Battery Power

[Capt.XXX]

What type of Batteries do you use to power your lights and for how long, or do you use a generator?

I have two deep cycle on my boat and will be powering:

Eectronics (2 X Sonar, Radio, Loran, 2 X GPS)
Nav Lights
Deck Lights
In water Sword Light

I'll have to add up the amps needed, but I'm curious as to what you guys do.

Thanks,
Capt. Freddy

[quack quack]

Just make sure to keep your cranking batt isolated. Run 1 sonar and one gps at a time. If your cranking batt is isolated even if you go dim :shock: you can crank up the main and recharge. I like to bring a portable jump started just in case.

[Beerman]

I carry a separte battery for the Hydroglow, it doubles as a spare jump battery if needed!!!!

[NightCrawler]

yeah, got the portable thingy just in case, a seperate
deep cycle for the hydraglow, and 2 group 31 for the boat.

[Capt.XXX]

I have a selector switch and only keep one battery on at a time. I have diesel power in my ride, and can crank with one battery even when cold as I have very heavy cables. I also carry a 2KW gas gennerator along that has DC output and can run the boat as well.

I was just wondering if I should just install another big deepcycle and forget the generator. This way I don't have to worry about carbon monoxide issues.

Just would like to know what you run and how you power it.

- Freddy

[edk]

I took an ammeter and measured the current that each circuit drew on my boat after I ran a Group 31 battery down one night a few weeks ago. This is what I found:

VHF (standby) 0.3A
VHF (transmit) 4.3A
GPS (7" Navnet) 1.9A
FF (1KW xducer) .6A (black box FF - uses " plotter display)
Radar(10" Navnet) 5.5 A (4.7 on standby)
Autopilot (standby) 0.7A (provides heading for radar)
Stereo 1.5A (+- 0.5A depending on volume - 50W - no amp)
LED light 0.3A
Fluorescent light 0.8A
Spreader lights 8.0A (2 halogen lights)
Livewell pump 2.0A
Nav lights 0.4A
Hydroglow 1.6A

I figured that my average draw was 16-18A - peak could be 30+A. 18A will run a 100Ah battery down in a little over 5 hours (a Group 31 is rated at 105Ah - but you probably wont get all the rated Ah out of it.) I'll be starting my motors a little more often next time I do a long drift (it was a 5 hour drift the night the battery ran down). The things that will kill your battery fastest are the spreader lights if you use them a lot. A high powered stereo will also use a lot of juice - I just have a car stereo - no amplifier in my boat. My Group 31 is the house battery - I have separate starting batteries that have only the motors and bilge pumps connected to them.

It's a good idea to know what is drawing power from your batteries, especially if you are relying on your starting batteries for house power. The boat that sank the other week had dead batteries - it might have stayed afloat if they could have started the motors to provide some juice for the bilge pumps.

Ed

[Bait Washer]

Running diesels also.
One engine is completely isloated with a push button crossover to
start the other engine if either battery goes dead. Some how make sure
you have a back up plan to get you up and running. I also carry an extra
deepcycle with a set of jumper cables just as an insurnce policy.

[reel life]

i run a 29 ft with twins. my set up is a 2-27's for the motors i have both motors connected to the same batt switch.
and 2-27 for house power all conected to batt switch
with a on/off switch between the 2 batt switches that allow me to send power to where it is needed if i should let one bank to run down.
i realize this might be a little much but i wold rather have more power than needed.