The Cape Dory Board

When properly wired, the starter battery will not affect the battery monitor. Think of the batteries as water tanks and voltage as the outlet pressure at the bottom of the tanks. On the "house" tank, there is a water meter that counts up to 100% or down to 0% volume (SOC). The meter only m...

I think this photo is how I should hook it up I may as well hook up the starter battery also since it only takes one more pos wire Your box is labeled BMV-700. According to the data sheet, the BMV-700 only monitors 1 battery. There may not even be a +B2 terminal on your shunt (model BMV-702 measure...

It is difficult to wrap fiberglass over a sharp corner and the the angle between the deck and the transom is well over 90°. To get glass to adhere, it helps to round an edge. The greater the radius, the easier it will be. You did well considering the sharp angle and the boat in the water. https://ww...

I never paid attention to my decrepit looking dynaplate, but I knew of another CD in the marina that had leaked there. So, I thought that I should re-bed it. Of course, the firsts step that any sensible sailor would take would be to lay new fiberglass on the exterior for it to rest against: https:/...

John, I hope that you find this book as helpful as I have (and I only have the 3rd edition). It has been my repair manual on a number of projects, for example when I refurbished my starter (the pinion assembly froze and would not engage the flywheel): https://uniim1.shutterfly.com/ng/services/mediar...

I wonder if its safe to just put the 250 amp fuses in. Trying to figure out all that amp stuff is confusing. It is difficult to answer without knowing how everything is wired. If your battery selector switch can combines two batteries in parallel (each with a 250 amp fuse), then it can deliver up t...

Compass Marine says 250 amp for small diesels. So I guess I should order two 5191 terminal fuse block and two 250 amp fuses?? Minimum fuse size for small sailboat diesel AUX engines 8HP to 35HP = 250A I think that it is too broad a statement. When in doubt go back to basics. "Simply put you si...

Jim, another good article from MaineSail. Wish I had read it earlier and sized the fuse as recommended in the article. In a pinch, the terminal fuse housing can be removed and the cable will still reach the battery terminal. There wouldn't be a fuse on the starting circuit, but then again there wasn...

I installed a fuse block on the battery terminal and would again. They come in two sized of 1/4" and 5/16" (which I think is a more common battery stud size). You would need two, one for each of the batteries that are connected in parellel. I calculated my maximum current draw at about 100...

John, don't sell yourself short. I'm impressed by the boat work that you are doing and your sailing. Most boaters wouldn't consider refurbishing their 30 - 50 year old electrical system. When they do make a change or add something, it is often with inappropriate material (twist caps, solid copper ho...

I'm loosing sleep thinking about this. Michel de Montaigne said centuries ago, "My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened." I prefer having a fuse block on the positive battery terminal. Without a fuse before the main bus bar, there is greater risk of ...

Batteries at different points in their life have different charging characteristics. This is even more true for batteries that are not the same brand and don't even think about mixing different battery types like AGM with Lead-acid. Doing so will likely lead to overcharging, undercharging or both wi...

Does the roll over vent allow escape of diesel odors/fumes inside the boat? The vent allows gases to pass in both directions. It has a ball check valve that drops down during rollover to prevent liquid fuel leaks. The roll over vent has a barb for a 5/16 hose which could be directed to a improvised...

these guys in central Florida are good .. they will do exactly what you want. http://www.boydwelding.com/ This is a Boyd 11 gallon fuel tank purchased in 2010, constructed from 1/8" 5052 Mill Aluminum. So that it would fit through the lazarette, Dave Boyd modified the the tank to my specificat...

I would think that the first step would be to identify what cruising nets are active in your geographic area, the frequencies, average broadcast power and time of day. With this knowledge, you should have an idea of how likely will it be to pick them up from your home or boat dock and what kind of a...