moving batteries

Sailorman · Post by **Sailorman** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:56 am

I am about to re-locate my house battery and my curent thought is to stay lead-acid and go with 2 6 volt batteries. I would like to move them to the port hull, under the aft berth. Since they will charge slowly, I did not think the wire length from the center engine to be a problem. But if I put them under the berth, do I need to be concerned about venting hydrogen gas? If so, would a small vent line be enough? Does anyone have theri batteries under a berth?
I have a Blue Sea battery combiner and thought to make the house batteries the "main" and let the stating battery be the "secondary"
Is there any fault in my thinking?
Ed

captfolly · Post by **captfolly** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:03 pm

hi Ed...

sounds like you got it covered...is the wiring to the combiner from the house and engine large enough to carry start currents in case you want to combine the house/engine to start the engine?...

we just installed a blue sea battery combiner(model 7620), have it hooked up with battery chrgr/house batts on one side, and alternator/eng start on the other side...also want to connect the control wiring so that it un-combines the engine start battery when starting the engine to keep voltage spikes out of the house electronics, and connect it to windlass brkr to combine when using the windlass...

I would vent the battery compartment for sure...our house batteries, 4 small gel cells, are in the compartment where the helm pump is located..

what is the anchoring/mooring situation in Beaufort? is there any space across from the town docks, looked like it was full of private moorings when we passed through there last year...we hope to head out of charleston in the next month or so and head north to the chez...

George

Sailorman · Post by **Sailorman** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:48 am

is the wiring to the combiner from the house and engine large enough to carry start currents in case you want to combine the house/engine to start the engine?... no, would be a long run and require some large cable.

anchoring/mooring situation in Beaufort? Actually there are 2 good places in Beaufort. You can anchor anywhere along Taylor's Creek across from the town dock. It is all deep water (except right next to Carrot Island - speaking from experience

) but be aware there are fierce currents thru there. I tend to anchor east of the light tower and close to shore - south side. The other good place is Town Creek - the other side of the draw bridge. Watch the depth but there is not so crowded, no currents and only a short walk into town. They just expanded the boat ramps there so a lot of small powerboat traffic on the weekend. You might also consider right in front of the new Maritime Museum docks - deeper water, a little current, less traffic. And be sure to spend at least one night out at "The Bight" - it never gets crowded there. Keep as far south as you can and close to shore to minimize the strong currents coming out of Core Sound although I have also anchored close to the inlet safely. it is strange to see your anchor line going off as some obilque angle and the boat stay steady in the current.
Going north from Beaufort, best anchorage is Ceeder Creek (sp) about 2 miles south of the Nuese. 6 ft all the way in, very sheltered. You will see me opposite the opening on the west shore tied to trees on shore.