Electrical Upgrades

Mike from Boatyard Electric came by today to replace the house and starter batteries and upgrade some of the electrical components. We replaced the 4-1/2 year old wet cell 8D house and group 27 starter batteries with new Lifecycle absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries. We used an 8D deep cycle AGM for the house and a larger Group 31 AGM starter battery for the engine. The new AGMs are maintenance free and hold their charge better than the wet cell batteries. Since the AGMs are more tolerant of high temperatures I decided to leave the starter battery in the engine bay. Mike has had good luck with the Lifecycle brand and thinks we should get 8+ years of service from them. We mounted the starter battery box more securely and repositioned it slightly to make room for the other components. Since the AGMs require a lower float charge voltage than the 14.2v that our alternator puts out, Mike installed a new Balmar voltage regulator specifically configured for the AGMs. I've been using AGMs for my motorcycles for many years and really like them.

We also added a Xantrex Link LITE battery monitor. This will allow us to better monitor the condition of the batteries. The LinkLITe is much more accurate than the old original analogue volt and amp meters. In addition to volts and amps, the new monitor includes a gauge for percent full. This will be useful to determine when we need to recharge the batteries while away from the dock.

In addition to the battery monitor, we added a remote panel for the Xantrex 40 Amp battery charger. The remote charger panel was mounted below the main battery switch. This will make it much easier to monitor what the battery changer is doing since the charger is located under the starboard settee.

Mike also installed a 12 volt accessory outlet at the navigation station and fixed the shower sump which had a detached wire at the circuit breaker connector. Having a working shower sump pump will make LeeAnne very happy. LeeAnne will use the 12 volt outlet to charge her cell phone.

Mike convinced me into upgrading our basic Perko main battery selector switch to a Blue Sea unit with an automatic charging relay (ACR). The upgraded switch will automatically allow the generator to charge both batteries and will also isolate them to ensure that the starter battery is optimally charged. He has had good luck with these and said they last a long time. After our experience on New Years eve day, I decided to give the automatic charging relay a try.

Mike referred me to Curt for some woodwork. Curt crafted a teak panel for flush mounting the new main battery switch and remote charger panel. Unlike the current panel, the new panel has finished edges, counter sunk and bunged screw holes, and the grain is properly oriented. While we was on Spray, I asked him to repair a crack along the port side settee board used to make the double bed and flush mount the v-berth door so that it will close properly. Everything he did came out great! I varnished the panel in seven coats of gloss and re-did the galley cabinets in satin.