2013 520 Sedan Bridge...Surveyor Focus

Sum Escape

Member
Apr 7, 2009
393
West Florida
Boat Info
2020 Tiara 53 Flybridge
Engines
CAT C 12.9 1000 HP Straight Shaft
We hope to soon join this owners group. Have a purchase agreement and the survey is on Wednesday. Looking for specific issues to perhaps focus the surveyors on known issues on the 52 DBs.

So far, my research has turned up the QSM 11 exhaust leak issue and Cummins will be addressing this (no visual evidence based an my inspection) and I will have both sets of props tuned as recommended. Other things I noticed were salt residue by both A/C water pumps, water in ER bilge, cycling vacu flush (ha, no one has ever seen that before), water in lazarette (boat had just been washed and it appeared to come from the hatch). So hull surveyor will be directed toward these items for sure.

A few questions on the electrical systems on this boat. I noted only 2 8D starting batteries plus the thruster batteries. The starting batteries appear to serve as house batteries as well. Which starting battery powers the house loads? What is the amperage of the alternators on these QSM 11s?

We like to anchor out and thus need an adequate house bank and will be installing an inverter and battery bank to supply it. Will want to run refrigeration, entertainment systems, microwave (short stints only) and a few 110 outlets (similar to our current boat set up except we now have 12v refrigeration). On our current set up, I can combine my house bank (2 8D deep cycle and 4 Group 31 Deep cycle) banks and charge off the alternator (110 amp) when running for the day. This is ideal in that batteries are nearly always fully charged when arriving. Can anyone recommend how they have set up their 12v system to allow for anchoring out without running the genset constantly?

Any advice you can offer on the known issues and 12v systems on these vessels will be much appreciated. Please PM or post here. Thanks!
 
We installed a 3000 Watt zantrex inverter along with (4) 6 volt golf cart batts that are in boxes Infront of each engine. This set up has saved us a few times we have run all 110 systems for 17 hours straight so far. This week while traveling we had to take a city dock with no power for our boat other than HVAC it was not a concern. You would run the thruster off these batts and do away with the group 31’s
if you anchor out a lot it’s worth considering this install.

good luck on the sea trial.
 
Port engine runs house and strbd runs the helm on the 12v side if it is the same as our 480. I have inverter for items you mentioned as well. Water leaks sometimes come from the transom corners where the hull, deck, and transom come together on the vertical seam.
 
We hope to soon join this owners group. Have a purchase agreement and the survey is on Wednesday. Looking for specific issues to perhaps focus the surveyors on known issues on the 52 DBs.

So far, my research has turned up the QSM 11 exhaust leak issue and Cummins will be addressing this (no visual evidence based an my inspection) and I will have both sets of props tuned as recommended. Other things I noticed were salt residue by both A/C water pumps, water in ER bilge, cycling vacu flush (ha, no one has ever seen that before), water in lazarette (boat had just been washed and it appeared to come from the hatch). So hull surveyor will be directed toward these items for sure.

A few questions on the electrical systems on this boat. I noted only 2 8D starting batteries plus the thruster batteries. The starting batteries appear to serve as house batteries as well. Which starting battery powers the house loads? What is the amperage of the alternators on these QSM 11s?

We like to anchor out and thus need an adequate house bank and will be installing an inverter and battery bank to supply it. Will want to run refrigeration, entertainment systems, microwave (short stints only) and a few 110 outlets (similar to our current boat set up except we now have 12v refrigeration). On our current set up, I can combine my house bank (2 8D deep cycle and 4 Group 31 Deep cycle) banks and charge off the alternator (110 amp) when running for the day. This is ideal in that batteries are nearly always fully charged when arriving. Can anyone recommend how they have set up their 12v system to allow for anchoring out without running the genset constantly?

Any advice you can offer on the known issues and 12v systems on these vessels will be much appreciated. Please PM or post here. Thanks!
Your galley and bridge fridges and galley freezer should be dual voltage. (I think you have isotherms in the galley like I do). The cockpit drawer fridge is 12v only. The only refrigeration that won’t run off 12v is the cockpit ice maker. I converted my galley freezer to a fridge by changing the thermostat to a fridge thermostat. We don’t need all that freezer space and we use that fridge for our drinks. Keeps them really cold. We were going to put a small chest freezer down in the laundry room but haven’t had the need.

I would at least look into lithium batteries if you are looking To increase capacity to run an inverter. You could get a lot more capacity and they will take up the same amount of room in the lazzerette. You could put them all where the 2 8Ds go and keep them out of the way. They are expensive but much less weight, take up less room and have more capacity. It may be cost prohibitive but if I was starting fresh putting in a new system this the route I would go. Much easier install because you wouldn’t need to make long runs with battery cabling. All the AC electrical systems come to the panel which is right above the batteries.
 
We installed a 3000 Watt zantrex inverter along with (4) 6 volt golf cart batts that are in boxes Infront of each engine. This set up has saved us a few times we have run all 110 systems for 17 hours straight so far. This week while traveling we had to take a city dock with no power for our boat other than HVAC it was not a concern. You would run the thruster off these batts and do away with the group 31’s
if you anchor out a lot it’s worth considering this install.

good luck on the sea trial.
Thanks. I thought the bow thruster was wired in series for 24v. Maybe I am wrong?
 
