Posted: 16 Jan 2008 at 8:39pm
Ahoy.
I'm about to rewire and put some DC power on my boat and I'm wondering where everyone is putting their 12-volt battery and how they are keeping it in place. I suspect it typically goes under the aft starboard bench, where my Yankee has its original circuit panel. And while we're on the subject, has anyone retrofitted their circuit panel? Can its switches be replaced so it is up to code but retains the original look?
Thanks. www.ericsorensen.net


Posted: 18 Jan 2008 at 6:33am
Hi Eric
If you go to http://www.dolphin24.org/marionette_steps_etc.html
you can see in detail what I did for Marionette's panel. Not true to the original set up, I'm afraid. I do have a box somewhere full of those old toggle switches. My 90 amp (overkill) gel cell battery is located under the forward end of the starboard quarterberth.

Ron
Marionette


Posted: 18 Mar 2008 at 11:52pm
This may be a little late for you, but the battery location on my Yankee is exactly where you thought. It is secured with some nylon webbing type battery straps run through some plastic 'keepers'. If your panel is bad for some reason I would certainly replace it rather than try and rig it up. Once you tamper with the panel it will no longer meet any code standards.

Yankee Dolphin Hull # 203


Posted: 01 May 2008 at 5:43pm
I've done some rewiring to my boat too. Since I have only used mine for day sailing so far, I just got one of those portable 12v Battery Jumper - Power Stations that they sell at Costco etc for about 50 bucks. I hooked it up so that I could just plug it in to the boat wiring while sailing. I found that it was more than enough to power the VHF radio and, instruments, and running lights for a full day. I then just unplug it and take it home to recharge it at a wall outlet. That way I didn't have to worry about having to install a charger on the boat.


Posted: 01 May 2008 at 8:04pm
Hi All
My battery - 90 amp gell cell - is used only for lights and electronics plus to power a small inverter to recharge cell phones and power a laptop when cruising. A full charge is good for a week + while cruising.

I have a small portable Guest battery charger mounted in the same locker as the battery - forward end starboard quarter berth. It is mounted with wing nuts so I can easily remove it. When cruising, and out on an anchor, I can put the battery with the charger in the dinghy and charge it ashore - usually at a yacht club or marina. If I am in a slip or at a dock for a few hours, I have a 50' extention cord, kept in the same locker, with a shore power adaptor at one end and a surge protector at the other. I just plug the charger into the surge protector and hook up the cable clips to the battery, connect the extension cord to the dock power and recharge.

Ron
Marionette