BATTERY BOXES

[Craig Mac]

Anyone have a recommended aftermarket battery box-----still have the original fiberglass tray---but the cover is MIA

[Stephan]

Craig-
When I moved my batteries to the bilge between the engines I used trays like this (https://www.amazon.com/attwood-Corporat ... 26&sr=8-12) and have been pleased.
Best,
Stephan

[Rawleigh]

My batteries are factory installed between the motors and never had a cover.

[Tony Meola]

Craig

My fiberglass tray never had a top. USCG regulations say the terminals need to be covered. You can purchase black and red end covers that go over the terminals.

If I were you I would keep the fiberglass case and either use the terminal covers or make a top out of AZAK or Starboard.

[Donmystic1]

I have a set of boxes and covers from a 33 Bertram SF

[Craig Mac]

For the standard battery box without cover----does anyone use tie downs? I am using Group 27----and they can move around----I looked at
mounting trays but there is just not enough room to mount 2 in the box.

[Ironworker]

A little off topic but similar question?

My batteries were located in the bilge just forward of the engine bulkhead. I'm strongly considering locating the batteries outboard of the new cummins. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the two locations?

[JohnV8r]

I put my two former battery boxes in the bilge in a single custom made Coosa battery box that keeps four Group 31 AGM's. Making the battery box was far easier than trying to find a premade unit that would fit.

I definitely notice the roll dampening moving them from outboard of the engines to low centerline. it was worth it for me. I also like the ease of access versus trying to get outside of hot engines.



Hope that helps!

[Stephan]

Very Nice work John!
Best,
Stephan

[Tony Meola]

The original fiberglass box on mine was open and Bertram had a piece of teak that used to wedge the batteries in. Real High Tech LOL. Just make a top for it.

The batteries in the center of the boat helps keep the weight low and stabilize the center of gravity. If you are doing that, you will not be able to fit strainers in that area.

[John F.]

I put my two former battery boxes in the bilge in a single custom made Coosa battery box that keeps four Group 31 AGM's. Making the battery box was far easier than trying to find a premade unit that would fit.

I definitely notice the roll dampening moving them from outboard of the engines to low centerline. it was worth it for me. I also like the ease of access versus trying to get outside of hot engines.



Hope that helps!

Very, very nice.

[Snipe]

This is my battery box made out of coosa fits 4 group 31 batteries.I glassed two fiberglass angles to the hull and the box is bolted to them. Also supports the deck in the companion way.

[bob lico]

professional !!!!!!

[bob lico]

some people sleep on their boats and like being rocked to sleep at night so other then those special people all others put the batteries between the engines in the companion way. ( keep the weight down the centerline of keel) .this is the principal of stability of a vee hull in water. making a battery box out of Azak brand pvc. board should take 20 minutes each box with a 3/4" Rabbit cutter bit for your router.. i Rabbit cut the top cover all the way around and it slips in perfect for 16 years.shown with cover off.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ ... &crop=fill

[Ironworker]

In between the engines is a good spot but I've located a 3 KW pocket mount transducer in the forward part of the compartment and plan on putting the water intakes at the aft part of the compartment. I guess I could move the water intakes although I'm thinking of adding a side scan transducer in the same location on the keel.

[Rawleigh]

For the standard battery box without cover----does anyone use tie downs? I am using Group 27----and they can move around----I looked at
mounting trays but there is just not enough room to mount 2 in the box.

Craig: When I went to the smaller batteries I used a piece of aluminum angle with holes drilled in the end with stainless allthread hooked into stainless loops bolted to the bottom of the box on each side. I added stainless wing nuts and washers to pull the batteries back and down. It has worked well.

[JohnV8r]

Rick,

If you look at the photo of my bilge battery area, you can see my two transducers forward of my battery box, but just not on the centerline. Eric Kunz, the product director at Furuno, was involved in the installation of my Navnet system in 2003 because I was a test boat for the Furuno NavPilot 500 Autopilot. One of the reasons the transducers are in the forward area of the bilge is because Eric warned me about "noise" from the shafts and water intakes diminishing transducer performance.

That may have changed over the last 18 years. However, you might want to ask someone about that before relocating your water intakes closer to your transducer.

Good luck!

[Ironworker]

Thanks John,

My 599LH is a huge transducer. I'd post some pics if I ever get the time to figure out how to do so. I need at least 4 group 31 AGM batteries (5 would be better) to carry my power load. We run as much as 3 large electric reels at a time and with the electronic equipment power load is pretty taxing on the batteries. I'm running 4 group 31 AGM's on my 26' CC.

[JohnV8r]

Rick,

That is a beast of a transducer...I'm jealous!!!

Would it be possible for you to locate the transducer forward of the motor box bilge space so it was directly behind the fresh water tank? Just spit balling this, it would seem if you went to external raw water strainers and intakes in the original location you should be able to have six Group 31 batteries in the motor box bilge area and the transducer in the aft salon bilge area where it would have almost zero noise around it.

I think I read somewhere that Airmar 599LH is like a 40lb transducer. You would definitely be dampening the roll with 4-6 Group 31's and that monster centerline and low.

Good luck!

[bob lico]

the side scan computer controlled furuno transducer took me a week to install dead center of keel. i had to make reverse form of F/G pocket and installed it first to accept this very sophisticated transducer. 1/2" thick fiberglass pocket .transducer goes to a furuno special computer and then to a server and then to 12" dedicated display by means of Ethernet cabling.

[bob lico]

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ ... &crop=fill

[bob lico]

[bob lico]

transducer is flush with bottom of the boat.

[Ironworker]

Thanks for the photos Bob. My 599LH took some time to install in the pocket and get it flush with the keel. I need to think about the side scan unit. Do you have a top picture?

[Ironworker]

Rick,

That is a beast of a transducer...I'm jealous!!!

Would it be possible for you to locate the transducer forward of the motor box bilge space so it was directly behind the fresh water tank? Just spit balling this, it would seem if you went to external raw water strainers and intakes in the original location you should be able to have six Group 31 batteries in the motor box bilge area and the transducer in the aft salon bilge area where it would have almost zero noise around it.

I think I read somewhere that Airmar 599LH is like a 40lb transducer. You would definitely be dampening the roll with 4-6 Group 31's and that monster centerline and low.

Good luck!

A beast it is. We are still in the demolish mode on my boat. We've taken 3 truckloads of fiberglass and rotten wood out so far and I have another day or two of demo to do. But its time to finalize some build back issues. I don't think I can relocate the 599LH. I was concerned about getting it that far forward and potentially risking interference with signal.

[bob lico]

iron worker you have to keep in mind a perfectly balance 31 Bertram with cummins and my procedure for engine installation will have the ocean breaking under the pillars .the entire bow to the pillar area is out of the water BUT the boat is parallel to the ocean in 4" waves at 30 knot cruise so you have to be real conscious of where you put that transducer.you can not have any air bubbles under the transducer ever ,sooooo you really want to put that flush transducer 1" to the rear of the battery box . the raw water intakes are under the step just in back of the transducer under the step from conpanion way to cockpit deck -----yea pretty tight area you have to plan everything especially with the height of crash valves.