Intermission
Member
Bob, does the compass have an umbilical for night lighting?
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Cheers - Bryan
Surprise!
- Thread starter BobJ
- Start date
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
My compass may, indeed, have three lights. Having not uncovered it since the Electrician Magician installed it, I am unable to brag about that at this time. My my, aren't we all bored? I see that those bad boys and girls in the Moore and Melges contingencies had a Delta Ditch UnRun. Sigh. I wish I'd thought of that. But in 30+ knots? Whoo hoo. Coulda Shoulda Woulda. We're a pretty staid crowd by comparison.
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
The E-dock e-regulars are calling this a "Ludicrous Speed mat." (I dunno - you'll have to ask them what that means.)
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Lots of people out sailing Sunday. Coming back in from the city front I saw Robert Johnston sail past on Surprise! I tried to catch up, honestly, but it was impossible. This must've been why:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oApAdwuqtn8
Thank you to Bob for the appropriate film reference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oApAdwuqtn8
Thank you to Bob for the appropriate film reference.
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BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Boat wiring and the Law of Unintended Consequences:
The electric halyard winches work great but if I ran either of them for more than 10-15 seconds, they caused a voltage drop with which the B&G system, including the autopilot, was not happy. So I had to sacrifice most of the liquor locker to move one of the big batteries back aft to run the electronics. I installed an ACR between that battery and the other two in the house bank (which are still forward). Now the electronics don't see the voltage drop.
This gave me an excuse to buy a set of crumpets, which are really fun.
I thought the wiring changes didn't work because of what the panel's multimeter was showing, then I realized the meter was still measuring the two forward batteries, not the battery for the electronics. I fixed that but now I have a new problem: With all DC loads turned off, the meter shows -0.6A. Could the two little lights on the ACRs be pulling that much?
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The electric halyard winches work great but if I ran either of them for more than 10-15 seconds, they caused a voltage drop with which the B&G system, including the autopilot, was not happy. So I had to sacrifice most of the liquor locker to move one of the big batteries back aft to run the electronics. I installed an ACR between that battery and the other two in the house bank (which are still forward). Now the electronics don't see the voltage drop.
This gave me an excuse to buy a set of crumpets, which are really fun.
I thought the wiring changes didn't work because of what the panel's multimeter was showing, then I realized the meter was still measuring the two forward batteries, not the battery for the electronics. I fixed that but now I have a new problem: With all DC loads turned off, the meter shows -0.6A. Could the two little lights on the ACRs be pulling that much?
.
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breezetrees
New member
I think LEDs pull about 25mA but there could be more to the ACRs. Depending on where the current sensor is could the aft battery be charging the fwd bank or something? If their voltage was different because of using things?
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Here's what I think is happening based on the wiring: The voltage reading on the meter (12.91v) is now coming from the positive terminal of the single, aft battery. I can set up a third battery in the VSM if I want to see the individual voltages for the forward bank, aft battery and starting battery. I'll probably do that.
The negative cables from the aft battery and the two forward batteries are combined on the non-load side of the shunt. My understanding is the meter is drawing its amperage reading across the shunt, so it should be a combined measurement of the three house batteries. Otherwise as they "equalize" the amperage would be distorted, as you suggest in your second sentence.
(Edit) Rob corrected me, pointing out that the shunt is measuring the amperage only for the battery that has the positive lead back to the meter. (It must be that "completing the circuit" thing.) So I'll move the negative cable for the non-metered battery back to the negative bus and see if the readings make more sense - after I go sailing on Sunday.
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The negative cables from the aft battery and the two forward batteries are combined on the non-load side of the shunt. My understanding is the meter is drawing its amperage reading across the shunt, so it should be a combined measurement of the three house batteries. Otherwise as they "equalize" the amperage would be distorted, as you suggest in your second sentence.
(Edit) Rob corrected me, pointing out that the shunt is measuring the amperage only for the battery that has the positive lead back to the meter. (It must be that "completing the circuit" thing.) So I'll move the negative cable for the non-metered battery back to the negative bus and see if the readings make more sense - after I go sailing on Sunday.
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BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Not an exciting post except that I'm done with the electrical system for a while.
