Monterey 322 Batteries

[Artemus 0]

Our 1998 Monterey 322 has total of 3 batteries, one for each engine, and one for the generator. Unlike some other boats I have owned, there is no "house" battery to use when the engines are not running.

 

I am wondering about adding 2 additional batteries, in parallel [one to each engine battery] to increase the capacity. Has anyone else ever done this before?

 

Thanks.

[GetAway 0]

I have a 242 Cruiser, single engine with two batteries. On the battery selector switch #1 battery is the aft battery. I installed a 225 ah deep cell Trojan battery that I was going to add to the forward battery which is #2 on the switch. I am going to use battery #1 just for starting the engine. I am going to connect the frig. to bank #2 so it can run all night without having to worry about draining any of the banks. I have a Charles battery charger that will charge three banks. At the present time I have all three batterys being charged by this charger. When I add the 225 to battery #2 I will disconnect the charger from the 225 and leave it connected to the #2 battery. The charger should be able to charge both batteries as a bank on #2.

 

I'll let you know how it all works out once I'm finished. It's too wet around here right now to work on the boats electrical system without getting soak and wet.

[RSUMRTOY2 0]

I added 5 extra Interstate 29's (?) I think that is the number for the biggest deep cycle they have. In my 2004 282CR I can be out for 4-5 days with no problem!

[Hammer2o 0]

I added 5 extra Interstate 29's (?) I think that is the number for the biggest deep cycle they have. In my 2004 282CR I can be out for 4-5 days with no problem!

Do you have a picture of the install? Is this a DIY project?

 

Thanks

Jim

[GetAway 0]

How did you hook these extra batteries up? Did you tie into your starting batteries? Does you engine and/or battery charger charge these?

 

I'd like to add a couple more to my system but I don't have the room for them. It's pretty tight in a 242's engine compartment.

[Artemus 0]

Thanks guys. Now I just have to find the room to mount them. Things are pretty tight down in there with the genset. I'll post a few before and after pictures once I'm done.

[RSUMRTOY2 0]

I will take some pictures and post them in a couple of weeks...Our boat is inside for Winter Storage at the time and 4 hours away. We don't have a genset so there is quite a bit if room, so I took 2 2"X6" pressure treated wood and put them sid eby side and the entire width of the enine bay so I have lots of room to add the 5 battery tie downs and the batteries...I tied them all in positive to positive using #1 gauge wire and I put my own ends on. I connected them in series(?) to one and another and I found the original house battery and added them to it. That way I have the starting battery in case anything happens. The boat sits level and I can be out for days!

[RSUMRTOY2 0]

How did you hook these extra batteries up? Did you tie into your starting batteries? Does you engine and/or battery charger charge these?

 

I'd like to add a couple more to my system but I don't have the room for them. It's pretty tight in a 242's engine compartment.

 

 

The existing charger works fine. I hooked them up to the existing house battery not the starting battery.

[Artemus 0]

I will take some pictures and post them in a couple of weeks...Our boat is inside for Winter Storage at the time and 4 hours away. We don't have a genset so there is quite a bit if room, so I took 2 2"X6" pressure treated wood and put them sid eby side and the entire width of the enine bay so I have lots of room to add the 5 battery tie downs and the batteries...I tied them all in positive to positive using #1 gauge wire and I put my own ends on. I connected them in series(?) to one and another and I found the original house battery and added them to it. That way I have the starting battery in case anything happens. The boat sits level and I can be out for days!

 

 

Looking forward to seeing the pictures!

 

Tying them together the way you did, is actually in parallel. [The correct way] This keeps the voltage the same, but the capacity increases. Batteries connected in series, raises the total voltage to the number of batteries times their voltage. [5 batteries x 12V = 60V DC]

[GetAway 0]

Still waiting to see those pictures.

[RSUMRTOY2 0]

[Artemus 0]

Nicely done! They should hold you for a few hours!

 

I now have my additional batteries installed as well. Ill take a couple of pictures, and post them in a day or two.

[RSUMRTOY2 0]

That would be GREAT, I would love to see what/how other boaters do it.

[GetAway 0]

I wish I had as much room in my engine bay as you do. I can add another size 31 on the starboard side but that's it. That will give me 4 total.

[Kaczor 0]

Artemus,

When it comes to house battery bank, I have the same challenge on my 322 – three starting batteries with house loads connected to one of them. Fridge by itself kills that battery pretty quickly.

I’m in the process of adding 4 golf cart batteries totaling 450 Ah. With no shore power in my marina I have to rely on generator and alternators. Thus I’m adding dedicated 80Amp charger and couple voltage sensitive relays. Next question of course is where to fit all that. I decided to rearrange all engine wiring, trim pump and macerator pump on starboard site. To move the wires I had to remove holding tank so while I am at it, I am also changing all sanitary hoses.

The plan is to put 2 starting batteries in the aft stb corner and 2 golf cart batteries on each site of generator, but the plan might change. The picture attached shows the milestone I reached on the weekend: “disassembly”

[Dodge06 0]

I am installing two 6 Volt 350ah batteries (hooked up in series for 12v)and a pair of 31 watt solar panels on the front deck of the boat. The panels will give me 62 watts of charge which in turn be 3-3.8 amps into the batteries via a charge controller. The 6 volt batteries will be house only and then I will have one starting battery. They will all be hooked to an isolator so thet the solar will keep the starting topped up at all times also. I trailer my boat and the area the we boat in we stay on the hook all the time, so the solar and the new batts. will provide use with enough power for as long as we want to stay out. I will be posting pics. as soon as I get the install completed which is under way now. I am also installing a windless at the same time and the pics will be posted also.

[Dodge06 0]

I am installing two 6 Volt 350ah batteries (hooked up in series for 12v)and a pair of 31 watt solar panels on the front deck of the boat. The panels will give me 62 watts of charge which in turn be 3-3.8 amps into the batteries via a charge controller. The 6 volt batteries will be house only and then I will have one starting battery. They will all be hooked to an isolator so thet the solar will keep the starting topped up at all times also. I trailer my boat and the area the we boat in we stay on the hook all the time, so the solar and the new batts. will provide use with enough power for as long as we want to stay out. I will be posting pics. as soon as I get the install completed which is under way now. I am also installing a windless at the same time and the pics will be posted also.

 

 

Tried out the new solar panels and house batteries this past weekend. They worked excellent we had more than enough power for everything and the solar panels never let the charge of the house batteries go below 75%. We had the fridge on all weekend, lights, stereo, pumps and the TV on at different times and never had a problem at all. I installed a 3000 watt inverter also but we did not use it this weekend, so I disconnected it when we got home and now I will be able to tell what kind of draw it pulls from the batteries even when it is turned off but connected to the batteries.

 

This is installed on a 2005 250CR. I do have pictures but againg for some reason I can not load them on to the forum.

 

Thanks Peter