Let's hear about your winter boat projects!

[pete]

Installed my new prosport charger today,been wanting one of these for a while  

[Glock Diver]

Nice Pete!  That's right where I mounted mine.

Next project related to batteries:  Figure out a way to charge my batteries while I'm driving to the boat ramp.  
Options:
1. Power inverter from inside my truck, plug in an extension cord, run it to my on-board charger.
2. Use 12v from my truck's 2nd trailer light socket, and run that straight to the batteries.  

Any thoughts?  

[gran398]

Glock,

Went back to search, couldn't put my hands on it,  but the same idea came up last summer/fall.

Seems like Gone Fission hit the nail on the head....go with option #2.

[pete]

First off,do you keep it plugged in all the time?I was under the assumption that should keep um topped off.
If thats not feasable what about one of those solar deals?
Both of those ideas will work,but why do it if you have a charger designed to be kept plugged in?
How about one of those wind chargers?Put it in a rocket launcher and it will be wind powered as you drive
If youre having trouble with the batts holding a charge maybe its time for new ones.
Do you keep your batt switch to "off" so there is no drain?

Good luck!

[RickK]

I would leave the charger plugged in 24/7 when at home and remembering to unplug it before you leave the house   , it should last you to the ramp as long as you're not running baitwell pumps.

[DOCREED]

I want one of those passports too.

[Glock Diver]

First off,do you keep it plugged in all the time?I was under the assumption that should keep um topped off.
If thats not feasable what about one of those solar deals?
Both of those ideas will work,but why do it if you have a charger designed to be kept plugged in?
How about one of those wind chargers?Put it in a rocket launcher and it will be wind powered as you drive
If youre having trouble with the batts holding a charge maybe its time for new ones.
Do you keep your batt switch to "off" so there is no drain?

Good luck!

Yeah, I know we talked about it in a thread last summer...  I just haven't found anybody who's actually done this yet.

My HOA compels me to keep my boat elsewhere  :(  (storage lot), so I only have it at my house for 4-6 hours at a time, when I'm cleaning it or tinkering on something.  So I plug in the charger then.

My batteries are good, and I keep the switch turned OFF when not in use.  I just like the peace of mind knowing that when I go offshore, I have 2 fully charged batteries.  And if I forget to charge them, having a way to charge 'em enroute to the ramp seems like a good solution, if it's feasible.

[pete]

ok i get it now.why not use one of those solar chargers

[Circle Hooked]

Mike what kind of batteries do you have,i have AMGs and unless you leave something on they don't discharge like regular ones do,i never put a charger on mine and there always good to go,but i do start the boat every few weeks if not in use.

I do like Petes idea aslong as someone dosen't steal it while the boats at the storage place,that would be my worry.

[RickK]

We had a thread on the solar option in the past - I think GF started it.  Do a search?

[Double Trouble]

OK where to start:
Just had the boat shrink wrapped last week already changed out all the battery cables they were original to boat,started redoing all the grounds with new ground block and relocated to a dryer area ,started building a new switch panel for the helm using lighted contura switches, still to do clean up the wireing in the helm and add a new bluesea fuse block for my electronics run permenant wiring to breaker panel in cabin for head overboard dischargeand last but not least add a second house battery to run parrallel with the one I installed last year.I think that should keep me busy until the spring stripers start

OK so here we are spring is a week away finished almoust everything except the second house battery.Some pictures.

This is what I started with



Finished



The mess in the console NOTE the access.





I reversed everything and made access trru the bulkhead in the head.







Shrinkwrap comes off this weekend so I can change the plugs and thermostats on the enginesand I willbe ready for the season.

[pete]

Double T,that looks awesome Sea bob would be proud!How long did that take?

Glock,maybe one or two [1 per battery] would work?On sale at Lowes....


lets get busy on those winter project spring is here

[Double Trouble]

Double T,that looks awesome Sea bob would be proud!How long did that take?

Glock,maybe one or two [1 per battery] would work?On sale at Lowes....


lets get busy on those winter project spring is here

Thanks Pete and I really like those chargers nice install to.
The wiring in the console took about 4 to 5 hours including cutting the bulkhead and fabing the door.Pulling the new feeds from the stern and redoing some wiring back there took another 6 hours.

[pete]

the install on that was easy,had to move the blue seas battery combiner [upper right] to make room.by the way that battery combiner has worked perfectly,I highly recomend them,keeps both batts charged without having to swithch back and forth.

[Capt. Bob]

Double T,that looks awesome Sea bob would be proud!

Ditto!  

That's a hell of a difference