Freedom 275 house battery

[rifraf4u]

Hello, new Freedom 275 owner here.. yea!

Has anyone added a third house battery to this boat? If so, would you mind sharing how you handled the switching for accessories that would be on the third battery? I can see using a blue seas ACR to keep the house charged - but looking for ideas on the switching.. thank you.

 

[DennisG01]

This doesn't directly answer your question the way it was asked, but I think it answers what you're trying to do in the end...

Add the new battery in parallel with your existing house battery. Now you effectively have a single battery that has twice the amp hours.

 

[seasick]

What are your goals for an additional battery?
How many motors does your boat have?
Haw many battery switches does it have?
Do you want to power a lot of loads when the motors are not running?
Do you want to dedicate a third battery to something specific?

 

[rifraf4u]

What are your goals for an additional battery?
How many motors does your boat have?
Haw many battery switches does it have?
Do you want to power a lot of loads when the motors are not running?
Do you want to dedicate a third battery to something specific?

 

[rifraf4u]

Sorry, it’s twin 200. It has two batteries, no house. I want to add the house to move the electronics et al off the cranking batteries and to help make sure the helm master ex doesn’t have issues after long periods of fishing or whatever.
I guess the question really comes down to where to place a third switch on the 275

 

[SkunkBoat]

read thru this to get an idea

https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/new-battery-config-for-265.25744/

 

[DennisG01]

Sorry, it’s twin 200. It has two batteries, no house. I want to add the house to move the electronics et al off the cranking batteries and to help make sure the helm master ex doesn’t have issues after long periods of fishing or whatever.
I guess the question really comes down to where to place a third switch on the 275

OK, that's a little different than what I was thinking based on your first post. OK... here's an idea:

Use the aux charging lead from your stbd (for argument's sake) engine (or an ACR if you're already using them or don't have it) to charge the house battery. Run your house supply line (the one that goes to the dash) off the load side of a new 1-2-Both-Off switch. Connect one load post of the switch to the stbd battery and the other laod side to the house. Let's say you pick #1 for the house battery. Normally, that's what you'll use. But if for some reason the house battery fails, you have the engine battery as a backup supply.

I'm not sure what you mean by "where to place" the switch? Just put it where it's most convenient for you to install and use.

 

[rifraf4u]

OK, that's a little different than what I was thinking based on your first post. OK... here's an idea:

Use the aux charging lead from your stbd (for argument's sake) engine (or an ACR if you're already using them or don't have it) to charge the house battery. Run your house supply line (the one that goes to the dash) off the load side of a new 1-2-Both-Off switch. Connect one load post of the switch to the stbd battery and the other laod side to the house. Let's say you pick #1 for the house battery. Normally, that's what you'll use. But if for some reason the house battery fails, you have the engine battery as a backup supply.

I'm not sure what you mean by "where to place" the switch? Just put it where it's most convenient for you to install and use.

thank you! This is what I am thinking from a wiring perspective. The next issue is where to install the new switch on the boat given it’s not going to fit into the stock Grady switch panel.. where it can be easily accessed and stay dry

 

[Hookup1]

I have 4 batteries in my 268 Islander. Twin F150's that charge their starting battery and another battery using the charging shunt. If the motor doesn't have a charging shunt you can add it. The starting batteries are isolated and won't be drained by any of the "house" loads. Duracell AGM 34M's for engine and bow thruster and water pumps and AGM 27M for house. Batteries from Sam's Club. Interesting the Group 34's have higher MCCA's than the Group 27's.

Three batteries is easier! Ideally you can get all 3 batteries together. Three batteries next to each other was factory. My fourth battery was added later and sits next to the bow thruster.

I'm not a fan of parallel batteries. They will double amp capacity but should be replaced together.

 

[SkunkBoat]

So... you have twin motors and 2 batteries. You say "no house" but that is not correct. One of them is doubling as the house and start, probably the Starboard battery (#1).
Do you have one or two switches?
If you could post the diagram from your manual that would help. What size batteries are they?

Your simplest solution is to just add a battery parallel to your starboard battery. Many twin Gradys were configured this way with 3 batteries...2 parallel stb&House and one port start.
You wouldn't need any changes to switching and no changes to charging.
You would double the AmpHours for your House side. I am a fan of parallel House batteries. They are essentially one Big Ass battery.

