My Islander has a single Yamaha 250, with two batteries, a starting, and a deep cycle. In addition it is wired for dockside power, and has an inverter, and a battery charger. When I dock and shut down, it the proper configuration for overnight - batteries off, inverter on, dockside power attached? Or do I leave the deep cycle battery on, with the inverter and dockside power attached?
Dockside Power Question
- Thread starter Patsy Mac
- Start date
Well, it's a bit difficult to say exactly w/o seeing a schematic, but I don't see any reason to leave the inverter on, and I'm not sure why you are turning the batteries off - unless you don't have any DC loads.
Do you have the "convenience package" that included the refrigerator? and do you leave it on? We do, and that is 12VDC.
We have an inverter, and only use it when NOT on on shore power, to use the microwave or something plugged in to a 120VAC outlet.
We had a single engine, and two batteries, and the charger was connected to both. Now, with twins, and two start plus one house bank, the charger is connected to all three batteries.
Brian
Do you have the "convenience package" that included the refrigerator? and do you leave it on? We do, and that is 12VDC.
We have an inverter, and only use it when NOT on on shore power, to use the microwave or something plugged in to a 120VAC outlet.
We had a single engine, and two batteries, and the charger was connected to both. Now, with twins, and two start plus one house bank, the charger is connected to all three batteries.
Brian
If you are leaving the boat and not staying overnight, you shut off all power. Now if you leave anything on like Brain said, a refrigerator or say a battery charger or livewell pump if you need to, then you leave the respective power source on. The refrig may have a dual power source but the charger needs AC power, and the frig will draw down the battery after a few days in hot weather. Must leave on a battery charger for the pump.
Many connect shore power always, be it used or not. If no concern or known issue with stray current, then it doesn't matter, I tend to leave it connected only when necessary, just in case since I do ntocie more loos of zinc during heavy season overnighting.
When you shut off your DC power, you automatically protect the battery in case you left on the radio or a cabin light or the like, if you come back next weekend, the battery will be dead as a doornail and ruined.
I wired a seperate feeder to my frig so I can control it independently while shutting down everything else via batt switch.
Bilge pumps auto circuit stay powered irrespective of any switches.
Have fun.
Many connect shore power always, be it used or not. If no concern or known issue with stray current, then it doesn't matter, I tend to leave it connected only when necessary, just in case since I do ntocie more loos of zinc during heavy season overnighting.
When you shut off your DC power, you automatically protect the battery in case you left on the radio or a cabin light or the like, if you come back next weekend, the battery will be dead as a doornail and ruined.
I wired a seperate feeder to my frig so I can control it independently while shutting down everything else via batt switch.
Bilge pumps auto circuit stay powered irrespective of any switches.
Have fun.
I do have the refrierator, and would like to leave it on. Sounds like what I need to do is hook up shore power, turn off the invertor, and leave the house battery on supplying the frig, with the shore power running the battery charger keeping it charged as the frig draws from it.
It is starting to make sense. Boy do I have allot to learn :?
It is starting to make sense. Boy do I have allot to learn :?
You came to the right place.
Find out what the inverter feeds, perhaps a TV or VCR, or microwave.
I presume you have a 12 VDC marine refrigerator, not a home type 120V unit they sell at the depot for $60.
Find out what the inverter feeds, perhaps a TV or VCR, or microwave.
I presume you have a 12 VDC marine refrigerator, not a home type 120V unit they sell at the depot for $60.
Patsy Mac said:
Our refrigerator is the one from the factory. It is 12VDC only. It has been running for 5-1/2 years, only turned off when the boat is out of the water for more than a day (i.e. bottom painting). We leave the house battery on, the charger on, and all is well.
A device like that refrigerator will last for much longer if it just runs, rather than being turned on and off all the time.
BTW, it will hold 12 cans on the top shelf, 12 on the bottom shelf, and four bottles of water in the door...
Brian
Bob and Brain are 100% correct. Shut off all batteries unless you need to run something that is powered by them. You do not always need to run the shore power, but it is not a bad idea to. I agree having it on will eat away at your anodes a bit quicker. As for the invertor, you should not need to turn that on every trip, it should only need to be turned on if you wish to run something off it. Find out what exactly it powers, as Bob says, it is likely your microwave and maybe a tv/vcr. If you are not using those things, don't bother having it turned on. Check what type of battery charger you have, some are desgined to shut off when batteries are full, if yours does not, I'd consider replacing it. Overcharging batteries can kill them just as quickly as not charging them as needed. My charger shuts off when they are fully charged, and I use a bit of battery on the water on most trips so I put my shore power on after all trips. We also use the boat a lot and make 2-4 trips per week so it does not sit being connected all week. I like to know when I come down that my batteries are fully charged and ready for me to go. They should be from the alternator itself and running, but if I've drained my batteries a bit and the ride in is short, I'm not always sure they are charged how I'd like them to be so for me the shore power is a safe bet. I shut my batteries off all the time.