So I started this thread when I got my boat: http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?16099-E32-3-Installing-Victron-BMV-700
But now that it's getting summer-y, and I have lubber cruise-mates coming aboard with CPAP machines and various electrical demands on a week long cruise, and given that their comfort is pretty important to me, I figure it's time I go through with upgrading my battery bank and getting the Victron installed.
The scope of this project looks like this:
I think there's plenty here to keep me busy, and I'll have to learn where a lot of negatives are grounded, run new wires, and so on. I'm thinking something like this picture:
Note that locations of the bus bars / shunts are more for the logical flow rather than where I think they'll physically end up. My biggest questions right now are around the wires themselves - do I somehow need to try and pre-measure lengths of wire so I can figure out what lengths to get? Do I need special tools to make custom lengths of heavy gauge wiring, or is this best shipped out to a pro?
Also, is a battery box going to be highly recommended if I have 2 6V batteries under the settee? I can just squeeze the two T105's in per virtual measurements, but not sure I can fit a prefab box.
But now that it's getting summer-y, and I have lubber cruise-mates coming aboard with CPAP machines and various electrical demands on a week long cruise, and given that their comfort is pretty important to me, I figure it's time I go through with upgrading my battery bank and getting the Victron installed.
The scope of this project looks like this:
- Remove two current Group 24 deep cycle Napa Auto Parts batteries
- Install two new 6V AGMs in SERIES as house bank (edited)
- Trojan T105-AGMs
- Install these under aft-most port settee
- Install battery box?
- Install new 12V Group 24 starter battery as backup
- Installed in current battery box
- Install new Battery Charger? Currently have a Guest 20A dual bank charger.
- Install Victron battery monitor
- Install Negative Bus Bar along engine stringer a la Christian's and Maine Sail's setups I've seen elsewhere.
I think there's plenty here to keep me busy, and I'll have to learn where a lot of negatives are grounded, run new wires, and so on. I'm thinking something like this picture:
Note that locations of the bus bars / shunts are more for the logical flow rather than where I think they'll physically end up. My biggest questions right now are around the wires themselves - do I somehow need to try and pre-measure lengths of wire so I can figure out what lengths to get? Do I need special tools to make custom lengths of heavy gauge wiring, or is this best shipped out to a pro?
Also, is a battery box going to be highly recommended if I have 2 6V batteries under the settee? I can just squeeze the two T105's in per virtual measurements, but not sure I can fit a prefab box.
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