I moved the battery to reclaim some space in the wine cellar/liquor locker. Down the road this space will probably be used for solar controllers. The dual ACRs 1) separate the starting battery from the house bank if low voltage is sensed on either circuit, protecting the starting battery from discharge, and 2) separate the forward house batteries powering the winches from the aft house battery powering the DC panel/electronics, protecting the electronics from the big voltage drop caused by the winches.
I was concerned that with heavy use of the autopilot(s) offshore (when I don't need the electric winches), I may want to combine the three house batteries back together. So today I installed a parallel switch to do that. I moved the panel multimeter's sensing wire back to the forward house bank and will use the voltmeter in the B&G system to monitor the aft house battery. I moved some other wires around to clean things up, and zip-tied everything. Tomorrow I'm going sailing!
Sorry this forum inverted the image - I can't fix it. We need the available upgrade to our forum software.
I moved the battery to reclaim some space in the wine cellar/liquor locker. Down the road this space will probably be used for solar controllers. The dual ACRs 1) separate the starting battery from the house bank if low voltage is sensed on either circuit, protecting the starting battery from discharge, and 2) separate the forward house batteries powering the winches from the aft house battery powering the DC panel/electronics, protecting the electronics from the big voltage drop caused by the winches.
I was concerned that with heavy use of the autopilot(s) offshore (when I don't need the electric winches), I may want to combine the three house batteries back together. So today I installed a parallel switch to do that. I moved the panel multimeter's sensing wire back to the forward house bank and will use the voltmeter in the B&G system to monitor the aft house battery. I moved some other wires around to clean things up, and zip-tied everything. Tomorrow I'm going sailing!
Sorry this forum inverted the image - I can't fix it. We need the available upgrade to our forum software.
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Jonathan Gutoff
New member
Is the white box that says ProNautic the AC charger?
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Yep. Back in pre-Covid days (post #208) I mentioned the Freedom 10 charger/inverter mounted in the back of the boat. It weighed a ton and was pre-AGM technology - it wouldn't charge the new batteries properly. The ProNautic replaced it.
After yesterday I'm thinking of using some of that weight savings for one or two utensils. Maybe a carbon fiber spork.
After yesterday I'm thinking of using some of that weight savings for one or two utensils. Maybe a carbon fiber spork.
I have a titanium spork in my backpacking kit. I bought Joan (aka "The Coffee Queen") a vacuum-enclosing titanium, 800 ml. coffee cup with a lid for Christmas a couple of years ago. Since I couldn't bring myself to ditch my perfectly good enameled steel oldskool coffee cup, I bought the spork. I'd been carrying my Boy Scout mess kit knife, fork and spoon for decades, and that little assembly was heavy!
You should already have a sailing knife, so what more could you need?
Cut with the knife, stab with the knife, stir with the knife. If you make soup, just slurp it down from the bowl.
More seriously, I'm curious if the handwriting was intentional instead of a label printer, or just chance? Label printers are usually thermal printers, so printed labels may bleach or black out after spending some time in the sunny California summer.
Cut with the knife, stab with the knife, stir with the knife. If you make soup, just slurp it down from the bowl.
More seriously, I'm curious if the handwriting was intentional instead of a label printer, or just chance? Label printers are usually thermal printers, so printed labels may bleach or black out after spending some time in the sunny California summer.
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
In response to a spontaneous invitation, a fellow E-dock e-regular hopped aboard yesterday for a sail down to the Estuary and back. She brought a salad but no fork, assuming I had one. I really need to get the galley equipment sorted out!
I printed the labels with a fine-point Sharpie on electrical tape, 'cause that's what I had. My wife has a label printer so I might make some fancier ones. Those electrical compartments don't normally see the light of day so fading isn't a concern. But frankly, I'm really tired of messing about in there and it might be a while!
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I printed the labels with a fine-point Sharpie on electrical tape, 'cause that's what I had. My wife has a label printer so I might make some fancier ones. Those electrical compartments don't normally see the light of day so fading isn't a concern. But frankly, I'm really tired of messing about in there and it might be a while!
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brianb
Olson 34 Driver
If those batteries are new you might want to combine them now so they stay well matched in terms of voltage and battery internal resistance. You might ask a battery expert for more details. I have read though that it is best if starting with new batteries to keep them tied together if the plan is to use them that way.