I'm just curious how many batteries/amp-hours people are generally carrying around in their house banks. My CD30 came to me with three "group 27" house batteries (110Ah each, I think), plus a smaller starting battery. This great weight aft was tipping us down at the stern, and taking up lots of locker space.
Over the winter I found that one of the batteries was kaput, so I'm thinking about cutting down to just two for the house-- or maybe even one? We just have the usual electrical stuff aboard, except radar (which generally only runs with the engine on.) No fridge, windlass, microwave, plasma TV. Will I be content with just 110 or 220 Ah? Thanks for any thoughts.
How many batteries aboard?
Moderator: Jim Walsh
I think you will be just fine with only two group 27 batteries. I wouldnt go down to just one though, 2 gives you the luxury of being able to "waste" a bit of power when you want and be able to run your autopilot for awhile without having to run the engine. the 3 you currently have is probably indeed overkill considering your lack of a fridge.
I have about 600 amp hours in my house bank and wish I had more, but my boat is a tremendous power hog.
I have about 600 amp hours in my house bank and wish I had more, but my boat is a tremendous power hog.
Russell
s/v (yet to be named) Tayana 42CC
s/v Lady Pauline Cape Dory 36 #117 (for sale)
s/v (yet to be named) Tayana 42CC
s/v Lady Pauline Cape Dory 36 #117 (for sale)
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miguel mascaros
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Jan 9th, '07, 13:34
- Location: COMPINCHE 1979 CD30C Hull 119
Centerport Harbor NY
Hey Dan.....
I been using 2 Delco marine deep cycle 27 banks each. Life is anywhere between 7 and 10 years. At present No1 is 5 years old and like you no great deal of electrical components that require hi output alternator.
On my CD30 location is starboard side it balances the weight of the fuel tank on port side.....
I been happy with this arrangement since 1980....
At times get the urge to go and buy a solar panel...just to have it...But I don't
There's going to be a big time comments on this subject...all of it very valuable....
I been using 2 Delco marine deep cycle 27 banks each. Life is anywhere between 7 and 10 years. At present No1 is 5 years old and like you no great deal of electrical components that require hi output alternator.
On my CD30 location is starboard side it balances the weight of the fuel tank on port side.....
I been happy with this arrangement since 1980....
At times get the urge to go and buy a solar panel...just to have it...But I don't
There's going to be a big time comments on this subject...all of it very valuable....
Cheers/Mike
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Bill Goldsmith
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Feb 7th, '05, 08:47
- Location: CD 32
I use two group 27s dedicated to the house on my CD32. I installed a separate, smaller starting battery in a different location.
My electrical needs are similar to yours, no fridge, no windlass, no dedicated inverter, appliances, etc. I think two 27s is ideal. One 27 is likely to get abused because these batteries don't like repeated deep discharges but do well with repeated medium discharges.
I used to follow the threads on the pros and cons of paralleling the batteries in the house bank vs. separating them. There were such good arguments both for and against parallel wiring, I decided (at the risk of some additional complexity) to simply have a separate on/off switch for each 27 in the house bank. Turn both on, and they are parallel. On a light day sail I use just one and don't have to parallel them. But if I am going on a trip with the family, I parallel the banks so neither battery gets a deep discharge. So far the batteries are on their fourth season and seem to like the setup.
My electrical needs are similar to yours, no fridge, no windlass, no dedicated inverter, appliances, etc. I think two 27s is ideal. One 27 is likely to get abused because these batteries don't like repeated deep discharges but do well with repeated medium discharges.
I used to follow the threads on the pros and cons of paralleling the batteries in the house bank vs. separating them. There were such good arguments both for and against parallel wiring, I decided (at the risk of some additional complexity) to simply have a separate on/off switch for each 27 in the house bank. Turn both on, and they are parallel. On a light day sail I use just one and don't have to parallel them. But if I am going on a trip with the family, I parallel the banks so neither battery gets a deep discharge. So far the batteries are on their fourth season and seem to like the setup.
Last edited by Bill Goldsmith on Apr 5th, '07, 14:57, edited 1 time in total.
