Maiden Voyage
 

Well, took the boat out for its maiden voyage this past weekend. Backed down the ramp and launched the boat. It started right up and all seemed fine. About 500 yards away from the dock we noticed smoke coming from under the dash. Thought it was wiring melting so I shut it off. Felt around behing the dash for heat and seemed it might be around the radio. The smoke cleared and we started it back up and headed back to the ramp when I noticed the the temp was high so I shut it off again about 50 feet from the dock and opened the engine compartment and noticed a lot more smoke. I assumed the water pump was shot. We loaded back onto the trailer by hand and went back to camp. Called the local marine repair guy I know and made an appointment to get it looked at the next morning. Pulled the drain plug and noticed quite a bit of water was in the bilge for such a short time on the water.

At the repair shop, they pulled the seawater pump to confirm our suspicions that the water pump was indeed shot. They replaced it and its housing, Changed the oil, checked all the fluids, and found a 4 inch hole in one of the captains call hoses. Got that fixed and all seemed fine. Turns out the exhaust smoke was coming from the hole in the captains call system and was coming up the sides of the boat behind the sidewalls and out from the dash area. This also explained where all the water was coming from in the bilge.

Took the boat out later that afternoon. All seemed fine. We went to a marina for lunch. I noticed that the battery seemed weak, but the boat started and ran fine (temp was good). Got back to the ramp to load up my son and his friends. Then the boat wouldn't start, turned the key and could hear the stereo sub hit, but no power, no lights, no bilge pump or radio. Assume the batteries were dead. While we were out on the water, I noticed while watching the gauges for high temp that the oil was fine, volts looked fine, etc.

Loaded the boat up (again by hand) and went back to camp. Put a battery charger on the batteries. One battery was 15% charged and the other was 75% charged. I would have thought the 75% one should have started it but no luck. I think the shop guy didn't get the batteries and all the wiring hooked back up correctly. There is a Perko battery switch on the boat. I also noticed that the underwater LED light I had installed was burning dim, turned on the switch and it got brighter, turned off the switch and it just dimmed. I had to unhook it to get it to go off.

All this to ask: I assume the boat has two batteries because of the stereo system with 400 watt amp and subs. Does anyone here have a good wiring diagram for hooking up 2 batteries with the perko switch (and the stereo amp/subs and everything else)? Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance, Ron

Re: Maiden Voyage
 

Hi Ron,
In addition to the Perko battery selector switch you should also have a battery isolator. Here is a wiring diagram for such a system with a single motor (alternator).

Re: Maiden Voyage
 

Thanks for the diagram. What size wires should be used for each run in the Diagram?

Re: Maiden Voyage
 

Also, the diagram shows 2 circuit breakers. What size breakers? and where do I get some?

Re: Maiden Voyage
 

The size of the wires depends on how long they are and how much voltage drop you can stand at a given current.

Battery cables can be anywhere from #6 to 4/0, the most popular is probably #2 while the output of the alternator is usually #8 or a #6, sometimes larger for higher output alternators.

The circuit breakers are sized based on the output of your alternator and the wire size coming from the alternator. Very often fusible links are used rather than circuit breakers or fuses. All of these components can be found at any good marine supply store such as West Marine etc.

A good guide for the charging system can be found here http://balmar.net/PDF/Alternator%20Manual.pdf

Re: Maiden Voyage
 

Here is another diagram I drew up this year for someone else. Forget about the 3rd battery as this is my system (batteries 2 and 3 wired together and act as one battery). It also includes how to run the house services into a seperate fuse box with a relay. there are some footnotes that will tell you to fuse the power wires etc... As Steve mentioned you will run 6-4 AWG wire for the main battery connections. Mine are fusible linked. Also if you have an battery isolator, you will want to fuse the ground wire to prevent any damage to the circuit board inside.

Re: Maiden Voyage
 

Hey rayzorback

Just waiting to get my 245 STC back from the shop. They are installing 2 battery banks ( 4 batteries) with a charger for my Alpine system in the boat. I can send you some pics if that would help..

Thanks
Duane

Re: Maiden Voyage
 

Thanks Guys! The diagrams help... and pics would be great too Duane.