How To: Marine Electrical Seminar - Batteries - Episode 1 of 12

[@carloscalzadilla1711]

Great seminar, as a retired airline pilot, I believe in learning basic systems, before even buying my boat, I can appreciate the importance of batteries, on our 737 if we got down in an emergency to just our batteries, we may have less than 30 minutes before everything goes dark!!!! I found the right place to learn marine electrical systems, excellent presentation.

[@PacificYachtSystems]

We think alike, did the same thing before getting into boating, educated myself as much as possible to make less overwhelming when i got my first boat.

[@carloscalzadilla1711]

@@PacificYachtSystems Hi Jeff, I just had to share this with you and i know you will appreciate this feedback. Here i am studying for marine electrical systems and I am now in the process of purchasing an electric mobility scooter where all your training on batteries has come in real life into play and it makes a huge difference on battery selection,use, charging etc. ie;SLA/GEL SLA/AGM, proper chargers etc. I cant thank you enough with this training you supply us. I even sent a note to the manufacturer if they ever considered a "firefly" battery for the electric scooter market!!! Take care, and thanks again on the best KZbin channel ever.

[@flyingmedic]

A truly excellent lecture on the attributes of batteries. A very engaging presentational. Thank you. As a new boat owner I am now thinking more relevantly about the usage of my pre owned vessel.

[@Mark_Lacey]

I don't have a boat (yet) I have no solar at home but I have watched every one of Jeff's vidoes, simply because the are so engaging and informative.

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Thank you very much!

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Thanks Mark! Glad my passion for marine electrical resonates with you.

[@Dunkerbeck73]

Great being back in school, thanks for sharing

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Our pleasure!

[@thantsin8515]

Thanks Jeff!!! It means a lot. Keep up that good jobs!!!

[@luxorbill269]

I discovered your channel and glad a did. Due to it, found out about the Genasun controllers. Immediately bought one and replacing Chinese one this weekend. Only have lead acid flooded (2) but want them ready and healthy. My 60K fishing boat has the same needs as a 1M boat. We all need the power to get back to shore and batteries are the key. Thanks for being such a great speaker and teacher

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Thanks for sharing Luxor. Glad my advice resonate with you.

[@aloissuter1071]

Thanks Jeff found your Classes. LOL Awesome

[@Quartz331]

welcom back man ✌️ still watching you from kuwait 😁⚓️ keep going on man 👍🏼

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@graceopute2929]

God bless you exceedingly. I really appreciate

[@PacificYachtSystems]

LOL.... glad my info resonates with you.

[@guygendron11]

Are there any concerns if I were to use an Ecoflow Delta Pro (3.6kw) battery generator as the “shore power” supply (30A) to my boat using the shore power cable while at anchor. In addition, to charge the Ecoflow, I would install the Ecoflow 800amp Alternator Charger to my starter battery. Seems like a simple solution compared to purchasing a bank of lithium batteries, inverter and charger…. Thanks Guy from Gatineau.

[@mobolake7399]

Thanks for making this important and complex topic so understandable! Question on mixing battery types with Firefly. I'm changing boat battery & charger set up soon. If I change to Firefly foam carbon for house bank, is AGM starting battery ok? Will install Xantrex TC2 40A, is the AGM setting ok for both Firefly house bank and AGM starting battery? FF looks like 14.4V max charge, and the TC2 on AGM setting looks like 14.3. Does the same AGM charge regime work for both? If answers in seminars, advise which please.

[@V1rowt8]

Excellent question given Firefly does not manufacture a starting battery. I too would like to know the low down on this. Hoping he will chime in.

[@seanfoley9055]

Hi, So I purchased a new power boat and it has two batteries ,both are deka DP27 is this ok, one is for start and one is for house. thank you so much for all these videos ,your the best

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Yes, absolutely

[@thekiteboatparty3568]

Why no mention of Li-Ion Expensive up front but 1000+ cycles Charge fast Can use much more of the rated capacity (in some cases 100%) 1/4 the weight Sealed Safe Why no mention? By the way no hate! I love your channel.

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Thanks for adding to the conversation.

[@thekiteboatparty3568]

@@PacificYachtSystems you sorta already answered me… kzbin.info/www/bejne/mH6lcpaKptpkmJY self disconnecting batteries is a worry…

[@thekiteboatparty3568]

so further to this, after completely designing a lithium system i decided to not do it since the tech is just not proven enough and because i respect your opinion too much Jeff. The whole emergency 50% of extra battery (even though it damages them) plus the possibly frying the BMS and having no power for the VHF etc also weighed on my decision. The final straw though was that the lithium was slightly to big for my battery box so i have to build a remote battery box platform and run cable anyway. Then there was the price $600NZD more including the DC-DC converter. For the time being i have been labelling all my wiring and installed a negative bus bar by the existing battery and a Victron 712 battery monitor so maybe i will find i don’t even need a new battery.. We’ll see. In any case my wiring already looks way better with proper heat shrink terminals to a bus bar instead of a battery octopus 🐙 Thanks for all the advice Jeff!

[@thekiteboatparty3568]

oh and one more thing, there are tiny little wires powering my AIS connected to a much larger fuse wire, it’s way to delicate. I know you said use a terminal strip to join wires but i don’t think i can easily get one to join up to a wire that small. The small wire is part of a larger wire with lots of tiny ones. How should i join these wires so the litte wire will be securely connected to the bigger one and the little one especially will be safe?

