Battery height.

[mdt]

I have started on the build of the console… and I am looking for some guidance of how high off the deck (inside the console) I should have the battery.

It is going to be inside the console glassed to the deck, as water tight as one can get it to be. And my current thinking is to place it on a 9inch high shelf. Putting the top of the batt 18inches above the deck. I am right to think if I was to end up with water 18inches inside the console loosing electrical power could be the least of my worries? the humber has it’s batt really quite high up just looking to get the COG as low as is reasonable?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by mdt

I have started on the build of the console… and I am looking for some guidance of how high off the deck (inside the console) I should have the battery.

It is going to be inside the console glassed to the deck, as water tight as one can get it to be. And my current thinking is to place it on a 9inch high shelf. Putting the top of the batt 18inches above the deck. I am right to think if I was to end up with water 18inches inside the console loosing electrical power could be the least of my worries? the humber has it’s batt really quite high up just looking to get the COG as low as is reasonable?

I must have had over a foot of water on the deck when I stuffed it in the Forth a few years ago with you. That was obviously outside the console not in, but it doesn't seem totally implausible to me to get 18" on the deck if you f**k it up properly and if that involved stalling the engines, or being thrown out your seat I could imagine that it could take a wee while to compose yourself - or being in conditions where you can't get the trunks down straight away - so if your witches hat, hatch etc leak it must be possible to get 18" in the console too? Yes it might be the least of your worries - but it might be the one time you really NEED the electrics! But my own battery is probably less than 18" off the deck, certainly not water tight and its not something I loose sleep over.

The other time my boat has been "swimming in water" has been when the bung was left out. If that happened without you being on board (e.g. at lunchtime) then it could ruin your day if it did get to the battery. So I guess it all depends how sure you are its water tight...

[J S]

Originally Posted by mdt

I have started on the build of the console… and I am looking for some guidance of how high off the deck (inside the console) I should have the battery.

It is going to be inside the console glassed to the deck, as water tight as one can get it to be. And my current thinking is to place it on a 9inch high shelf. Putting the top of the batt 18inches above the deck. I am right to think if I was to end up with water 18inches inside the console loosing electrical power could be the least of my worries? the humber has it’s batt really quite high up just looking to get the COG as low as is reasonable?

Id stick with a similar idea to your humber console with a shelf high up for the battery in real terms I dont think it makes a massive difference to COG. For example when the rib is swamped up to the top of the tubes then you will have no problems as long as all the other connections on the deck are all up to scratch. You are right in thinking you would be more worried about that amount of water being in your boat but would be best to still have electrical power. You can easily get into this situation leaving the boat on a mooring and it blows up a little, iv come across many ribs in this situation the only way to get rid of the water is drive them with the trunks down as a bilge pump will have no effect as the water will be flowing over the transom so its an advantage to be able to start the engine. And as Polwart said you can easily be in this situation by stuffing.

James

[Rogue Wave]

As high as you can

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

As high as you can

Bugger, mines on the deck inside the console of the SR4, still its better than in a leaky box next to the transom like it used to be!

[9D280]

My old searider it was under the seat on the deck in a nominally watertight box. Thing is whenyou get properly swamped, it's amazing how un-watertight you find consoles are! My battyery survived it;s scuba lesson OK, it was the battery switch that died over the next few hours.

My console i nthe Humber ios the type tyou describe. Batt switch is also well above water level, and mounted in a "hatch bucket" (have a look at Lasers for a pic of what I mean) so the whole lot is above "swamp level.

Other thing to remember is that once swamped, the engine will drop the transom, so if you are hiding it under the wheel, the water level will be below toob top.

I'd make sure it's above toob height, but more so the switch.

[jyasaki]

With my Achilles 14, I had the battery sitting in a plastic (non-watertight) box at the transom. On one particularly rough day, the waves were occasionally washing over the bow of the boat while we were diving, and I surfaced to find a good 12" of water above the deck. The battery I was using was a tractor battery that stood perhaps 8" high, so it was completely submerged.

I figured I'd have to figure out how to pull-start the motor, but hit the starter button anyway. To my surprise, the engine fired right up. A bit of running (well, OK, a lot of running) to clear the water from teh deck, and everything was good. The salt bath didn't seem to affect the battery at all (cabling is another story.)

I did learn one lesson though: The battery box that is designed to contain acid spills also holds sea water for long periods of time if you don't empty it.


jky

[PeterM]

Mine are buried at one of the lowest points in the hull ! I'm worried now ........

[mdt]

Originally Posted by 9D280

My old searider it was under the seat on the deck in a nominally watertight box. Thing is whenyou get properly swamped, it's amazing how un-watertight you find consoles are! My battyery survived it;s scuba lesson OK, it was the battery switch that died over the next few hours.

ah never did think about the cut off switch being an issue. nice one mate.

Originally Posted by 9D280

Other thing to remember is that once swamped, the engine will drop the transom, so if you are hiding it under the wheel, the water level will be below toob top.

that is a good point being a searider the transom will almost be under the water most of the time.

Originally Posted by 9D280

I'd make sure it's above toob height, but more so the switch.

smart plan I shall stick the Batt above the tube tops.

[markg]

i would not bother too much about the battery, i have had electric fence units and batterys completly submerged under a few feet of water for nearly a fortnight and they have been fine, keep the wireing connections to the minimum and solder the joints where you can is more important

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by markg

i would not bother too much about the battery, i have had electric fence units and batterys completly submerged under a few feet of water for nearly a fortnight and they have been fine, keep the wireing connections to the minimum and solder the joints where you can is more important

Wrong. A battery in salt water will be a corrosive disaster in a very short time. From experience and imho, of course.

[9D280]

Originally Posted by mdt

that is a good point being a searider the transom will almost be under the water most of the time.

It was!