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
- Contact:
I have two group 27 AGM batteries that I tucked up tight against the starboard bulkhead where the hot water heater used to be. Sun shower is our hot water now. I added a group 24 AGM starting battery that I made a platform for on the centerline just aft of the stuffing box. These locations were chosen to keep cable runs short and battery weight as low and as far forward as possible. I did the high output alternator and have also thought about a solar panel. Maybe next year, Steve.
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Steve Laume
- Posts: 4127
- Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
- Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
- Contact:
Bill, I am still playing with my electrical system. My house bank is currently wired in parallel. If I understand correctly, you have a second battery sellector switch that controls the house bank comming into your primary selector switch. Is that right? Where did you mount the switch? I hesitate to mount it in the cabin with all the other electrical panels. It seems like it could be in the cockpit locker very close to the batteries to keep things a bit simpler. This would not seem like a switch that you would need to mess with very often or on short notice, Steve.
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Bill Goldsmith
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Feb 7th, '05, 08:47
- Location: CD 32
Steve,Steve Laume wrote:Bill, I am still playing with my electrical system. My house bank is currently wired in parallel. If I understand correctly, you have a second battery sellector switch that controls the house bank comming into your primary selector switch. Is that right? Where did you mount the switch? I hesitate to mount it in the cabin with all the other electrical panels. It seems like it could be in the cockpit locker very close to the batteries to keep things a bit simpler. This would not seem like a switch that you would need to mess with very often or on short notice, Steve.
Actually this was part of a wholesale rewiring of the system, including an all new panel. I have no more 1/2/off/on switches. Rather, each house battery is either "on" or "off." If both are on, they are parallel. If both are off, well, they are off. This is completely independent of the charging system--both batteries always charge when the alternator is spinning (or the battery charger on) regardless of the status of those switches, which just govern which battery is being used for loads. I can give more detail if you want.
Energy supply
Hi, Dan:
Like others state, I would keep 2 house batteries in parallel for your needs. Since you don't have a fridge, that should be fine.
On board Mokita, we have 2 sets of house batteries. Each set is composed of 2 6-volt Rolls batteries supplying 225 amp-hrs of energy. We have a fridge and radar but the fridge is the energy hog
.
The PO installed two 50 watt solar panels and they help considerably while underway and also charge the batteries when at the dock. I don't keep the fridge on between trips. Since I have solar charging, I don't have to pay for electricity at the dock. That in itself saves $150 per season
. However, when overnighting at a yacht club with reciprocal privileges, I use the dock electricity to equalize batteries and other high-energy usage (like toast that isn't burned).
However, I replaced a few key lights that are used for long periods with LEDs. The anchor light, one reading light in my bunk, and one red LED I'm trying to find for the center saloon light for night cruising.
Like others state, I would keep 2 house batteries in parallel for your needs. Since you don't have a fridge, that should be fine.
On board Mokita, we have 2 sets of house batteries. Each set is composed of 2 6-volt Rolls batteries supplying 225 amp-hrs of energy. We have a fridge and radar but the fridge is the energy hog
.The PO installed two 50 watt solar panels and they help considerably while underway and also charge the batteries when at the dock. I don't keep the fridge on between trips. Since I have solar charging, I don't have to pay for electricity at the dock. That in itself saves $150 per season
. However, when overnighting at a yacht club with reciprocal privileges, I use the dock electricity to equalize batteries and other high-energy usage (like toast that isn't burned).However, I replaced a few key lights that are used for long periods with LEDs. The anchor light, one reading light in my bunk, and one red LED I'm trying to find for the center saloon light for night cruising.
