Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On 3/15/2016 2:42 PM, John H. wrote:
On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 11:57:40 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

"
Without an alternator, though, I'm worried about leaving it at a slip.
I have an accessory battery, so I'm not worried about getting
stranded, but running lights and a stereo take up juice. "

Why no alternator? I'm not following...

I'm glad you asked that. I was going to do so, but then thought it might somehow be a
real stupid question.
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, audiophools, and narcissists...not guns!

I'm the one asking the stupid questions, I'm sure. :) I'm the novice
here, compared to most of you folks.

Okay, I should use the proper terms, I suppose. Its a 1985 Mercury 75.
I do have electric start, but my understanding is that on older
engines, a stator/vr is only to trickle charge the starting battery, and
only does that at high RPMs?

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 15:54:11 -0500, "Ryan P." wrote:

On 3/15/2016 2:42 PM, John H. wrote:
On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 11:57:40 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

"
Without an alternator, though, I'm worried about leaving it at a slip.
I have an accessory battery, so I'm not worried about getting
stranded, but running lights and a stereo take up juice. "

Why no alternator? I'm not following...

I'm glad you asked that. I was going to do so, but then thought it might somehow be a
real stupid question.
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, audiophools, and narcissists...not guns!

I'm the one asking the stupid questions, I'm sure. :) I'm the novice
here, compared to most of you folks.

Okay, I should use the proper terms, I suppose. Its a 1985 Mercury 75.
I do have electric start, but my understanding is that on older
engines, a stator/vr is only to trickle charge the starting battery, and
only does that at high RPMs?


Tim should be able to jump all over that one!

Go Tim!
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, audiophools, and narcissists...not guns!

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 15:54:11 -0500, "Ryan P."
wrote:

On 3/15/2016 2:42 PM, John H. wrote:
On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 11:57:40 -0700 (PDT), Tim wrote:

"
Without an alternator, though, I'm worried about leaving it at a slip.
I have an accessory battery, so I'm not worried about getting
stranded, but running lights and a stereo take up juice. "

Why no alternator? I'm not following...

I'm glad you asked that. I was going to do so, but then thought it might somehow be a
real stupid question.
--

Ban liars, tax cheats, idiots, audiophools, and narcissists...not guns!

I'm the one asking the stupid questions, I'm sure. :) I'm the novice
here, compared to most of you folks.

Okay, I should use the proper terms, I suppose. Its a 1985 Mercury 75.
I do have electric start, but my understanding is that on older
engines, a stator/vr is only to trickle charge the starting battery, and
only does that at high RPMs?


I was guessing that you had one without a charging system. That old 75
has a 9 amp alternator in the stator. If it is working, it will keep
your battery up if you are running it fairly often. It will put out
pretty well at anything much over an idle. (I had one)

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

Ryan P.
- show quoted text -
"I'm the one asking the stupid questions, I'm sure. :) *I'm the novice
here, compared to most of you folks.

Okay, I should use the proper terms, I suppose. *Its a 1985 Mercury 75.
* I do have electric start, but my understanding is that on older
engines, a stator/vr is only to trickle charge the starting battery, and
only does that at high RPMs? "

Four years ago I had an open tiller boat with a 30hp Johnson. The motor had an electric start but no charging system.
No radio but it had a MinnKota trolling motor. The idea was to charge the battery with a small charger at the end of each boating day. I think it would have been just as easy to take the boat out of the water and trailer to motel for charging than dig the heavy battery out and do same. BTW..I'd forget about the radio...I could start the 30 with a pull cord but your 70 might be a different matter.

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

True North wrote:
Ryan P.
- show quoted text -
" I'll have to check with the marina. A small smart charger would be
better than solar, absolutely. I just don't remember seeing outlets on
all slips.

I don't really wanna pull the battery... The marina is literally
across the street from the rental house. That's a long walk carrying a
lead box. :)"


You'd need the proper cord to use shore power at a marina. Even then, it might be dangerous to plug in a normal household items like a portable battery charger. I have a light folding aluminum hand truck rated for 138 kilogram use when I don't want to have, awkward heavy items around...usually from the SUV to a store or home. That would be great for hauling a battery any distance for charging.


True shore power doesn't use a cord that would work with a common
battery charger. In this case it is likely that they have standard
outlets for ordinary extension cords. That was bass fishermen use to
charge their deep cycle trolling motors overnight.

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 20:12:47 -0400, Alex wrote:

True North wrote:
Ryan P.
- show quoted text -
" I'll have to check with the marina. A small smart charger would be
better than solar, absolutely. I just don't remember seeing outlets on
all slips.

