Any good suggestions for a starting battery location? I have the Optima Redtop SC34u, it's a 34/78, 800cca 50ahr battery, measuring 10"L x 7" w x 8" H. I'm thinking of adding the starting battery to the 3rd connection on my charger, trying to keep the cost of cabling to a minimum, but also be effective for starting and charging.
thanks for your advice.
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Robert Trinkle
Troubador, 1995 C36 MKII #1433, SR/WK
Universal M35A
Kinsale Harbor Marina
Kinsale, VA
We have ours setting under the galley sink. I made wooden fiddles then glassed them into the hull. This holds thed battery box in place plus allows it to be strapped down. The large drawer had to be taken out to install and inspect. But goes right back in once the battery Is installed.
Randy Sherwood
Mutualfun 1990 # 1057
T/R W/K M35a
Home. Charlotte, Mi.
Boat. St Augustine,Fl.
I had one under the sink when I purchased this boat but the PO did not have it tied down. I rewired everything (1 starter bank 12V and house bank 4 6V) and put it under the forward seat starboard side. I put the 4 6V under the aft seat where originals were.I wanted the additional weight on that side as the boat was unbalanced from the factory tended to list toward port.
Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine
My setup is the same as Gary's. The starter batt is under the front starboard seat. My house bank is 2 x 4Ds under the rear seat.
Marc & Susan Garcia
"Solla Sollew" #1473, Mk.II
San Buenaventura, Ca.
Pictures next week. Sorry, no wiring diagram is available.
Marc & Susan Garcia
"Solla Sollew" #1473, Mk.II
San Buenaventura, Ca.
I will need to add to the house battery capacity as well. Could you post and photos and wiring diagrams of your install?
Russell Green
S/V "GoodwiII" #759
1987 C36 MKI TR/WK M25XP
Moored: Deale, MD
good ideas..didnt think about under the sink, but my thru hull for a/c is centered behind that drawer it stands up about 5 inches when opened, and the water heater is to port of that location. With the house batteries and stbd water tank, we tend to have a slight list to stbd. Can't think of any locations on the port side, any ideas?
how did you wire it? Is it connected to house bank, or just charger and engine?
Robert Trinkle
Troubador, 1995 C36 MKII #1433, SR/WK
Universal M35A
Kinsale Harbor Marina
Kinsale, VA
Here are the pictures of my setup. As I said earlier, I don’t have a wiring diagram. I did not do the install, the yard did it so I know little about the technical side of things.
On the house bank picture, you can see where the yard labeled the “Neg. Buss” bar and the “ACR”, the automatic charging relay. From what I understand, the ACR is the heart of the system. An internet search for “automatic charging relay” and/or Blue Sea Systems will turn up a number of wiring diagrams.
Marc & Susan Garcia
"Solla Sollew" #1473, Mk.II
San Buenaventura, Ca.
Robert
As we live on ours 6 months of the year I wanted the most storage. So I chose under the sink. Sure you have do do a little work to get it there and secured down. It is charged by a echo charger and is set to #1 on our selector switch. 1 for one battery. 2 is for our house. Our alternator and solar and wind come into all in the switch. But I always leave it on 2 for our house bank. Knock on wood I have never had to switch it to #1 to start as we have always had the power to start the diesel when required. It has worked for us this way for over over 9 years now.
Randy Sherwood
Mutualfun 1990 # 1057
T/R W/K M35a
Home. Charlotte, Mi.
Boat. St Augustine,Fl.
[quote=Solla Sollew] From what I understand, the ACR is the heart of the system. An internet search for “automatic charging relay” and/or Blue Sea Systems will turn up a number of wiring diagrams.[/quote]
This was discussed not that long ago here, and these two threads have some diagrams and links to other threads/sites with diagrams:
https://www.catalina36.org/forum/technical-discussion/replacement-batter...
https://www.catalina36.org/forum/technical-discussion/starting-battery-i...
Hope this helps!
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Thanks for the info. At my next trip to the boat, I will see if the battery will fit under the sink.
Solla, nice pics, I would recommend putting terminal covers on your starting batteries. Just for safety purposes, you wouldn't want to cross the pos and neg terminals together and possibly short out a cell or 2.
Mutualfun, I am contemplating either a ACR or echo charger. Do you know the benefits of one over the other? Right now, the only charging options I have are engine, or shore power. I keep the boat in a marina slip. I do not leave the shore power on when away from the boat, and I turn off the selector switch. I only charge it when at the marina.
Thanks for the info..
Robert Trinkle
Troubador, 1995 C36 MKII #1433, SR/WK
Universal M35A
Kinsale Harbor Marina
Kinsale, VA
Sorry Robert I do not know nothing about the ACR but the Echo charger is only 3 wires to hook up. We have been very happy with ours. I like to keep things simple.
Randy Sherwood
Mutualfun 1990 # 1057
T/R W/K M35a
Home. Charlotte, Mi.
Boat. St Augustine,Fl.
Ours is also located under the seat just forward of the sink (on a plywood platform a few inches off the hull) - also where my charger and solar panel controller are located,
---- Howard & Linda Matwick ----
--- S/V "Silhouette" - Nanaimo, BC ----
--- 1999 C36 MkII #1776 M35BC ---
I have 4 - 6 volt deep cycle batteries under the aft starboard game table seat for my house batteries and a 12 volt emergency battery under the forward game table seat. You may want to put in a battery capacity and volt measurement system in place of the old volt only meter.
Ken Enstrom
2004 C-36 MKII #2199
Tall Rig, Wing Keel, M-35B
S/V Valkyrie - Sail Great Lakes