Association Forum - Battery switch location

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Battery switch location

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/24/2003 : 11:17:36

I just bought a three-pole battery switch, one of the "1-2-Both-Off" rotary switches West marine sells. Need suggestions where to mount it. It should be close to the battery tray, easily accessible, but not in the way and not sublect to getting kicked accidently. Also, I want to surface mount it on it's base, as opposed to flush mount which would require drilling a huge hole somewhere. I am thinking, on the plywood bulkhead between the quarterberth and lazarette, just behind the companionway ladder. This is pretty close to the battery box, the screws can go into plywood instead of fiberglass, it's out of the way in an unobtrusive location, not subject to getting kicked, and the wiring can be concealed fairly well. But would it be too difficult to reach and operate there - I would have to reach through the ladder at an angle? The A/C shorepower breaker panel is mounted on that bulkhead, about midway back into the quarterberth, where it is certainly not "easily accessible" (why did the factory stick that panel way back there? What were they thinking of, for crying out loud?).

If anyone has other suggestions, let me know. The boat is a MK. IV wing keel, with both batteries side by side in a tray in the bilge space just below and behind the companionway ladder.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25WK/TR Mk. IV #5857 "Quiet Time"
Folsom Lake, CA

"You might get there faster in a powerboat, but in a sailboat, you're already there"

Edited by - on

Bill Holcomb
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2003 : 11:35:21

Hi Larry,

Here's a link to a photo of Snickerdoodle's setup. http://www.catalina25-250.org/tech/tech25/tt024.html

The photo and description are fairly self-explanitory.

I can't tell you why the 110AC panel on your boat is located where it is. As I remember the "stock" installation, Catalina did not use a breaker panel as such for the 110AC. Just a single ON/OFF 20 amp circuit breaker. So, if you have a breaker panel, it might have been installed by a PO or dealer rather than the factory......Although, I'm not as familier with the Mark IV as earlier iterations on the design.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

Edited by - on

Jared
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
70 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2003 : 13:25:53

I bet the PO put in that AC panel. Sounds like to me that if you look in the cockpit locker, the access to that location is much easier to get to than to mount the AC panel above the sink where the factory would typically put it. It would have been much easier to install it in the quarterberth.

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2003 : 13:36:49

Larry:

While I personally prefer the main battery switch being located on the bulkhead behind the sink, putting it behind the stairs could work. That is where my Y-valve is located, which switches the cockpit operated bilge pump from pumping out the bilge to pumping out the holding tank. It would probably work easier if I didn't store my gaff hook, boat hook and whisker pole there.

Edited by - on

Randall
Navigator

Members Avatar

123 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2003 : 19:54:19

I can see putting the switch close to the batteries to keep the wires short and reduce line loss, but is there a danger of sparks igniting battery gases?

I am putting dual batteries under the starboard side settee of my 79 dinette model, and was thinking about putting the switch in the same area you are. I also wanted to mount the automatic battery charger behind the bulkhead, close to the switch. Can conventional deep-cycle batteries be safely located near electric components?

Edited by - on

ronrryan
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2003 : 20:36:42

I am about the "futhest" thing from an electrical expert, but in the interests of assisting, here goes: Orion's batteries (being an early--81 standard layout) are under the aft end of the starboard settee. I figured the proper way to bring in dockside power was close to everything, so located the charger in an existing PO-added locker at the forward end of the quarterberth aft end of the settee, and put the new 1-2-all-off switch at the end of the settee, put an access plate in the flat just aft of the settee to wire the works, put the AC panel with charger switch (breaker) and breakers to cover each side of the cabin on a jerry-built box at aft end of the shelf over the starboard settee. Will try to send pictures to tech tips to describe this (computer illiterate). Things a bit tight at the time, did it all with stuff from "the bucket" or whatever you call the accumulation of years of other projects (aka mistakes, renovations,etc) my wife says the garage is full of "junk", I say you are referring to "precious marine artifacts" after all, who could wire a boat for 110 for about two bucks, without the packrat mentality, fair winds, ron srsk Orion #2343 SW FL

Edited by - on

Randall
Navigator

Members Avatar

123 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2003 : 21:03:53

I hear ya, Ron. My wife of 25 years STILL doesn't understand the beauty of my "Project Garden"-- all the cars, trucks, & boats I've planted on our yard. I tell her "Honest, babe, they ain't junk, they're valuable projects, and I'm gonna fix 'em all up pretty quick", but she just doesn't get it.
Five years ago I went to work as a sheriff's deputy, and her worst fear was that I would put a towbar on my patrol car & start dragging home "projects" I found while patrolling the backroads. Her fears were unfounded, however. All I ever brought home were a '69 Mustang, a '65 Chevy panel truck, a '57 TexasMaid 14' aluminum runabout, and a Starwind 22 sailboat. My garage/workshop is full of "precious artifacts" necessary for my restoration projects.

Randall

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.