I don't really wanna pull the battery... The marina is literally
across the street from the rental house. That's a long walk carrying a
lead box. :)"


You'd need the proper cord to use shore power at a marina. Even then, it might be dangerous to plug in a normal household items like a portable battery charger. I have a light folding aluminum hand truck rated for 138 kilogram use when I don't want to have, awkward heavy items around...usually from the SUV to a store or home. That would be great for hauling a battery any distance for charging.


True shore power doesn't use a cord that would work with a common
battery charger. In this case it is likely that they have standard
outlets for ordinary extension cords. That was bass fishermen use to
charge their deep cycle trolling motors overnight.

Most shore power posts will have a regular 5-15 on them along with the
240v-50a and/or 120v-30a.
I doubt you are getting a powered slip for $15 tho.
Wayne may stop by, he is the marina guy. I just know what I see

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 20:32:32 -0400, wrote:

Most shore power posts will have a regular 5-15 on them along with the
240v-50a and/or 120v-30a.
I doubt you are getting a powered slip for $15 tho.
Wayne may stop by, he is the marina guy. I just know what I see

===

It depends entirely on the marina and what kind of boats they cater
to. Most boats over 25 ft or so will have standard twist lock shore
power cables, either 30 amp 120 volts or 50 amp 240 volts. Many of us
carry adapters however for non-standard power outlets like 15 amp 120
volts.

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 21:07:19 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 20:32:32 -0400, wrote:

Most shore power posts will have a regular 5-15 on them along with the
240v-50a and/or 120v-30a.
I doubt you are getting a powered slip for $15 tho.
Wayne may stop by, he is the marina guy. I just know what I see

===

It depends entirely on the marina and what kind of boats they cater
to. Most boats over 25 ft or so will have standard twist lock shore
power cables, either 30 amp 120 volts or 50 amp 240 volts. Many of us
carry adapters however for non-standard power outlets like 15 amp 120
volts.

I think I saw a regular 5-15 (along with the twist locks) on the posts
at the little marina behind the CAMA office under the FMB bridge (next
to Bonita Bill) but I really wasn't paying that much attention. They
do seem to have a blow boat patronage tho. I really just saw the 16 ga
SJT "orange cords" going off of the posts into fairly modest boats.
I try not to stare at these people's homes ;-)

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 22:06:48 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 21:07:19 -0400,
wrote:

On Tue, 15 Mar 2016 20:32:32 -0400, wrote:

Most shore power posts will have a regular 5-15 on them along with the
240v-50a and/or 120v-30a.
I doubt you are getting a powered slip for $15 tho.
Wayne may stop by, he is the marina guy. I just know what I see

===

It depends entirely on the marina and what kind of boats they cater
to. Most boats over 25 ft or so will have standard twist lock shore
power cables, either 30 amp 120 volts or 50 amp 240 volts. Many of us
carry adapters however for non-standard power outlets like 15 amp 120
volts.

I think I saw a regular 5-15 (along with the twist locks) on the posts
at the little marina behind the CAMA office under the FMB bridge (next
to Bonita Bill) but I really wasn't paying that much attention. They
do seem to have a blow boat patronage tho. I really just saw the 16 ga
SJT "orange cords" going off of the posts into fairly modest boats.
I try not to stare at these people's homes ;-)

===

A lot of sail boats do not have proper shore power circuits and
connectors. They frequently use extension cords and portable
chargers, and every now and then one will catch fire. It happened to
an old friend of mine on a 50 footer. He was fortunate not to lose
the whole boat but it did quite a bit of damage to the interior. I
don't have shore power circuits on our Sea Ray runabout but I do use a
marine rated charger.

Boat and Batteries and Charging, Oh, my!
 

On 3/15/2016 5:38 PM, True North wrote:
Ryan P.
- show quoted text -
"I'm the one asking the stupid questions, I'm sure. :) I'm the novice
here, compared to most of you folks.

Okay, I should use the proper terms, I suppose. Its a 1985 Mercury 75.
I do have electric start, but my understanding is that on older
engines, a stator/vr is only to trickle charge the starting battery, and
only does that at high RPMs? "

Four years ago I had an open tiller boat with a 30hp Johnson. The motor had an electric start but no charging system.
No radio but it had a MinnKota trolling motor. The idea was to charge the battery with a small charger at the end of each boating day. I think it would have been just as easy to take the boat out of the water and trailer to motel for charging than dig the heavy battery out and do same. BTW..I'd forget about the radio...I could start the 30 with a pull cord but your 70 might be a different matter.

That's why I have a second "house" battery. That way, I know I won't be
stranded on the lake unless something REALLY goes bad.