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Adding 2nd battery

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listenup
Deckhand

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14 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/02/2007 : 12:40:08

Looking for suggestions on adding a 2nd battery and selector switch. Any documented (pictures) available? This boat isn't different than prior sailboats I have had. Wiring by PO's leave a lot to be desired.
Thanks,
Mike

Mike and Barbara
C25 SK #1687
GODSPEED II
Selma, Oregon

Edited by - on

Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 12/02/2007 : 19:12:50

Mike,
You are a little ahead of me. I am hoping this year to rewire everything in the boat once i have it the water. I will create wiring diagram and hopefully the final product will look like it was manufactured. I guess I might benefit from starting this winter on the drawing of the layout.
Chris

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 12/03/2007 : 09:09:57

If you are doing the battery, consider doing the panel (if still original) at the same time. Plus adding a charging mechanism (solar, wind, electric)

dw

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millermg
Navigator

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159 Posts

Response Posted - 12/06/2007 : 20:07:15

Though my boat came w/ 2 batteries, I did a lot of upgrades this summer, including replacing the selector switch and adding a battery test/voltmeter guage, adding a solar panel, and (the big job) adding shore power and a battery charger. My '83's battery compartment (under the starboard settee) is large enough for 2, but I hear different years vary. The battery selector switch, when you purchase it, will have a good selection of different wiring configurations you can do in the instructions. Somewhere in the archives is a good discussion of different configurations, pros/cons, and hooking up the solar charger, it was helpful to me. I don't have pic's, but will try and take some this weekend.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3466 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2007 : 07:20:40

Mike,

I do not have a wiring schematic of my dual battery setup but i also have modified it with a solar panel, solar controller, battery charger, etc and last year added fans and completed mast rewiring to a new added 8 circuit breaker switch panel which I can access from the cockpit. These improvements are on my website.

As far as the adding of a new battery, my existing hook-up is basically the positive leads to the red battery switch with contacts for #1 and #2 battery. The negatives have a jumper to each battery and then a lead to the negative bus board. Here is also a link to the post '88 tech manual section of the Association Forum where they have a wiring schematic and a dual battery setup on a Catalina:
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/manbro/pictures/4-2-5.gif

This is the basic set-up. But if you were to do a Yahoo search on a Marine Combiner or a Marine Isolator, you then look at some of the manufacturer's websites and they have typical wiring schematics with these units (combiner or isolator) which each have attributes for a dual battery set-up. The story is supposedly having the basic dual battery set-up as in the Catalina link above, the benefit of the two battery set-up is perhaps only 1/3 better than one battery alone. That is because the batteries are not isolated when charging or discharging unless you consistently use only one battery and then perhaps another week switch the selector switch to the other battery. I and some others just leave the switch in the dual position but that does not really provide full benefit of a dual battery set-up whereby one battery should really be used for accessories and cabin lighting and the other used strictly for electric start of the motor. Then if the motor start battery runs down, you have the house battery for backup. With an isolator or combiner, the wiring schematic is a bit more complicated but one of the benefits is that the batteries are not charged in parallel but separately and that the dual battery setup this way then provides closer to double the capacity load benefit versus w/o a combiner or isolator and only getting about a 30% benefit from the second battery.

Anyway...I don't have an isolator or combiner at present. Maybe some time in distant future - It's not high on my priority list for now. Just wanted to share the tech manual wiring schematic for the basic set-up and the options that can be incorporated when contemplating a new dual battery set-up.

Edited by - OLarryR on 12/07/2007 07:24:52

ChrisandCheri
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 12/07/2007 : 21:41:46

I just bought 2 brandy new deep cycle batteries for my Catalina. As electrical is my weak spot, I will be watching this and other threads close. If anyone wants to "virtually" do the project together, that may be an option. I have a 1982 Catalina.

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frants
1st Mate

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USA
55 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2007 : 18:29:12

Hi Mike, The book sailboat electrics made simple is very helpful. I will e-mail you the Author and Title later if you want it. I think my boat floated a little higher after pulling the PO's wiring out.

Frants
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by listenup
 Looking for suggestions on adding a 2nd battery and selector switch. Any documented (pictures) available? This boat isn't different than prior sailboats I have had. Wiring by PO's leave a lot to be desired.
Thanks,
Mike
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 12/08/2007 : 21:36:46

Chris,

I will be starting on my re-wring in the spring. I am going to wait until the boat is put into the water in April. I am sure your situation will be the same. Let me know when you would first be looking at doing yours. I am looking at coming up in the spring to check out your sister lake, Canandaigua Lake, for the Force 5 NAs in June. I sail out at Pymatuning Lake and it is a short drive over your way. I would love to put together a photo diary and diagrams of the differences and issues each of us run into in rehabing our wiring.

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.