Battery location poll

[commanderpete]

Anthony, what you have is the original installation. It's not great.

I've been thinking of just glassing in a little shelf down there so the battery box could be better secured.

The location does make it easy to get the battery in and out.

[Anthony/Bina]

commanderpete,

It's hard to believe that the factory would be so sloppy with their construction.

I do agree, that it is a good location for access. Particularly, I can lower the battery down into the sail locker and into position relatively easily. I could imagine it being very difficult to access the battery if it was a different location.

The weirdest part about my battery box is that it has a Strange shape on the bottom. basically, the bottom is not completely flat. There is a flange that sticks down about 1 in.. This flange runs across the entire length of the box. So basically if you try this at the box on a flat surface it would tip to 1 side. I wonder if they Designed it this way on purpose? was this Protruding area part of a mounting solution?

so far, my best idea is to create a platform in the sail locker. This platform will be made out of seaboard plastic. Then I would mount the fiber glass box to this plastic.

any thoughts on this plan?

By the way, was your battery mounted so that the long portion of the battery runs parallel to the boat? or does the length of your battery intersect the boat? Just try to get an idea of orientation?

[commanderpete]

Can't recall right now, I'll take a look.

Careful handling that battery box, might have old acid in it.

Thinking about getting a new one, since they're cheap

[commanderpete]

You should see two holes in that lip of the battery box for mounting it to the end of the quarter berth athwartship.

You can secure the battery box to a platform, but you have to figure out how to attach the platform to the boat. Seaboard won't take fiberglass, as far as I know.

I don't have plans to put a second battery on the boat, but it might be wise to build accomodations for one while I'm at it.

[SkipperJer]

I moved mine from the starboard sail locker to under the ladder. It puts the weight dead center. I bought a black plastic battery box with a cover and strap. I added a second strap and attached both straps to the bulkhead wall with bolts and big fender washers. The battery has stayed put so far. It allowed for shorter wires to the bus-strip/distribution panel in my boat. It's easy to get the battery in and out of the boat fully contained inside the box. I found that working inside the sail locker was pretty clumsy with a heavy battery.

I don't cruise much so I have little extra gear on the boat. I think the battery placement is more critical as a result. The few times I have raced we put the outboard and the anchor below and centered to keep the boat as stiff as possible.

[Bill]

I moved mine from the starboard sail locker to under the ladder. It puts the weight dead center....The few times I have raced we put the outboard and the anchor below and centered to keep the boat as stiff as possible.

Way to go! Hope others are listening . . .

[SkipperJer]

I might add that one of the things that keeps me going to the gym during the winter is staying in shape enough to be able to haul that #*^@% outboard up and down that ladder.

[c_amos]

Faith currently has the large (group 31?) battery in a plastic box under the steps.

I am looking for about 225 ~ 250 ah of storage. I thought of going with a pair of what I have now (of course replacing the one I have, so they would be the same age). It says "205cca reserve" on the tag...

The other option I have looked into is a pair of Trojan T-105 golf cart batteries. I know this is a respected brand, and they are 225 ah, so with the two 6v golf cart batteries in series I should get 225ah.

Anyone see any merits or peril in either arrangement? Or have osmething else they are doing?

[Theis]

I mounted my sealed AGM battery in a Group 24 plastic box on a shelf mounted to the aft side of the bulkhead between the aft end of the port berth and the forward end of the port lazarette - about a foot below the deck.This position doed not affect balance, is out of the way, and remote from gas and fumes and not subject to flooding.The battery cables then go through the bulkhead to a master on/off switch mounted on the forward side of the bulkhead t to the port of the sink.
It has worked well for the past several years

[bill@ariel231]

I've gone with two group 24's in the same location. these are balanced athwartship by the fuel tank on starboard.