On our ‘06 we chased bilge water for some time. Re caulked the entire hull-deck joint and it became dry.

Ours, like most was over propped and we had to do aftercooler/turbo/head work.
Other than that we loved the boat
 
When I first got my 52 I pulled the strainers on both engines, a/c s and genny to clean and replace all the seals and caps. Also replaced hoses and clamps. That stopped the moisture in the a/c pump area for me
 
Thanks. I thought the bow thruster was wired in series for 24v. Maybe I am wrong?
Mine was wired to (2) group 31 batts in front of the port motor which houses the inverter batts now.
As for long battery cable runs for the inverter my batteries sit infront of the motors and the cables go through the bulkhead into the laundry room where my inverter is so the cable run is only about 3’ can’t get much shorter.
 
Mine was wired to (2) group 31 batts in front of the port motor which houses the inverter batts now.
As for long battery cable runs for the inverter my batteries sit infront of the motors and the cables go through the bulkhead into the laundry room where my inverter is so the cable run is only about 3’ can’t get much shorter.
The 2013 parts manual and owners manual has two group 31's in front of the Starboard engine charged via a Pronautic 24v charger. So I think that will need to stay in place.
I'm thinking of putting the inverter and battery bank in the Staboard side lazarette. Not far to run the 120v wiring and can have the inverter very close to batteries. Not as temperate of a space as you have selected, but beats the actual engine room I would think. Our current vessel has the inverter in the ER and it has worked fine for 7 years though.
 
Mine was wired to (2) group 31 batts in front of the port motor which houses the inverter batts now.
As for long battery cable runs for the inverter my batteries sit infront of the motors and the cables go through the bulkhead into the laundry room where my inverter is so the cable run is only about 3’ can’t get much shorter.
So you don’t need to tie the inverter into the AC panel? I assumed you needed to tie it into the circuits in the AC panel that you want to have power from the inverter. I am just curious as I have not dealt with inverters yet.
 
Tom, why not run the gen? We do constantly, unless the kids are swimming. Stupid design with the gen exhaust right by the boarding ladder. But otherwise it's on. If off, it isn't a long time, and I watch the voltage to be able to start the gen to power the charger, to finally start the mains once the batteries are charged. We could not leave the gen off to sleep at night as there is no air flow to the mid berths. It would get really stuffy fast.
 
The 2013 parts manual and owners manual has two group 31's in front of the Starboard engine charged via a Pronautic 24v charger. So I think that will need to stay in place.
I'm thinking of putting the inverter and battery bank in the Staboard side lazarette. Not far to run the 120v wiring and can have the inverter very close to batteries. Not as temperate of a space as you have selected, but beats the actual engine room I would think. Our current vessel has the inverter in the ER and it has worked fine for 7 years though.

I have the exact same set up as Havana Shamrock. The (4) 6-volt batteries are wired to provide 24 volts which also runs the bow thruster. The inverter has a charger which charges these batteries and since it replaced the existing bow thruster (2) 12 volt batteries, the existing pronautic 24 volt charger is disconnected. This system runs the entire 120 volt system on distribution panel. The inverter is located in the “Basement” where the washer/dryer is located. The refrigeration and ice maker on these boats are strictly 120 volt except for the bridge refrig. As mentioned, you can go 14-17 hours on the inverter depending on what loads you have.
 
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So you don’t need to tie the inverter into the AC panel? I assumed you needed to tie it into the circuits in the AC panel that you want to have power from the inverter. I am just curious as I have not dealt with inverters yet.
Yes, you need to run a 120v line to and from the inverter to the main AC panel.
 
Tom, why not run the gen? We do constantly, unless the kids are swimming. Stupid design with the gen exhaust right by the boarding ladder. But otherwise it's on. If off, it isn't a long time, and I watch the voltage to be able to start the gen to power the charger, to finally start the mains once the batteries are charged. We could not leave the gen off to sleep at night as there is no air flow to the mid berths. It would get really stuffy fast.
Plan to run genny when underway, but want an inverter for silent anchorages. Its so nice to make a cup of coffee in the AM in silence! Usually not too warm at night so don't need A/C, thus inverter to run refrigeration.
 
As the boat is currently configured with two 8D AGM's we can dwell overnight no problem with the 12 volt systems active. That is bridge refer is dual voltage and operates, anchor lighting, systems monitor / anchor drag monitor (NMEA 2000 and Maretron instruments), heads, fresh water, security system, smoke/CO alarms, and most lighting. What is not operating are the galley refer and freezer, range/microwave, air conditioning, AV systems, battery charging, hot water heater, ice maker, water maker, washer/dryer, etc.
On the hook here in Florida and Bahamas we shut down the generator around 10PM and restart it around 5AM because it gets uncomfortable. Sometimes we run the generator all night if really hot and humid. I plan the generator running continuously; starting when we leave the dock and shutting down when returning... We do a couple of two to three week trips a year plus many weekend getaways.
This year I'm adding inverters and a lithium battery bank to the boat so we can run the air conditioning all night without the generator; my advice is don't underestimate the energy it takes to operate the AC power side of these boats. It's a complex and costly engineering challenge to properly design and implement an inverter/battery system.
Tom
 
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