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1st boat Question

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Bernie
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/03/2003 : 19:02:54

We have just bought our first boat a '81 C-25 SK/SR/TI. My question deels with the battery location. The Owner's manual states that batt no. 1 is located under the starboard seat-berth aft of the water tank, and that the second batt. is located on the port side aft of the holding tank under the settee. Previous owner's have relocated the only battery in the port lazarette.

What is the maximum distance between batteries for a cable run if I wanted to add a second batery? Would it adversly affect the trim if I put both batteries on the starboard side considering the outboard is on that side too? How have others mounted their batteries?

'81 C-25 SK/SR/TI #2735 "Aire~Borne"

Edited by - bernie on 03/03/2003 19:05:43

Edited by - on

visio
Deckhand

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USA
12 Posts

Response Posted - 03/03/2003 : 20:04:57

<font face='Courier New'>
Hi Bernie,

Currently I have a single battery in the starboard seat-berth. I think various heavy items in our boats (outboards, full/empty tanks, gear stoage) will make each boat an individual case, so the best way to see how a battery location might affect trim might be moving a temporary weight around your boat and observing the results from the dock. I hope to accquire a Honda 4-stroke outboard someday, so I'm waiting until then to relocate my batteries, since the Honda will be a LOT heavier than my 4hp Mariner 2-stroke.

As far as the maximum distance between batteries, there isn't one if you increase the wire diameter as distance and current capacity increase. Here's a chart I lifted from a similar topic in the C250 forum ( http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=894 )

Current...Length of wire in feet:
in Amps...10.15.20.30.40.50
-----------------------------------------
5.........14.12.10.10..8..6
10........10.10..8..6..6..4
15........10..8..6..6..4..2
20.........8..6..6..4..2..2
25.........6..6..4..2..2..1

Hope this helps,

Dave Laws
C-25 TR/SK #2580 "Visio"
Stillwater, OK</font id='Courier New'>

Edited by - visio on 03/03/2003 20:06:39

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 03/03/2003 : 20:23:28

Hi and welcome Bernie,
My 1981 (hull #2428) has both batteries located in one compartment aft of the fresh water tank.

Edited by - on

seashot
1st Mate

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27 Posts

Response Posted - 03/03/2003 : 20:27:07

Both of my batteries and the engine are on Starboard side with no list at the dock. If fact the engine was relocated some time ago from the Port side to correct a Port list. All this with nothing in the holding tank, or ice box. Can't quite figure that out, but oh well. Both batteries fit very well in the compartment aft of the water tank. Might as well fill it with batteries, nothing else should be in that compartment anyway.
Fred

Edited by - on

ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 03/03/2003 : 21:14:10

Orion is 1981 srsk and has both batteries in stbd locker aft of water tank. engine is 9.8 Nissan Twostroke and is located on Port side. Boat currently trims very slightly to Port with water tank empty, I expect once water system is redone (IF redone) she will trim level, the only downside I can see IF your trim allows for stbd batteries is that the 12V panel is on the Port side. I added two battery setup to stbd, original wqs one, and installed 1-2-Both switch to Stbd. Have all junk to install 30A AC plus charger, just a question of when the old geezer can get up the get up and go, good luck, ron #2343 SW FL

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matsche
Captain

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USA
280 Posts

Response Posted - 03/03/2003 : 22:22:37

Welcome Bernie. I have 2 batteries under the starboard seat and a 15hp Mariner on starboard side as well. No list whatsoever. I think keeping them together makes the wiring a little simpler.

John Matsche 1985 Cat-25 TR/FK

Edited by - matsche on 03/03/2003 22:27:08

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2003 : 02:25:30

bernie

As Dave Laws said, there's no maximum length for battery cables. However, the longer the battery cables are, the greater the risk of them getting damaged, and the more important it becomes to include a fuse in each positive lead as near as practical to the battery terminal. Bear in mind cable thick enough to spin an electric starter gets expensive fast.

I suggest you read the West Marine Advisor that discusses alternatives to the traditional [OFF/1/BOTH/2] battery selector switch. A more modern approach seems to be separate high current [ON/OFF] switches for each battery bank, and an automatic combiner w/manual over ride between batteries.

I get the impression that different year C-25s came with the motor mounted on different sides. One general rule seemed to be that the batteries tended to be on the opposite side from the motor, probably for weight balance.

As for my own 1979 C-25,

Port side: very heavy motor, group-24 cranking battery, 12-gal fuel tank, approx.15-gal water bladder.

Stbd. side: two group-27 batteries, charger, large electrical panel, 16-gal water tank, anything else heavy that will fit on that side.

(Holding tank is on centerline.)

As Dave Laws also suggested, experiment with portable weights to see the affect on trim before commiting to permanent modifications. That's how I figured out that I could get away with cramming all that heavy stuff on the port side. For instance, battery vendors generally have a good selection of dead batteries laying around they'd probably lend you. I also used 5-gal buckets of water as weights.

So far, the boat seems to float about level with 1/2 of tank fuel and both water tanks full.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

Bernie
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Response Posted - 03/04/2003 : 19:00:09

Thanks everyone, I think I will move the battery back under the settee where it belongs. More questions to come later.

Bernie Poppert
'81 C-25 SK/SR/TI #2735 "Aire~Borne"

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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.