E35/3 New battery placement

[gabosifat]

Hi All,

I've been waiting for our two group 31 / 12 volt house bank batteries to die so I can replace them with four 6 volt golf carts. They did just that on our holiday this summer. My problem is where to put them. The only place I can think of converting is the small space under the chart table seat. I was thinking of 2 there and 2 plus starting battery in the original spot under the dinette seat on the port side.

If anyone else has any solutions I'd appreciate it.

Many thanks,
Steve Gabbott
E35/3 Silent Dancer
Vancouver BC

 

[treilley]

I have 2 6v and 1 12 under the salon seat on the port side.

I very highly doubt there is room for 2 6v batteries under the nav table seat. The curve if the hull will get in the way. Ideally you want them on the port side but the only space big enough that comes to mind is either the sail locker or the storage space under the starboard settee in front of the galley.

Another option is to use the space for the quarterberth filler next to the nav seat.

One question though, why do you need so much AH? I have 215 and it is plenty for my cruising needs. I can even run the fridge if I want. I think your money might be better spent buying only 2 6v, and go with an alternative changing method like solar.

 

[Ray Rhode]

Steve,

I have three group 31s in the existing battery space. It is a tight fit but it can be done. They are wired in parallel and I have a separate engine battery in the starboard locker. I added a couple of vents for provide some cooling during heavy charging. Will try to come up with some pictures. I have done some measurements and it appears that four 6V gold cart batteries can be made to fit but there would be no room for cooling air to flow and they would be difficult to get them in an out and to check the water.

Ray Rhode
S/V Journey
E35-III, #189

 

[gabosifat]

Thanks for that,

I presently have 3 gp 31s (1 starting, 2 house) under the dinette seat ahead of the chart table but we tend to run our fridge all the time when away. We'd like to be able to do 3 nights in an anchorage without having to charge the house bank. With the present capacity, we're always the ones who have to run our engine when rafted up with friends. Most of our cruising companions have 4/6 volt and large alternators. I'm not sure how much I'd get out of solar, but would like to look into a panel that would fit over the companion way cover in front of the traveller.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Cory B]

Batteries

I have 2 6v and 1 12 under the salon seat on the port side.

Ditto. We went a little overkill with the extra-tall extra-amperage 6Vs and a group 31. When we went up North a few years back we were fine at anchor for 2-3 days running the fridge. We tried to take a little load off the fridge sometimes by adding ice when available.

 

[Steve]

Battery 35-3

This is our set-up. I think some 35-3's had a water tank in addition to the holding tank on the port side, ours came with the holding tank only on the port allowing for extra space. Our water is under the v-berth and starboard settee. There is five house and one start battery, the three house to the port are separated from the two starboard with a selector because we are using a three bank charger via a Truecharge 20. The separation also helps keep all your eggs, so to speak, out of one basket. We still use the panel master 1 -2 selector, we just have a sub-selector on the house side. We don't have any heavy load items such as an inverter, only a AB cold machine.

I think I would rather had the water on the port to off-set the starboard and none under the v-berth, but that's another thread for another day.

 

[treilley]

Depending on which holding tank you have, you may have room in front of the water tank to port. I replaced my holding tank with a new Ronco unit. They no longer have the L shaped section that comes back into this compartment as that was a weak point of failure.

 

[Cory B]

Steve,

Interesting to see your pic. Our boat has lead ballast (looks like OEM) added to the bottom of the outboard underseat compartment. Our boat was made just before they made the switch to the split water tanks. My guess is they were trying to balance out the boat. I would have preferred to have done it with extra batteries like you have done.

 

[Steve]

Tanks

We have the older L shape holding tank, and will be replacing.. hopefully this winter.

So Corey, you say there is lead where my batteries are? Do you have the same water tank set up, (1)tank to the starboard and (1)under the v-berth? Our boats are very close.

Tim, you then have a tank on the port is your other to starboard? If so, anything up front under the v berth?

Steve e35-3 #159

 

[treilley]

The lead was probably added after the fact. Bruce King sailed on my Friend's '87 E34 when it was commissioned and he noticed the starboard list and had the dealer add 400lb of lead to the port side. It seems the E34s and E35s of this vintage all had this list. More noticeable when loaded up for cruising.

I have a port, starboard and v-berth water tank. The original owner of my boat basically bought it with just about every available option. I believe the forward tank was the optional one. I have thought about adding the lead to my boat to help with the list and also get me an extra 3 seconds on my phrf rating. We do not use the forward tank and will empty the starboard tank first to help with the list.

Cory, what form is that lead in? Can you snap some photos? I may be able to add it to the space in front of the water tank and behind the holding tank.

 

[Loren Beach]

By 1988, the factory must have backed off on placement of additional lead to get rid of apparent heal for "boat show appearance"...
All the Olsons have a slight port list, and when the first owner of our boat ordered it with the optional 2nd water tank (port, aft, laz.) it made things worse.
Of course we can always load bulk stuff like the Zodiac into the starboard-side big empty space in the aft cabin.... For cruising the boat does balance out level.

Interesting to observe all the different brands of boats, sail and power, around our moorage and see how many have some degree of heal when at the dock.

Perhaps you guys need a better stowage plan for cases of beer, kegs of rum, cases of Dinty Moore, and haunches of aged Dugong.


LB

 

[treilley]

All of my liquid storage is movable ballast

 

[Cory B]

Port List

Steve,

Yep, same water tank setup as you. 50 gallon tank starboard, and 35 gallon forward.

The added lead sure looks OEM, covered with same glass and paint as rest of the boat, and they a got few details (drainage) figured out better than the average hack would have. We actually have a port list, unless the 50 gallon starboard water tank is almost full. I figure part of the reason they split the aft water tank in to was to balance the boat, and the hulls right before they got the new tanks they might have added lead to do the balancing. But who knows for sure.

Someday I'll get the lead out... it lowers the height of what I can store in that compartment by about 3 inches. Plus our boat is probably heavier than average with the monster 8424 diesel... let alone all my junk.

We have the older L shape holding tank, and will be replacing.. hopefully this winter.

So Corey, you say there is lead where my batteries are? Do you have the same water tank set up, (1)tank to the starboard and (1)under the v-berth? Our boats are very close.

Tim, you then have a tank on the port is your other to starboard? If so, anything up front under the v berth?

Steve e35-3 #159