Batteries
Hi All:
I have 4 Trojan T-104 (?) golf cart batteries for my house bank and a maintenance free sealed group 24 car battery for my starting battery. Thats about 440 amp-hrs in my house bank. With the fridge running, stereo, TV, microwave,and cabin lights which are all LED, I can live for 3-4 days without running the engine. After the initial drawdown, I have to run the engine about 2 hours a day to keep up. I have a 75 amp alternator which puts out a max of 50 amps and tapers off as the batteries charge putting out an average of about 25 amps at 1200 rpm. I took careful notes when I was forced to live aboard for 3 weeks after hurricane Wilma and found that my normal usage was around 80 amp-hrs per 24 hours. The power hog fridge took close to 60 amp-hrs alone. I have just replaced my old Adler-Barber air cooled unit with a new Fridgoboat keel cooled unit, but don't yet know how it performs. I plan on adding solar panels soon in hopes that they will at least match the fridge load.
If I motor each morning and evening leaving anchorage and arriving that usually works out to enough engine time to keep up. We have a lot of low wind days in the keys in summer so I often end up motoring most of the day. Often times with the narrow creeks and channels I cant sail anyway so it works out well.
The 4 golf cart batteries are mounted on the port battery shelf in the cockpit locker, which gives me about an inch of permanent list but no noticeable stern squat or loss in sailing performance. I may relocate them sometime in the future. The list is less when the stb water tank is full.
Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
I have 4 Trojan T-104 (?) golf cart batteries for my house bank and a maintenance free sealed group 24 car battery for my starting battery. Thats about 440 amp-hrs in my house bank. With the fridge running, stereo, TV, microwave,and cabin lights which are all LED, I can live for 3-4 days without running the engine. After the initial drawdown, I have to run the engine about 2 hours a day to keep up. I have a 75 amp alternator which puts out a max of 50 amps and tapers off as the batteries charge putting out an average of about 25 amps at 1200 rpm. I took careful notes when I was forced to live aboard for 3 weeks after hurricane Wilma and found that my normal usage was around 80 amp-hrs per 24 hours. The power hog fridge took close to 60 amp-hrs alone. I have just replaced my old Adler-Barber air cooled unit with a new Fridgoboat keel cooled unit, but don't yet know how it performs. I plan on adding solar panels soon in hopes that they will at least match the fridge load.
If I motor each morning and evening leaving anchorage and arriving that usually works out to enough engine time to keep up. We have a lot of low wind days in the keys in summer so I often end up motoring most of the day. Often times with the narrow creeks and channels I cant sail anyway so it works out well.
The 4 golf cart batteries are mounted on the port battery shelf in the cockpit locker, which gives me about an inch of permanent list but no noticeable stern squat or loss in sailing performance. I may relocate them sometime in the future. The list is less when the stb water tank is full.
Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
one house battery
Dan,
My 30 came with two batteries, mounted starboard cockpit locker forward. I start with both but use only one for house needs. I have similar electrical needs with lights being the major draw. With LED's I believe I can get by with the one house battery without running the engine and surely with a few amps coming a pv panel I could. Sounds to me like you could drop a battery.
If you're ever dying to spend a few hundred bucks and do a modest wiring project, the xantrex battery monitors give you great data on your power usage/production.
Chase
My 30 came with two batteries, mounted starboard cockpit locker forward. I start with both but use only one for house needs. I have similar electrical needs with lights being the major draw. With LED's I believe I can get by with the one house battery without running the engine and surely with a few amps coming a pv panel I could. Sounds to me like you could drop a battery.
If you're ever dying to spend a few hundred bucks and do a modest wiring project, the xantrex battery monitors give you great data on your power usage/production.
Chase
Dan
On an Alberg 30 with about the same electric load I used two Deep Cycle Group 27's for both house and starting. When starting and running the engine both were on line. Under sail, or at anchor, I used the battery selector switch based on the date. Even number - battery two, odd number - battery one. Both batteries were deep cycle and held up well. The small size of the engines in boats our size really don't require a special type battery for starting. You won't hurt a deep cycle. If you had refrigeration, or other high amperage requirements, I would suggest staying with a heavy house bank.
On an Alberg 30 with about the same electric load I used two Deep Cycle Group 27's for both house and starting. When starting and running the engine both were on line. Under sail, or at anchor, I used the battery selector switch based on the date. Even number - battery two, odd number - battery one. Both batteries were deep cycle and held up well. The small size of the engines in boats our size really don't require a special type battery for starting. You won't hurt a deep cycle. If you had refrigeration, or other high amperage requirements, I would suggest staying with a heavy house bank.
