Battery location poll

[mrgnstrn]

After thoroughly canvasing "glissando" for info (thanks again to "glissando"), i would like to poll the Ariels with outboards (important detail) on the current local of their battery.

currently mine is wired to sit in the aft lasserette with the O/B, which i think will play hell with my trim, since my ~100lb water ballast in the water tank isn't there (tank is shot).

i think the Atomic4 folks had theirs under the last step to the cabin (according to the drawings i have). this makes a lot of sense, considering stability and where most of the loads are. but of course the O/B messes with that all.

so like i said, just a poll, which i think (hope) will come along with some justification/pontification as to why one is better or worse.

apologies if this subject has already been covered.


-km #3

[Bill]

The Pearson factory location for the battery for both inboard and outboard models is under the first step in the main cabin companionway. Keeps the weight low and forward compared to the lazarette. There is one owner planning to place the battery in the bilge -- a bit extreme to my mind

Not sure why someone would place the battery in the lazarette. Maybe they had an outboard with electrical generating capability and placed the battery there rather than running a wire forward.

When racing, SF Bay Area boats place the outboard on the cabin sole with the head facing forward and in the forecabin doorway. Gets the weight down low for better trim.

[Janice Collins]

Mine is also under the first companionway step. Although I have an OB now, originally we had an Atomic 4. The battery has aways been there.

[Mike Goodwin]

I have 2 batteries under the companionway/bridgedeck area.

[Tony G]

Ebb once accused me of wanting to put 113's batteries in the bilge. Of course I firmly denied even considering putting my hand in the bilge. Lately though, I must confess, I've given serious thought to locating them in the bilge. Given the sad state of my main cabin sole we're looking at replacing that along with the rotted bulkheads(reference paranoia subsides) and after reading several accounts of waterproofing bulkheads and compartments I think a waterproof drop-in in the bilge may work. We'd have to work the numbers of course, measurment wise, but I think there would be room left for anchor locker drainage underneath and plenty of room aft for an electric bilge pump and a secondary bilge pump. I wouldn't even consider putting a battery in the bilge if I didn't have to replace the sole as I think the only place worse would be to lash it to the foredeck but the opportunity is presenting itself for some nifty compartment work. The other spots I'm considering are some storage compartments that will be just forward of the...you got it, the soon to be removed bulkhead. Because the water tank is elcrappo it'll be removed and I don't think I'll put as large a tank back in because this isn't going to be an off shore boat so we could use a little mor weight up front. This will all require a closer inspection, of course, but I'm leaning in that direction. Tony G

[mrgnstrn]

my battery is in fact in the lasserette, because the O/B is electric start and has an alternator.
but this doesn't eliminate running thick cables, because the loads are all forward, so a pair of big wires run forward (from the lasserette) to the fuse box.
seems to me that if you have to run big wires either direction, better to run oversize wire back to start the O/B than to mess up the fore-aft trim so much.

this is all part of my grand plan to:
a) repaint the bottom, complete with barrier coat
b) re-wire the whole boat, since there isn't even a decent grounding path for most of the cabin lights.
c) install all new electronics

but it looks like the general consensus is battery under the steps. makes sense.

thanks to all.
-km #3

[ebb]

There are two good reasons for having your batteries under the step. You won't ever have a gasing buildup problem - and they're relatively high up for access, maintenance. out of potential flooding.

On 338, that's where the cooler is going. 338 is a cruiser conversion in the making, so here's something on that:

Since AGMs are true sealed batteries I wondered (on another thread) why they, the house bank, couldn't live under the cabin sole.

I want to fiberglass floors in under the cabin sole to provide IMCO more continuity between all that ballast and the narrowing fairly flat areas of the keel.
That would create handy bays on top of the ballast for more heavy objects like battieies, chain, take-apart anchors, and beer. Or water tankage.

I tried to get a poll going with the general concensus here on just who has had water over the cabin sole. Nobody, it seems.

Then I tried to find out if AGMs short out if immersed in water? Don't know, got no answer,
If they don't, when you begin sinking you switch them off circuit, and bail like hell. In the meantime you have your cheapo starter battery tucked up under the cockpit so the ob can hopefully start. Maybe if things are really bad you could borrow some juice from it for your sonar until you dried out.

I wonder if I was an avid racer if I wouldn't try to gain some advantage by mounting the two batteries (that's what 338 had) under the sole at the foot of the ladder. There's enough space aft under there to disperse the hydrogen gas from regular batteries. Could be vented with a blower added.

When the cabin sole gets lifed out, the first thing will be to see if indeed two 27s can fit in there!

[Dave]

Batteries 1 and 2 are under the companionway steps.
Battery switch on inboard wall beneath sink.
--Dave G
Brigid #357

[Hull376]

376 has battery as delivered from the factory, beneath the first step. The Ayes have it.

[ebb]

Do we have a quorum......?

[Ed Ekers]

Hey Ebb, I have two comments. First you scare me with all your talk about sinking. I know we are to be prepared for everything but man talk about bad karma. eeek!

Second point, I agree with your point on performance balance, but if you are a serious racer, what you would be looking for is a place to put you very small motorcycle battery.

But to offer an answer to your original question, #77 cast its vote for under the step........ed

[mrgnstrn]

thank you to all, i had always planned on re-wiring to have the battery under the step, just wanted a little backup.
and now to decide on the new name for the boat....

-km #3

[ebb]

morning Prof Ed,
Eggzackly my point, if somewhat dull.
Why be paranoid about the batteries, Why not put them lower down. It would take some work. But not cruel Pearson put them where you guys have them because they didna want to do the extra work. What with the batteries and the cockpit plumbing I know on 338 there was no access to get under the cockpit.

I was more paranoid about not having access to major parts of the boat.
That also included the forward watertank area and some hard to get to spaces under the cabin berths and the cabin sole.

There must be a fine line between what is right (correct or mo'betta) and paranoia. No sane paranoid Ariel owner would put their batteries in the bilge!

[Theis]

With regard to putting the battery in the bilge, before you do that, try one of the following items that might be relevant: sailing at night without lights, starting the motor with without a battery, using your radio when not connected to power, and so forth. My experience is that when a battery is out of service, you are in a real jam, unless it is in the middle of a bright clear day and you are still at the dock. It does not take much water to fill the bilge.

As for AGM batteries, they are great, but when the water rolls over the terminals, they don't work any better than any battery.

I used to have my battery in the lasarette but moved it for two reasons: The most important was that I needed more fuel capacity requiring a second can of gas for the motor. The second reason was the weight of the battery.

My battery location now is mounted high, on a platform extended from the aft side of the aft cabin bulkhead in the port lasarette. The access is through the port lasarette. This is midship (sort of - about the same as under the first step). It is much higher in case of a disaster (and I have an electric high volume pump - so I don't want the battery to be under water). This leaves the area under the steps available for a lot of other things, such as spare gas, a liferaft, food, etc. The battery is out of the way of everything - out or sight, can not be spilled on, can not have a wrench drop across the terminals and so forth.

From that battery location, I have run a #6 cable to the motor along the top back of the lasarette. On the forward side of the bulkhead, just above the counter, I mounted a master power switch. My power distribution panel is located high, under the upper step, on the starboard side.

That's my vote.

[Brent]

I'm going to be putting the batteries under the cockpit floor on #66. A hatch (already purchased) in the cockpit floor will give access.

This is perhaps a bit higher and futher aft than some would find comfortable, but I'm rebuilding the whole interior--although not to the extent that Ebb is going to--so I'll be able to compensate for it.

More importantly, there is some significant unused space here, and I'll be needing the current battery location for the cooler.