40 sedan bridge forum

scooper321 said:

For those of us with the Cummins mechanical engines (6CTA's) how many zinc's are on each engine? I know there are at least 3: two on the AC and one on the HE. I thought there was one on the gear oil cooler, but I can't find it in any engine image. Where is that one? And are there any others?

Click to expand...

Just the three you mentioned unless a gear oil cooler has been replaced with one that has zincs in it. Factory gear oil cooler has no zincs. I replaced mine with Seakamp gear oil coolers and they have two zincs in them.

Has anyone had to replace their swim platform ladder on a 97 400 Sedan bridge? Flounder pounder has a replacement but not the exact fitment. If anyone knows of a better supplier, I'd love to know to pass along to a buddy with a jacked up ladder.
Thanks
Carpe Diem

How big of a house battery bank do you all have?

What type of batteries (wet lead acid, agm, lithium), size, and how many?

I’m just starting to think through a battery refit / upgrade.

1998 400DB

Brian Wert said:

How big of a house battery bank do you all have?

What type of batteries (wet lead acid, agm, lithium), size, and how many?

I’m just starting to think through a battery refit / upgrade.

1998 400DB

Click to expand...

First thing to ask is what do you need? If your current setup is handling your power fine, what are you striving for with an upgrade? More audio? More time on the hook? If nothing, then just replace what you have.

I’m a believer in getting the lowest priced batteries that meet your needs, so I use std group 31 (I think?) lead acid, sealed. Lithium are the rage, and AGM are better, but at what price? If any battery costs more than a lead acid it needs to deliver an equivalent value to me. So a battery costing 2x or 3x better last 2x or 3x as long (they don’t). Easy math for me. Others have different needs so other technologies may be better for them.

If you do change technology, make sure your charger can support the new type (and flip whatever switches on it to do so!) or get a new charger. As for my setup, I have 4 group 31s - a pair for each engine, in parallel. The SB also serves as the house bank. A separate group 27 is used for the generator. Make sure all CCA’s meet the needs of your engines.

ZZ13 said:

Just the three you mentioned unless a gear oil cooler has been replaced with one that has zincs in it. Factory gear oil cooler has no zincs. I replaced mine with Seakamp gear oil coolers and they have two zincs in them.

Click to expand...

Ah ha! You’re the source of my confusion! I was thinking we have 5 per side, but I haven’t done an oil cooler change, so I really only have 3. Whew! You have no idea how much of a load that takes off my mind. Lol!

Brian Wert said:

How big of a house battery bank do you all have?

What type of batteries (wet lead acid, agm, lithium), size, and how many?

I’m just starting to think through a battery refit / upgrade.

1998 400DB

Click to expand...

I'm with Scooper on the batteries, and everything he said.
I personally have group 31 U.S. Battery true deep cycle (not dual purpose) flooded wet cells for the mains, 2 and 2 just like scooper.
The generator is a Deka marine master group 24 sealed wet cell cranking battery.
The bow thruster has 2 flooded wet cell group 27 Duralast dual purpose batteries hooked up in series.
The U.S. Batteries are 4 years old with a little over 1000 hours on them so too soon to tell how long they may last. These were kind of an experiment for me on the recommendation of the commercial battery supplier that I used for years in the business I retired from.
They DO NOT meet the cranking amp specs on the Cummins engines, but they exceed it when linked together with the "emergency start" solenoid, which is how we start our engines even though they will start the motors alone. Deep cycle are not meant to crank engines so I cushion the stress on them by using all four to start the motors. On the other hand, they perform really well when we are out on the hook for days at a time with a minimum of generator time. They require a little water about every other month. My battery guy said he would expect 6-8 years from them.
The Generator battery was purchased at the same time. I have experience through the years with those batteries and I expect it will be a 6 or 7 year battery. I have put on 258 hours on the generator since buying that battery.
The Dura lasts were in the boat when I bought it and the previous owner said they were "just a couple of years old". That would make then 10 years now. The dates were never punched out on them. They still load test well and don't get much use so that seems reasonable. I have added water to them maybe twice in the last 8 years. Like Scooper said, how you use them and the charger has a lot to do with longevity. Both the 12 volt and 24 volt chargers in my boat are the factory originals and with the luck I have had with batteries, I'm not changing them until they die.
Good luck.

Edit: I should have added that I alternate the port and starboard battery banks every year so that the four batteries get an even workout over their life sharing the "house" loads, or more importantly the discharge cycles.

Exact same as My3sons. Only I don’t have a bow thruster. And I don’t use the four battery start trick. I’ll start doing that now. My group 31 deep cycle wet cell are only 18 months old. They are the Sams Club specials I got on sale for $79 each.

If anyone local to Northern Illinois needs a battery, I have a almost brand new, 24M AGM battery I will sell at a very good price.

