What is wired direct to Battery(s)?

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Albreen

There is so much great information on the forum about C34 wiring. I have to admit, this is not an area of expertise for me and the depth of the information can blurr the eyes and daze the mind. I've almost completed a full wiring diagram of the boat and have traced all major positive and negative runs. I'm getting ready to begin to reroute what is directly wired to the batteries to another DC panel at the nav station; autopilot, CO2 sensor, stern seat lights, DC outlets, and inverter, to name most of them. There is also a second smaller electrical panel already at the nav station wired directly to the house bank batteries for the radar/chartplotter, spreader lights, and some newer cabin lights. Wouldn't it be better to jump this smaller panel and another one off the primary panel? Also, how best would the small 1500 watt inverter be wired? Finally, what should be left directly wired to the battery bank besides the obvious bilge pump?
Paul Leible
1987 C34 "ALBREEN", SR/FK, M25XP
Sailing Lake Champlain

Stu Jackson

#1
Quote from: Albreen on June 07, 2012, 06:22:00 AM

1.  There is also a second smaller electrical panel already at the nav station wired directly to the house bank batteries for the radar/chartplotter, spreader lights, and some newer cabin lights.
Wouldn't it be better to jump this smaller panel and another one off the primary panel?

2.  Also, how best would the small 1500 watt inverter be wired?

3.  Finally, what should be left directly wired to the battery bank besides the obvious bilge pump?

1.  "Off the primary panel..."  The power for the primary panel comes off the C post of the 1-2-B switch.  You could either take power from one of the buses on the main panel or directly off the C post.  I agree that the existing secondary panel should be rewired so as not to be directly to the house bank.  Rather than "jumpered" consider the word "feed" as in the feed for the secondary panel comes from...

2.  Inverter wiring -  Depends if you're going to have the inverter power the house AC wiring or just standalone.  If standalone, using just the receptacles on the inverter, it's simpler.  You know you will require much heavier wiring to the house bank for the inverter, and fuse those at the bank.  Most likely new bus bars or Power Posts for a PDP & NDP (positive & negative  distribution posts) would help to avoid ganging up wiring on the battery terminals.  Don't know if what you bought has an on/off switch.  More details would help.

3.   Bilge pump and stereo memory switch.  What else do you have that should be "always on?"

And whatever you do, suggest you do one thing at a time and check it, 'cuz if you do more than one thing and it doesn't work, it'll be harder to troubleshoot.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

Albreen

Thanks Stu....this must be a fairly easy one for you.  :D
Yes, I should have said feed rather than jump. And of course, our setup is a bit different. There are actually two Perko 1/2/Both switches for (3) wet batteries. All are below the settee forward of the sink. House batteries 1 & 2 are in parallel at the first Perko Switch position 1 and the C then feeds the 2 position at the C34 panel switch. Battery three is designated engine and feeds directly to the switch at the C34 panel in position 1. Here's another oddity - the house panel comes off the C34 panel switch position 2 designated "House" on the switch face and not the C. I think the PO intended to completely isolate the house from the engine this way and be able to have the first Perko switch isolate the "house" bank only. I don't really understand why..........

The inverter is a simple 2 receptacle unit and I'll follow your advice with the busbars. Per your advice, I'm moving slow with all this and doing one at a time. Sometime soon I may finish and sail! :-) 
Paul Leible
1987 C34 "ALBREEN", SR/FK, M25XP
Sailing Lake Champlain

Ron Hill

Paul : There should be NOTHING wired directly to the batteries that isn't fused
Ron, Apache #788

Stu Jackson

Paul, it took me a couple of reads to finally understand your switching arrangement.  Good for you for describing it and actually understanding it.  Guess the choices you have are to leave it, or simplify it.  Good luck.
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."