The link I posted earlier explains how to separate the house from the Stb start to have a dedicated House bank.
I think that is a preferable solution but not the simplest.

 

[rifraf4u]

Skunk, although adding another battery in parallel to starboard seems like the easiest solution, I’m not sure it will cover the main use cases I worry about. 1) will a motor start cause my electronic to go out and have to be restarted (really annoying). And 2) will something like a stick float on a bilge he pump still ruin the day?

the boat has helm master ex, and I’m concerned a low battery will cause misbehavior with that system. Iss won’t have power at the dock to ensure everything is fully charged each morning.

so I think adding a third battery for house with a switch and an isolator is the way to go on this..

The remaining question is where to place an additional two way switch in the freedom 275 that is reasonably convenient to access. I don’t have the boat until spring, so trying to get my ducks in a row on this.

Thank you!

 

[SkunkBoat]

Skunk, although adding another battery in parallel to starboard seems like the easiest solution, I’m not sure it will cover the main use cases I worry about. 1) will a motor start cause my electronic to go out and have to be restarted (really annoying). And 2) will something like a stick float on a bilge he pump still ruin the day?

the boat has helm master ex, and I’m concerned a low battery will cause misbehavior with that system. Iss won’t have power at the dock to ensure everything is fully charged each morning.

so I think adding a third battery for house with a switch and an isolator is the way to go on this..

The remaining question is where to place an additional two way switch in the freedom 275 that is reasonably convenient to access. I don’t have the boat until spring, so trying to get my ducks in a row on this.

Thank you!

yep as I said preferable solution is an isolated House bank.. Did you look thru the 265 battery config thread? I know the boat layout is probably a little diferent than yours but the setup does exactly what you are looking for and it incorporates the existing switches and wires. Look at the Blue Seas mini switches that I put under the gunnels. That might be a solution for your switch.

idk if you have the Aux charging cables on your Yammies. That is how you can truly isolate the house and still charge it from both motors without messing with switches.

You can use an ACR with SI (start interupt) also.

 

[rifraf4u]

yep as I said preferable solution is an isolated House bank.. Did you look thru the 265 battery config thread? I know the boat layout is probably a little diferent than yours but the setup does exactly what you are looking for and it incorporates the existing switches and wires. Look at the Blue Seas mini switches that I put under the gunnels. That might be a solution for your switch.

idk if you have the Aux charging cables on your Yammies. That is how you can truly isolate the house and still charge it from both motors without messing with switches.

You can use an ACR with SI (start interupt) also.

Thanks. I did and it was very helpful. Thanks again.

 

[rifraf4u]

Thanks. I did and it was very helpful. Thanks again.

So took a closer look at the 275 at the ny boat show today. Curious if anyone here knows the procedure to remove the power panel in that boat. Appears you might have to remove the entire frame. Doesn’t look very serviceable.

 

[rifraf4u]

While this is an older model, the panel setup is similar in the current model.

 

[DennisG01]

There should either be screws around the outer perimeter or the interior perimeter. They should be quite visible. Very easy to do - that whole panel should come out in about 5 minutes.

I've never taken that particular panel out of that particular boat - but what I described is common. It should be very easy to figure out - did you see the screws?

 

[rifraf4u]

There should either be screws around the outer perimeter or the interior perimeter. They should be quite visible. Very easy to do - that whole panel should come out in about 5 minutes.

I've never taken that particular panel out of that particular boat - but what I described is common. It should be very easy to figure out - did you see the screws?

yah, screws in the door frame. I’m sure that’s it, but it’s also sealed to the hull factory caulk. No biggie

 

[DennisG01]

yah, screws in the door frame. I’m sure that’s it, but it’s also sealed to the hull factory caulk. No biggie

Fishing line will make quick work of most of that. Plastic scraper or credit card, as well.

 

[seasick]

yah, screws in the door frame. I’m sure that’s it, but it’s also sealed to the hull factory caulk. No biggie

Make sure you use a caulk for resealing the frame. Don't use an adhesive.

 

[rifraf4u]

Make sure you use a caulk for resealing the frame. Don't use an adhesive.

With that said, is their a Grady White off white colored caulk available? Curious