Replacing the Four Hundred lettering, where can these be purchased. would like same style as original

thanks

scooper321 said:

First thing to ask is what do you need? If your current setup is handling your power fine, what are you striving for with an upgrade? More audio? More time on the hook? If nothing, then just replace what you have.

I’m a believer in getting the lowest priced batteries that meet your needs, so I use std group 31 (I think?) lead acid, sealed. Lithium are the rage, and AGM are better, but at what price? If any battery costs more than a lead acid it needs to deliver an equivalent value to me. So a battery costing 2x or 3x better last 2x or 3x as long (they don’t). Easy math for me. Others have different needs so other technologies may be better for them.

If you do change technology, make sure your charger can support the new type (and flip whatever switches on it to do so!) or get a new charger. As for my setup, I have 4 group 31s - a pair for each engine, in parallel. The SB also serves as the house bank. A separate group 27 is used for the generator. Make sure all CCA’s meet the needs of your engines.

Click to expand...

Thanks! So does the port bank power anything? Or is it solely a starting battery for the port engine?

Brian Wert said:

How big of a house battery bank do you all have?

What type of batteries (wet lead acid, agm, lithium), size, and how many?

I’m just starting to think through a battery refit / upgrade.

1998 400DB

Click to expand...

Brian,

My 2000 400DB has 5 batteries. 2 each in parallel for the mains and one for the Generator. I do have the Cat 3116 diesels in my boat. All are lead acid as I have the original charger and I believe that you need one of the newer “smart” chargers to run AGM batteries.

I have 7 batteries. One group 24 for the genny, two group 27 for bow thruster, two 30s for the port side and two 27s for the starboard side. Not sure why po set it up that way. In the spring will replace the starboard side with two 30s as that side has heaver load and was cranking slower.
Flooded lead acid all the way. They are imo the most cost effective as I always get 6 to 8 years use. The charger settings are simple..kiss principle. They are also American made and 100% recyclesble.

Brian Wert said:

Thanks! So does the port bank power anything? Or is it solely a starting battery for the port engine?

Click to expand...

I think you will find the batteries serve a mix of duties other than start engines. Typically the Starboard bank powers the "house" items and port bank powers the helm and nav equipment. But, they share bilge pumps, blowers, and other critical items. Then there are the high loads like winch, audio, trim tabs, and the like that depends upon the boat model/year. SR has over time and depending upon the boat changed battery loads so don't count on any rule of thumb. Note also that each battery bank is divided into switched loads and unswitched loads so one needs to understand what is switched off and remains on when the battery switches are turned off.

Brian Wert said:

Thanks! So does the port bank power anything? Or is it solely a starting battery for the port engine?

Click to expand...

Open up the port cockpit cabinet where the battery switches are. There is a row of breakers above each battery switch. The breakers above the port battery switch are all the things the two port batteries power. The breakers above the starboard switch are powered from the starboard battery pair. It’s pretty self explanatory from the labels on the breakers.

ttmott and ZZ13 thank you for your replies. I found the wiring diagram in the owners manual which matches up to what you both had said as well as what I have discovered in my testing.

I appreciate everyone’s help.

For those using the original Pro Mariner 40 amp battery charger, do you leave it on all the time when on dock power?

Is it smart enough to float the batteries once charged?

Brian Wert said:

For those using the original Pro Mariner 40 amp battery charger, do you leave it on all the time when on dock power?

Is it smart enough to float the batteries once charged?

Click to expand...

Assuming you mean the 1240P, yes.

From the manual:
"CHARGING RATES – The ProNauticP Charger provides multi stage charging (Charging, Conditioning and Auto Maintain) as indicated in the features section. Auto Maintain (Energy Conservation Mode) - When charger has properly charged and conditioned the batteries, it will enter its Auto Maintain (Energy Conservation Mode). In this Mode the charger will monitor and Auto Maintain the battery voltages as listed in the battery types chart on page 17 of the user manual. During this Auto Conservation Mode the Standby LED will be on - to view full display, including voltage and current, press any function button. This will place the unit in a continuing maintenance mode. During extended periods of non-use, Battery Health Mode will initiate every 21 days ensuring fully conditioned batteries which will be ready to go"

Manual: https://www.promariner.com/en/~/media/inriver/365007-38504.pdf

Steve S said:

Nope, I never found one. Mine is the push button style like on a refrigerator.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Steve! I appreciate the feedback.

I have nothing near as nice as the ProNautic 1240P. I’m looking for details on the below picture which is what appears to me to be the “original” charger.

Brian Wert said:

I have nothing near as nice as the ProNautic 1240P. I’m looking for details on the below picture which is what appears to me to be the “original” charger.

Click to expand...

I have that one as well. I leave it on whenever the shore power is plugged in.