FAQ: Refrigeration?

I have a 1997 C34 which came with two 4D batteries. I always run my refrigeration except when I leave the boat at the marina between sailin trips. When I arrive at my marina at the beginning of a sailing trip (day, weekend or longer) I turn on the battery charger that I had installed when I bought the boat, and I turn on the refigerator. By the time I'm ready to cast off the batteries are charged. The refrigerator stays on until I return to my marina and leave for the week. The refrigerator is on whether I am sailing, motoring, at anchor, or tied up at a slip. One seaons worth of experience indicates that there is no problem with leaving the refrigerator on. My normal procedure when going for longer than a weekend is to anchor out one night and get a slip the next night. When anchored for the night I do watch my use of on-board lights and have never had a problem starting the engine the next morning (Lou Berman, Second Wind, #1366)

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