3 questions that came up today...

[Craigalan]

Hello CSR! Already a fun season and Ive only been in 2 days. 2000 27DA. These questions came up today. Basic, but Im still learning powerboats.

1) My rig appears to only have a Starboard blower. Blowing strong, but only out of starboard vent. Is this common and adequate?

2) After hooking up to shore power, I am flipping on A/C Converter. Am I turning on a battery charger here?

3) Should I be turning off the batteries each time I head home for the night?

 

[sdarc]

Yes to all three

 

[Creekwood]

Hello CSR! Already a fun season and Ive only been in 2 days. 2000 27DA. These questions came up today. Basic, but Im still learning powerboats.

1) My rig appears to only have a Starboard blower. Blowing strong, but only out of starboard vent. Is this common and adequate?

2) After hooking up to shore power, I am flipping on A/C Converter. Am I turning on a battery charger here?

3) Should I be turning off the batteries each time I head home for the night?

1) the Blower fan should be on the port side if the air is coming out of the starboard side. That is because it actually is set up to blow outside air into the bilge, forcing the air that might have gas fumes out of the bilge. That way any gasoline fumes are not sucked into an electric motor with sparks that make "booms". So unless it is wired wrong, the hose on the side where the air comes out should not have a fan on it.

2) Yes, the converter is the charger. They use that term because it indicates you use it to power 12v systems while on shore power. It converts 110v to 12v (charges the batteries which then power your 12v systems like lights, vacuflush, bilge pumps, water pump etc. While on shore power leave the AC converter on.

3) I leave the batteries on all the time. You could turn them off since the charger (converter) is on the other side of the switch so it is always connected. So are the bilge pumps.

 

[BryanOnTheBay]

Hello CSR! Already a fun season and Ive only been in 2 days. 2000 27DA. These questions came up today. Basic, but Im still learning powerboats.

1) My rig appears to only have a Starboard blower. Blowing strong, but only out of starboard vent. Is this common and adequate?

2) After hooking up to shore power, I am flipping on A/C Converter. Am I turning on a battery charger here?

3) Should I be turning off the batteries each time I head home for the night?

While these questions have been answered, with regard to #1, if your boat is rigged like mine, you have 2 blowers, both of which exhaust from one vent. The other vent is left free for natural ventilation per USCG regs.

Bryan

 

[Craigalan]

Great responses. Thanks for the info. And, I realized that I mis-typed...the blower fan is on Port side. But, works quite well. Thanks again!

 

[CliffA]

1) the Blower fan should be on the port side if the air is coming out of the starboard side. That is because it actually is set up to blow outside air into the bilge, forcing the air that might have gas fumes out of the bilge. That way any gasoline fumes are not sucked into an electric motor with sparks that make "booms". So unless it is wired wrong, the hose on the side where the air comes out should not have a fan on it.

i am not sure if i agree but i could be wrong....i was under the impression that all bilge blowers are designed to 'suck' the air/fumes out of the bilge and not 'blow' them out by positively pressurizing the engine room...by sucking the air/fumes out it is replaced by fresh air from an 'inlet' air vent.....

cliff

 

[Westie]

i am not sure if i agree but i could be wrong....i was under the impression that all bilge blowers are designed to 'suck' the air/fumes out of the bilge and not 'blow' them out by positively pressurizing the engine room...by sucking the air/fumes out it is replaced by fresh air from an 'inlet' air vent.....

cliff

That's the way they work. It does not make sense to pressurize the bilge with the blower.

 

[Craigalan]

Yep. I will agree as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BillK2632]

Personal preference on the batteries, if I know I will be gone for more than a week or two I turn them off, otherwise on. I have two batteries and a single switch, so first thing I do when I get to the boat is switch to the other battery - I alternate batteries each time out. Simple process on a small day boat, only electronics I have is the stereo - 12v system management is a little more complicated on a cruiser with twin engines and or a generator. There is no right or wrong answer on whether to leave batteries on or off - usually things like lights etc are 12v and you don't want to be fumbling around looking for battery switches in the dark so you leave the batteries on. Main thing is you manage the batteries and 12v usage in such a way that you always have a charged battery to start the engines or generator. If you can get the generator running you can always charge the other batteries.

 

[Craigalan]

My battery switch has 4 positions (1, 2, Both, and Off). When on the lake, engine off with radio playing...should I have the switch on something other than Both? In other words, is switching to only 1 battery during these times the norm?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CliffA]

My battery switch has 4 positions (1, 2, Both, and Off). When on the lake, engine off with radio playing...should I have the switch on something other than Both? In other words, is switching to only 1 battery during these times the norm?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

that was my practice when i had the 215EC....while cruising i would leave the selector switch on 'Both' to keep both batteries charged....when we dropped anchor i selected position '1' because it was the 'house' battery....that way if you happen to deplete the charge in that battery you can still start the engine with the other battery....if you leave the switch on 'both' there is a possibility you could deplete both batteries to the point you could not start your engine....

cliff

 

[SloBurn]

My battery switch has 4 positions (1, 2, Both, and Off). When on the lake, engine off with radio playing...should I have the switch on something other than Both? In other words, is switching to only 1 battery during these times the norm?


I have the same set up. I just switch batteries off when not in use, and alternate 1 or 2 when I'm running, so both batteries get charged every other time out. I never use "Both" as a setting, because if one battery is weak, it will drain the other. In a pinch, I can use "Both" to get started, so I get the extra current to starter.

 

[CliffA]

My battery switch has 4 positions (1, 2, Both, and Off). When on the lake, engine off with radio playing...should I have the switch on something other than Both? In other words, is switching to only 1 battery during these times the norm?


I have the same set up. I just switch batteries off when not in use, and alternate 1 or 2 when I'm running, so both batteries get charged every other time out. I never use "Both" as a setting, because if one battery is weak, it will drain the other. In a pinch, I can use "Both" to get started, so I get the extra current to starter.

good point....my batteries were always fully charged before we went out because i had an onboard battery charger that was plugged into 110VAC while the boat was on its trailer in my back yard....as long as both batteries have the same charge level i believe it is OK to use the 'Both' position on the slector switch to keep both batteries 'topped off'.....if one battery is significantly depleted compared to the other battery it is best to use only one battery until both batteries can be recharged....

cliff

 

[sdarc]

When I had my boat I would switch to "both" while running. Then to either 1 or 2 when sitting at the hook depending on what the date was. Odd or even. Learned that on here.

 

[Craigalan]

Odd/Even days...nifty little tip. Thanks. So, is one battery dedicated to just engine or are both batteries capable of running engine and radio etc....?

 

[BryanOnTheBay]

Odd/Even days...nifty little tip. Thanks. So, is one battery dedicated to just engine or are both batteries capable of running engine and radio etc....?

Depends upon what kind of batteries are in their, but most likely they are marine deep cycle/starting batteries that can go both ways. You will have to research for yourself what batteries you have and what they do. Start with the labels and Google the actual specifications.

Bryan

 

[sdarc]

Odd/Even days...nifty little tip. Thanks. So, is one battery dedicated to just engine or are both batteries capable of running engine and radio etc....?

Yes more than likely. On 2 battery boats both batteries are usually wired to the whole boat.

 

[Craigalan]

Ok. Good info. Thank you.

 

[CliffA]

Yes more than likely. On 2 battery boats both batteries are usually wired to the whole boat.

agree with this as for the initial wiring of the boat from the factory.....but if you start adding things like an amp for a stereo system or a power inverter they will only be connected to one battery....in that case you would need to designate the battery these things are connected to as the 'house' battery and use it when at anchor.....that is what i did on my 215EC.....

cliff