[the_abuse]

I have a 72 irwin 28. the boat came with 2 12v deepcycle bateries and they were in the engine compartment in a rickity home job battery box. im in the midst of upgrades and am just wondering where the best location to put my new bank.

the banks will consist of ;

one 12v starter

2-4 6v golf cart batteries.

the starter batery has its own fiberglass holding box in the engine bay which i could move but would like to keep it there.

adding the 2-4 golf cart bateries (most likely 4 because of the wife power hungry needs) will add quite a bit of weight to this cruser and Im not sure where i should put it for balance. i can eigther put it in an aft berth that im using for storage in its own enclosure or i can put it in the bow under the berth where i have a big empty space where it would be centered in the boat vice all being on one side because i dont want to split them up.

 

[Maine Sail]

I have a 72 irwin 28. the boat came with 2 12v deepcycle bateries and they were in the engine compartment in a rickity home job battery box. im in the midst of upgrades and am just wondering where the best location to put my new bank.

the banks will consist of ;

one 12v starter

2-4 6v golf cart batteries.

the starter batery has its own fiberglass holding box in the engine bay which i could move but would like to keep it there.

adding the 2-4 golf cart bateries (most likely 4 because of the wife power hungry needs) will add quite a bit of weight to this cruser and Im not sure where i should put it for balance. i can eigther put it in an aft berth that im using for storage in its own enclosure or i can put it in the bow under the berth where i have a big empty space where it would be centered in the boat vice all being on one side because i dont want to split them up.

If you can find the height you might look into the J305 class or L16 class of 6V batteries. J305's are usually around 300Ah's and the L16's can give you 400Ah's +/-. The only is these are a slightly taller package

 

[Alex W]

Put big heavy weights (like 83lb L803 batteries) as close to the center of the boat as possible. Is your under the v-berth location or your under the aft-berth location closer to the keel (fore/aft, not laterally)?

 

[the_abuse]

Put big heavy weights (like 83lb L803 batteries) as close to the center of the boat as possible. Is your under the v-berth location or your under the aft-berth location closer to the keel (fore/aft, not laterally)?

Im just using the kirkland golf cart bateries from costco i have heard good things about them.

the birth would be the most centered location as the aft birth would be furthest from the keel and on the port side

i might have room under the quarter birth on eithers side to hold 2 bateries a side maybe... and that would be directly under the keel (ballast)

 

[chucklesR]

If you have to split them for cubic space and weight balance then you are probably better off splitting them into two banks as well.
The preferred solution now a days is on large bank. You might be able to cable them up with large enough cable to get minimal voltage drop, but not zero, so charging as one bank with be sub-optimal.

Your best bet is to make one bank as big as you can, then add solar to keep it topped up.

 

[Skipper Jer]

I have mine under the companion way ladder. The battery box forms the first step. Its on the center line of the boat, about mid way fore and aft.

 

[T37Chef]

I purchased two L16 Trojans (per Mainesails advice in a previous discussion) and can tell you they are built like tanks and are huge. I found a box (via Mainesail again) and put them center-line. I use my perventer & boom to install/remove from the boat, pretty easy actually.

Cheers