[@mjsorl]

See a lot of information about inverter/chargers. Don't see any info with regards to chargers that do multiple batteries, such as NOCO marine series, any thoughts?

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Not aware of a current inverter/charger that has multiple outputs, anyone else can chime in?

[@mjsorl]

@@PacificYachtSystems OK. let me ask the question this way. I have 4 6 volt / 225 ah batteries and a single 12 volt starter batter. The 6volts (4) are wired as 2 pairs in series to give me 12v / 225ah and then I wired the 2 paired in parallel for 12v / 450 ah. I have a 3 bank battery charger. Is it possible to wire a bank to each set of paired 6volts and the single 12 volt starter battery.

[@Breal191]

At what voltage should I charge my 12V gel batteries hose bank. I have a 4D 225 Ah and 2 group 27 98 Ah West Marine gel batteries. My Magnum inverter charger allows me to dial in the voltage for various battery chemistries. I have it at 40 at 40 volts not but am I under charging at the dock?

[@PacificYachtSystems]

With Gel batteries, you definitely want to make sure you follow the exact specific charging requirements from the battery manufacturer. Gel batteries are very susceptible to over charging.

[@jimquantic]

here is my problem--I have one battery that has, of course, the major black wire on the negative, and the major red on positive. And the minor black wires of course, also on negative. BUT, there are wires dangling now-for several components. They are NOT black--or red. I can't trace where the other end of the wire goes, so how do I sort if should put them on the red or black post? Related, is it safe to go to the helm and find some component that is not working, then go back and touch one of these wires to the red and see if the component comes on--or will that maybe burn out a fuse? thanks.

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Unfortunately your wiring situation is all too familiar, as too many electrical connections on boats are unlabeled and not using standard color codes. What makes it worst, some devices cannot tolerate reverse polarity (i.e. DC positive and negative swapped). You might need a wire toner to figure out which wire goes where, it's tedious and frustrating, but you got to figure out it out.

[@jimquantic]

@@PacificYachtSystems My specific question--got a specific answer, and I thank you for that. What you just told me was something I thought might be true--but now I know--thanks to you. Appreciate it very much. I know there are wire labels--and it sounds like it will be worthwhile to get them labeled, once and for all.

[@PacificYachtSystems]

thumbs up.

[@freelectron2029]

cranking batteries capacity is not measured in CCA. its measured in amp hours. just like deep cycle batterys

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Here's a definition of CCA: www.autobatteries.com/en-us/how-to-choose-your-car-battery-replacement/battery-cold-cranking-amps-cca

[@gumshieds]

Hi Jim quick question I've recently installed Blue sea combiners to my system and replaced all battery leads. All seems ok , except on the Port engine I get a low voltage reading of 11.5 v . Checked Alternator output which is good , Batteries are good and fully charged from shore power charger. Checked at ignition switch . When off there is 13.7 volts , when I turn ignition on it drops to 11.5 ! What have I done wrong 🥺 is it a short ? If so how do I find it . Starboard is fine

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Well based on the info provided, and assuming you don't have an engine pre-heat, which would cause the battery voltage to drop when the engine pre-heats are activated. Your issue, is either a weak starter battery or a really bad connection on your starting circuit.

[@gumshieds]

@@PacificYachtSystems Thanks for reply Jim . i found the problem it was a bad earth connection at the instrument panel,the main earth in the engine loom became disconnected , all is good now , happy chappy

[@fishyhobby3697]

So Whats Your take and opinion on optima agm batteries?

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Limited experience, we rarely use optima.

[@viltur83]

Amp hours amp hours amp hours. If you have 6v 200amphous how many iphones can you charge If you have 12v 100 amp hours that is the same amounts of iphones (given 100% efficiency) Why not talk in watt hour's. 100 watt hour's are always more than 50 watt hour's no matter the voltage

[@PacificYachtSystems]

All good points. We talk in amp-hours because battery capacity is measured in amp-hours and not watt hours.

[@mauriceupton1474]

Dont eat or drink its off putting IMO

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Hi Maurice, your right. Learning this presentation stuff.

[@mauriceupton1474]

@@PacificYachtSystems just helping out:)

[@Breal191]

At what voltage should I charge my 12V gel batteries. I have a 4D 225 Ah and 2 group 27 98 Ah West Marine gel batteries. My Magnum inverter charger allows me to dial in the voltage for various battery chemistries. I have it at 40 at 40 volts not but am I under charging at the dock?

[@PacificYachtSystems]

See response to exact question.

[@Breal191]

@@PacificYachtSystems Thank you so much. I called west marine and asked them. They recommended charging at 30 volts for my 4D gel, 225 AH, bank 1 and 20 volts for bank 2,, also gel, which is 2 group 31s combined at 98 AH each for 196 AH total. Problem is I can only set it at one voltage with my inverter charger, either 20 or 30 volts. I asked them if I could simply charge my 4D at 20 volts and she said yes. However, I recall you mentioning not to under charge batteries as they will gradually die prematurely. Would charging my 4D at 20 volts be undercharging it? Also, since my 2 group 31s are combined, would it be ok to charge at 30 in your opinion? I realize this is hard for you to assess over the net without addt’l info. Thanks again!

[@Breal191]

I should clarify I meant amps, not volts