We did basically what Tor did… Moved them to under the aft berth. We
used the compartment forward of the one Tor used. We have 5 group 31s
there. We have a group 27 starting battery stbd of the
engine in the hanging locker and a group 31 agm under the vberth for the
windless and bow thruster. We built strap rails or modified battery
boxes for all of them.

Our holding tank (kracor.com) is aft of the mast forward of the deep
bilge. We had to strap that in as well using metal strapping-relatively
permanent. Made Dave’s brother put in the strapping as Dave didn’t
fit. It was painful at the time. I got to just watch 😀

– pat

Robert Fine wrote, On 4/13/14, 7:01 AM:

I know this has been discussed before, but has anyone moved their batteries
to that area of the keel aft of the mast? And if so, did you leave other
batteries elsewhere?

I know Tor moved all his to the compartment aft of the water heater with
some magic formula for putting them in. I’m wondering if I can put 3 4Ds
behind the mast and leave the two group 31s aft of the water heater?

Did you put them on some kind of rails? How strapped in place, etc.

Thanks,

Bob

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Bob,

Interesting idea. In terms of weight, locating
batteries just aft of the mainmast seems ideal. The
trade-off, of course, is a larger voltage drop on the
longer cable run to the control panel, but I’m sure
you’ve considered that.

I like your idea of rails, too. Perhaps you could then
make a simple steel frame tray, a “car,” for each
battery that slides/glides/rolls on the rails. Extend
the rails from abaft of the mast as far aft as possible
above the deep sump, so that you can roll all 3
batteries forward and aft together once they’re all
strapped into their rail cars. That way you can get at
them from above, together, to initially connect them to
each other, and thereafter to service and maintain them
regularly without it being such an ordeal. It’s a bit
of engineering, but the result might be downright
functional.

Remember there is also space at the bottom of that
little hanging locker abaft the nav table. I have a
dedicated group 27 engine starter battery there.
Another G27 battery under the V-berth feeds the
electric windlass and saves running 00 cable all the
way forward.

Tor

As originally equipped, my 424 had the batteries in a locker on the starboard side. This gave the boat a permanent list. I moved them to the bilge beneath the salon table and replaced them with a set of four golf-cart batteries. I have a separate starter battery that is on the shelf in the hanging locker. Two alternators charge the independent battery banks. In a flooding situation, the batteries in the bilge might get submerged. The starter battery is up high however so I should be able to start the engine.

Removal of the battery box in the starboard lazarette opened up to a huge storage area.

Rich

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Sliding storage trays and shelves including for batteries are popular with the RV crowd. Try Google. Only problem might be finding one that will stand up to the marine environment.
Quent

I have been waiting to ask this question of this group and Rich just gave me the opportunity. I have a center console boat that has the batteries located in the bilge. I have not liked this arrangement since the beginning and I am going to move them to the console. If I install a buss bar for each cable and they are submerged will they short out just like the battery? I guess the alternative would be butt connectors and heat shrink tubing.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Linus

Live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun

On Apr 13, 2014, at 4:36 PM, “quent” wrote:

Sliding storage trays and shelves including for batteries are popular with the RV crowd. Try Google. Only problem might be finding one that will stand up to the marine environment.
Quent

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Hi Linus
I’m thinking your question is how to reliably extend the battery cables to the new battery location. I had a similar problem with windlass cables that needed connections in the anchor locker. Nothing lasted until I did this.
Cleaned the cable ends until they were bright metal, then joined them with heavy duty butt connectors, the kind that are as heavy as battery cable lugs. Attached these with a heavy duty hydraulic crimper from Harbor Freight. This is so strong that it really crushes together the cable strands. Only costs about $50 if you catch it on sale. I then covered the butt connections with heavy duty sealant filled shrink tubing, the Ancor stuff they sell specifically for battery cables.
Third season, no problems.
Quent

This sounds like what I’d do. I don’t understand where you’re moving them to however. What is the “console”? How long a cable run will you have and what gauge cable are you using?

Rich

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Rich
That is part of the problem. It is an outboard motor the cables are probably 4 ga I will be adding 10 feet of cable that I was planning to use 00 gauge left from Sumocean’s rewire. I was hoping to put lugs on the end and use a buss bar to connect the two different size wires. I can’t find a watertight solution

Linus

Live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun

On Apr 21, 2014, at 9:13 AM, wrote: