yours may be as low as 100 amps. Of course those cables are going to weight significantly--so maybe you will want to put them on the Port side....

You want to fuse the cables--150 amps or so, within 7" of the battery terminal or switch. (Swiitch should be moved to front)
 
On my last boat(Campion hardtop) I left the start battery aft(near engine). The house battery I moved forward(under cuddy cushions). The only heavy load was the invertor which I also installed in cuddy. With this setup the only long run of wiring from engine just needed to be of sufficient gage to handle charging current. This gage is ok for most other nominal loads - anchor light, radio, etc. If my start batteries ever needed a boost I carried a short set of jumper cables and could carry the house battery aft.

Regards,

Rob
 
Dr. Bob is spot on... the cable gauge needs to be larger...much larger due to the length of the cables....I bought my marine cables and fittings on EBAY and saved money...I also increase the size of the batteries... I mounted my batteries in the area where you have your Porta Potty. I moved the porta potty forward and then made a cabinet to enclose the batteries..that area in the boat is wasted space if you ask me...now the porta pot sits almost flush with the berthing bulkhead... In my boat it made a great ballance difference and was well worth all the work...

Joel
SEA3PO
 
ssobol":2dfdxk4b said:
You probably want to have sealed batteries if you are going to put them in the front of the boat.
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Generally I would agree with this. The reason I didn't make an issue--and perhaps it should be--is that this 19 does not have a fiberglass "Sealed" Alaskan After cabin bulkhead or door. It has the camper back and a drop cloth aft enclosure. I am not sure if the V berth area is "lockable"--as with hatch slides as on a sailboat or not.

II generally use AGM batteries (or in the current boat LiFePO4 batteries) forward. Not only are both of these sealed or in the AGM case "Valve regulated", but also are more rugged and more likely to take the abuse which is inherent being in the forward part of the boat. I you only go at displacement speeds, in calm waters, and keep the hatch or forward windows/vents open it might be acceptable to have flooded lead acid (FLA) batteries forward.

In any case, they must be secured, and if FLA, in a box container. I would build platforms for the batteries--as I have done in the various boats. Strap them down with a plastic strap. Be sure that the positive terminals (and best the negative also) are covered with a rubber or plastic insulator to assure that any metallic material could not short between the positive and negative terminals. For FLA--there has to be venting of the hydrogen gas produced when charging. There are ways of doing that including sealing off the battery box and venting to outer atmosphere.

Somewhat on the same trend. Many "trawlers" have massive battery banks in the "engine rooms" which are directly under their main saloon. I have been guilty of this--granted there is some ventilation of the engine room, but not a lot of free flow of air, unless the blowers are running.
 
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