Jim Davis
S/V Isa Lei
S/V Isa Lei
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Cathy Monaghan
- Posts: 3503
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 08:17
- Location: 1986 CD32 Realization #3, Rahway, NJ, Raritan Bay -- CDSOA Member since 2000. Greenline 39 Electra
- Contact:
How many AMP hours you need depends on how many electronics/electrical appliances are on board. For many years we used on 2 Group 24 marine deep cycle batteries on our CD32 and they were more than adequate. In 2004 we upgraded to 2 Group 27 batteries after installing radar. We thought about adding a 3rd battery, but we haven't needed to.
I don't think our CD32 is equipped with extravagant electronics, but the 2 Group 27 batteries have no problem supporting:
All of her incandescent light fixtures have been replaced, or at least the bulbs have been replaced, with LED and/or fluorescent lights. And we installed 5 additional LED and fluroescent fixtures. We also added an LED tricolor/anchor/strobe at the masthead. Even with the added fixtures, with all lights on, we use less power than before!
And we've added a Balmar high output alternator and regulator.
We do not have refrigeration; no windlass either.
From what you described, I don't think you need 4 batteries. But you really need to sit down and figure out how many AMPs you typically use and that'll give you a good idea of how much battery power you need. Anyway, that's my 2 cents, hope it helps.
Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
I don't think our CD32 is equipped with extravagant electronics, but the 2 Group 27 batteries have no problem supporting:
- Lowrance 3000MT GPS/chartplotter
Raymarine RL70RC combo radar/chartplotter
Raymarine ST4000+ MKII autopilot
Datamarine Instruments (Depth/Speed/Knotlog)
Standard Horizon VHF radio
Standard Horizon stereo/CD player and Polyplanar speakers
1 Hotwire 12V fan (we usually power it via the solar panel or from the cigarette lighter receptacle.)
2 Caframo Bora 12V fans (wired)
All of her incandescent light fixtures have been replaced, or at least the bulbs have been replaced, with LED and/or fluorescent lights. And we installed 5 additional LED and fluroescent fixtures. We also added an LED tricolor/anchor/strobe at the masthead. Even with the added fixtures, with all lights on, we use less power than before!
And we've added a Balmar high output alternator and regulator.
We do not have refrigeration; no windlass either.
From what you described, I don't think you need 4 batteries. But you really need to sit down and figure out how many AMPs you typically use and that'll give you a good idea of how much battery power you need. Anyway, that's my 2 cents, hope it helps.
Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
My Battery solution
Dan,
We have two Trojan T-105 6 volt golf car batteries for the house and one group 27 start. This set up is just a bit bigger than two group 27's. The house bank has 220 amps total because I figure we need 100 amps every two days. I
have an echo charger between the house and the start battery and a 60 watt solar panel that charges everything up while laying on the mooring. Even with a poorly insulated fridge (On Lake Superior mind you) this set up works really well for us. I rarely need to start the motor to charge unless I am anchoring every night or running the fridge and the autopilot, the two biggest power draws.
Someday I will get an LED anchor light like my brother. And reinsulate the fridge and make smaller. And put in that high output alternator. That will help for long term cruising but for now I really like the simplicity of this system.
Paul
We have two Trojan T-105 6 volt golf car batteries for the house and one group 27 start. This set up is just a bit bigger than two group 27's. The house bank has 220 amps total because I figure we need 100 amps every two days. I
have an echo charger between the house and the start battery and a 60 watt solar panel that charges everything up while laying on the mooring. Even with a poorly insulated fridge (On Lake Superior mind you) this set up works really well for us. I rarely need to start the motor to charge unless I am anchoring every night or running the fridge and the autopilot, the two biggest power draws.
Someday I will get an LED anchor light like my brother. And reinsulate the fridge and make smaller. And put in that high output alternator. That will help for long term cruising but for now I really like the simplicity of this system.
Paul