RE: 1969 46' steel Roamer. It seems to me that the 4ea...4hd batteries P & S are in a very poor location for replacement and service. Has anyone done or seen a a good relocation for this installation???. Anxious for comments.
How about a pic of where yours are now, as well as shots of the ER? If your genny's forward of the port engine and your AC units are forward of the starboard, then outboard or inboard of the mains are really your only options. But more info is needed before that choice can be narrowed down. On mine, the raw water strainers are forward of the mains, so it makes sense to put the batts inboard near the rear bulkhead. But if your raw water strainers are aft, which I've seen on Detroit-powered boats, that kinda changes things.
I am at disadvantage since the boat isa in Cin. OH and I am in N. Al, But heres what I think I know. The Bats. are tucked outboard and up of each eng. Gen is fwd of port eng. and heat pumps are fwd of SB eng. . Sea strainers are visible fwd of port eng, Current Bat. holders are homemade wood with 4 compartments, and 4" deep, getting old bat.up and out and the new ones up and down is going to be challenging. hookingup the rear 2 bat. and later servicing close to impossible. I saw someone who put their bats. on sliding trays, but I am not sure that I have room to do that. Maybe between engs. aft, or on the other side of of the aft eng bulkhead are alternatives.. When I get back up there I will attack this issue, thought that others experiences might help in focusing on doable alternatives.
Sliding trays...I can imagine the convenience but think it would be challenging finding a surveyor who'd sign off on it. On the other side of the aft bulkhead is the shower and the closet. I suppose the shower could be considered a battery acid containment vessel, but it's probably not worth the loss of headroom. lol Aft between the engines sounds like the best spot. It's where mine will be.
Hi, In my opinion if the trays are well made and can be locked into place firmly when not required to be opened for the servicing of the batteries and do not constitute any more of a fire hazard than when installed in fixed boxes I do not see any reason why this arrgt would be a red flag to a surveyor. What class are these boats surveyed to and what regulations would the surveyor be working too?
When I lifted to floor boards to clean the bilge area aft of the eng. There seemed to sizable area there, but I can't recall the height. But I agree and think between the eng is the best starting place, Can't recall the area, but I will review my pics to see if I captured that space in A PIC. The PO installed a large Air Rec. Tank under the SB MSR bed, and had a shore COMP. AIR fitting top side for shore Comp Air. Have no idea what for, unless air tools.. He also instaled In addition two Carrier heat pumps for ducted HVAC thru out the boat, Shore power IN: one 30 AMP. one: 50 Amp. Air handler fits neatly in lower corner to the MSR closet.
I suppose ABYC E-10-7 (http://www.marinesurveyorschool.org/download_files/seminar_files/StorageBatteries0001.pdf) is as good a place to start as any. As long as the trays comply, I can't imagine there'd be a problem. Just seems like it would be an expensive engineering solution in search of an actual problem.
Example of a sliding battery tray can be found in the This Forum @ Shangi La post of May 2006, "Looking at a boat with no holding tank" I wish I knew how to link intra link it. I guess you have to smarter than the stuff u work with.
YES...That is the post that I found, and where I got the idea of using a sliding tray. My boating Bud suggested using garage door tracks and the ball bearing wheel brackets on the shelf for added strength.
Hi, That sounds all right. As long as you build it substantial enough to do the job, have adequate ventilation and observe the normal safety precautions you will be fine as far as I can see. There isn't anything in the ABYC Link that was posted that prohibits this method, there is even a statement at the end saying: The American Boat & Yacht Council standards are guides to achieving a specific level of design or performance, and are not intended to preclude attainment of desired results by other means.
Agreed, with the exception of the holes in the bottom of the tray (10.7.2 requires electrolyte containment). It would also be interesting to test the latching mechanism and attachment points by applying the stipulated 90# pulls perpendicular and parallel to the centerline. In the picture, it's an engineering workaround to an actual problem. But in the 46s, the ERs are enormous and unused bilge space under the galley is in abundance.
I got my sliding battery tray from Kwikee Products Company. Go to kwilee.com then click on utility tray.