Advice needed for electrics...

[Ribquest5.3]

Hi all,

I am in the process of adding bits to my RibQuest 5.3.

Currently, I am running the following off a single battery:

VHF
Lowrance
Headunit + 2 speakers
Nav light
Bilge pump

I plan to install another 2 speakers, a 12v cigarette socket, twin LED light bars and potentially further lighting. Does this sound a little too much for one battery?

[Xk59D]

Be fine, leds use nothing. Depends what you are plugging into the cig lighter but it will not consume very high amps no matter what it is likely.

However, it may be worth adding another battery as a backup if you leave things on when out and engine off. Most chartplotters have a low voltage alarm so i would atleast set it up at 12.4v or so with the single battery.

[Ribquest5.3]

Thanks for the advice, so just to clarify, in total i'll be running the following off a single battery. Nothing will ever be on whilst the engine is off and I have a solar panel connected to the battery.

VHF
Lowrance
MP3 Headunit + 4 x 200w speakers
Single Nav light
2 x LED light bars
12v cigarette lighter (charging an iphone)
LED gauges

[Xk59D]

Solar panel is doing nothing virtually, dont calculate it adding anything when under way in use. They are only meant to keep batts topped up, not top them up.

If you want to work out things you need to know how many amps they consume per hour...volts * watts= amps. The watts can normally be found in the spec sheets of your gadgets.

Also, if you have a 100amp battery then really you shouldnt use more than 50 amps from it.

Again, put a voltage alarm on and make sure the engine starts as easy as possible. If worried than add a battery in parallel but nothing on your list sounds unreasonable for normal use with engine off for a while. The bilge pump is probably the largest current draw without breaking out spec sheets.

[Ribquest5.3]

awesome, thank you for help!

[Last Tango]

This actually has more to do with the charging facility of your engine than battery and that varies dramatically from one engine to another.

An old or small outboard might only charge at 3 or 4 amps whereas a modern large outboard could easily output ten times that.

In essence you have to establish your engine's charging capacity and see how that compares with the load you want to impose on the battery.
You really don't want to run your charge circuit flat out for prolonged periods but short term load will be dealt with by the battery. "On-charge" your battery should be sitting at around 14 volts. If it's falling below 13 volts with the engine above idle then maybe a bit much. Although what your quoting doesn't seem excessive. (The "4 x 200 Watt speakers" (800watts) misleading that ain't going to draw 65 amps.

Your LED bars might be rated for both 12 or 24volt and in truth the if you meter the current they draw it's not as much as their spec would dictate. I think maybe the wattage they claim is based on running them on 24volts.

[Ribquest5.3]

Awesome answer, thank you.

Engine is a 2010 Yamaha 90hp 2 Stroke. Done less than 5 hours. Do you think that'll cope?

Don't think ill ever have all the electrics on at once.

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by Ribquest5.3

VHF
Lowrance
MP3 Headunit + 4 x 200w speakers
Single Nav light
2 x LED light bars
12v cigarette lighter (charging an iphone)
LED gauges

VHF Max (only when actually transmitting) 5 amps Next to nothing on standby)

Lowrance 1 - 2 amps ?

MP3 Check it's recommended fuse rating and subtract about 30% for actual max current. 6 amps ?

Nav light (24watt ?) 2 amps

Light bars Depends on the rating. Theory divide wattage by 12 to get amps but I'd guarantee it'll be less. 3 amps ?

Charging iphone......not worth counting but you might want to plug something else in there.......spot light ? (that'd be about 5 amps)

LED gauges 1 amp ?

Your engine 90hp 2 stroke 2010. Stator charging (no alternator) maybe 15 -20 amps

All guess work but that's probably the sort of figures you're dealing with.

[Ribquest5.3]

Perfect, just did the same sort of calculation and it worked out the same.

Thanks for the help, I'll post pictures when it's finished.. This is it so far:

[Xk59D]

nice rig....i have a feeling you can add as many speakers as you want but you still won't hear damn all with a 2 stroke out back

you should be listening to that yam sing anyway!

Would look absolute killer with an A frame on there.............

[Ribquest5.3]

Funny you say that actually, rear seat and A frame with a further twin LED lights is being fabricated at the end of the month, should be fixed on by mid June. Had to wait for new engine to go on before taking measurements.

Hoping it won't add too much weight. Currently sitting at 46mph no problem.

[Pikey Dave]

Just out of curiosity why do you want so many lights. Have you done much night time boating?


Sh1t happens

[Ribquest5.3]

Honest answer, they look cool.

The furthest night time boating I'll be doing is down an estuary to a mooring.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Ribquest5.3

Honest answer, they look cool.

The furthest night time boating I'll be doing is down an estuary to a mooring.

Too much light will screw up your night vision...

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Ribquest5.3

Hoping it won't add too much weight. Currently sitting at 46mph no problem.

Probably will knock off 3mph possibly a bit more.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Poly

Too much light will screw up your night vision...

Yup, even the light from the instruments will be annoying. You will have everything dimmed to minimum. The nav lights from passing boats will be painfully bright & leave you with after images.
Ditch the bling, it's not cool to look a tit.........IMHO😄


Sh1t happens

[Ribquest5.3]

Lol....

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by Poly

Too much light will screw up your night vision...

You're plainly just not understanding how cool they look.

You don't need night vision when you can illuminate the whole of Largs

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

You're plainly just not understanding how cool they look.

You don't need night vision when you can illuminate the whole of Largs

Ah, of course, that explains the need for the disco system too!

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

You're plainly just not understanding how cool they look.



You don't need night vision when you can illuminate the whole of Largs

What from Knightsbridge bloody hell some lights😂😇


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