[Garry Hartshorn]

That would be your choice, both will work, a converter would be more technically correct. As to the selection of the converter you would have to check out the spec's, I understand that Newmar have quite a range and I am sure there are other manufactures out there as well.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by CSkipR

Garry,
That is very similar to what it looks like. I'm not at the boat and unfortunately don't have a picture in front of me. Not sure about a converter will it handle the amperage of an amplifier. Typically what do these converters run. After running the two # 6 wires it seems like a waster to have to purchase a converter when I have 4 new house batteries.
Thanks

If I remember correctly, you have a 43' Cabo. I believe CABO installs a 12 volt battery buss from the factory, on the expresses it's on the foward bulkhead under the clear plexiglass for hooking up electronics to and so on. I cannot remember if the batteries are on the starboard rear of the engine room like the 48's, or foward center like the expresses. Test for voltage.

[CSkipR]

Originally Posted by Capt J

If I remember correctly, you have a 43' Cabo. I believe CABO installs a 12 volt battery buss from the factory, on the expresses it's on the foward bulkhead under the clear plexiglass for hooking up electronics to and so on. I cannot remember if the batteries are on the starboard rear of the engine room like the 48's, or foward center like the expresses. Test for voltage.

Capt J,
You are correct its a 43 Cabo FB. There is one buss bar visible with plexiglass over it mounted on the starboard rear side of eng room. I have never checked the voltage at those lugs. The batteries are located on this side too.
There is a negative grounding bar with a number of yellow wires connected in front of battery box.
Your thoughts are appreciated.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by CSkipR

Capt J,
You are correct its a 43 Cabo FB. There is one buss bar visible with plexiglass over it mounted on the starboard rear side of eng room. I have never checked the voltage at those lugs. The batteries are located on this side too.
There is a negative grounding bar with a number of yellow wires connected in front of battery box.
Your thoughts are appreciated.

I might be wrong, as it's been a while since I've worked on a 43'. BUT, I think those are 12 volt buss bars installed by Cabo for the sole purpose of having them there for 12 volt electronics and such. Check the voltage on them, but I think you will find your 12 volt there. and you would use the negative buss bar located there with the yellow wires I believe.

[Henning]

Originally Posted by CSkipR

Garry,
That is very similar to what it looks like. I'm not at the boat and unfortunately don't have a picture in front of me. Not sure about a converter will it handle the amperage of an amplifier. Typically what do these converters run. After running the two # 6 wires it seems like a waster to have to purchase a converter when I have 4 new house batteries.
Thanks

Unless you are looking to run an amp for a major rock concert, you will have no problems just hooking up to a positive and negative terminal off of one of your batteries. I'm assuming you're hooking up a car stereo amp, and unless you're looking at bass booms to shatter the windows, you won't be drawing enough current to cause any problems with your charging system or batteries. If you were running a bow thruster or 12v refrigeration, that would be an issue. A stereo amp or some bridge electronics, cell phone charger....no worries.

[Henning]

Originally Posted by Garry Hartshorn

That would be your choice, both will work, a converter would be more technically correct. As to the selection of the converter you would have to check out the spec's, I understand that Newmar have quite a range and I am sure there are other manufactures out there as well.

Thing about those converters is that for the money, you might as well buy an inverter and then you can get a better A/C stereo.

[CSkipR]

Originally Posted by Henning

Unless you are looking to run an amp for a major rock concert, you will have no problems just hooking up to a positive and negative terminal off of one of your batteries. I'm assuming you're hooking up a car stereo amp, and unless you're looking at bass booms to shatter the windows, you won't be drawing enough current to cause any problems with your charging system or batteries. If you were running a bow thruster or 12v refrigeration, that would be an issue. A stereo amp or some bridge electronics, cell phone charger....no worries.

Henning,
Yes I plan to run a car amp on the system and not trying to rock the world. Just some music no subwoofers. My concern is the 24v Newmar charging system. Will it start charging the batteries at 24v and blow the amplifier.

[Garry Hartshorn]

As long as you connect as per the diagram that will not be a problem however if you wish to check, measure the voltage with a multimeter between the negative buss and the 12VDC buss while the battery charger is operating prior to hooking up any equipment. You should not have more than 14 volts. You should also check to see that you get a reading of 0 Volts between your ground and negative buss.

The benifit of using a converter are that your 12 VDC power supply is stabilized as well as avoiding placing different loads on batteries in the system.

http://www.newmarevpower.com/DC-DC_C...rd_Series.html

[Henning]

Originally Posted by CSkipR

Henning,
Yes I plan to run a car amp on the system and not trying to rock the world. Just some music no subwoofers. My concern is the 24v Newmar charging system. Will it start charging the batteries at 24v and blow the amplifier.

Yes it will always charge at 24 volt (actually about 27.2-27.8) but if you tap + at the mid + post (the one that is connected in series to the other batteries - post) your amp will not see it. Your amp, if of reasonable quality, will have no problem handling 18v, depending on its internal power supply board, it may handle anything from 6-32v as many high end units will. If you're worried, turn off your charger and run your batteries down a fair bit then just hook up your multi-meter and turn on the charger and see what you get. I doubt you'll see more than 14.2 -14.4 at that point which will be fine on even the cheapest amp.

[MB2009]

Not to be simple but why cant he just come off the 24v terminals with a resistor in line to drop the voltage?

[MB2009]

I hit the send button too quickly. I dont know the amperage draw for your amp but the formula is 24-12/amperage of amp will give you the ohms use the closest resistor. Its been a while but is there a reason this wont work?

[Henning]

Originally Posted by MB2009

I hit the send button too quickly. I dont know the amperage draw for your amp but the formula is 24-12/amperage of amp will give you the ohms use the closest resistor. Its been a while but is there a reason this wont work?

Because the heat generated by the resistor. No sense in wasting energy into heat like that for no good reason when he can just tap the power he needs. Figure the stereo is 100 Watts, the resistor would have to be 100 watts as well. That means that resistor will be as hot as a 100w light bulb which means it would require a fairly large heat sink and it would be a fairly expensive resistor, over $50, and would waste the energy of 100w light bulb, just waste.

[MB2009]

Originally Posted by Henning

Because the heat generated by the resistor. No sense in wasting energy into heat like that for no good reason when he can just tap the power he needs. Figure the stereo is 100 Watts, the resistor would have to be 100 watts as well. That means that resistor will be as hot as a 100w light bulb which means it would require a fairly large heat sink and it would be a fairly expensive resistor, over $50, and would waste the energy of 100w light bulb, just waste.

Didnt think of that.