richard2234

Okay, thanks for the heads-up, with no experience on these matters I was not sure about the power issue.

I am installing a NMEA 2000 network (using Raymarine Seatalk NG starter kit cabling) to link a new Raymarine MFD, Garmin 215i VHF and Fusion AM/FM radio (MS-RA70N). The cabling provides a dedicated power cable to provide power to the network. However the Raymarine support tech told me "...the only thing to be mindful of is that certain Fusion radios can output 12V to power the NMEA2000 CAM BUS network so it is possible to accidently provide two power sources which would be problematic. My understanding is that there is a setting on these models to activate/deactivate the function of outputting 12V." I can't find any commentary in the specific instruction manuals that came with the VHF and AM/FM radios I am installing that would suggest that either product can provide power to a NMEA 2000 network but would be grateful if someone with these products on a NMEA 2000 network can confirm from experience that neither product provides power to the network.

Thanks for the info. yes I did see that brand and it seems good quality with a few extra features (USB, light, etc.). GOOLOO brand was another I was eyeing off. I also have a 100 Series 4.2 Diesel Landcruiser (with a 750CCA car battery) so it would be good to find something that would also kick that into life when needed. Any thoughts on whether the Aussie iTech one's are any good?

I'm looking to add an extra level of redundancy to my dual battery system by purchasing one of those small Lithium power packs to be able to jump start my motor if necessary. Does anyone have an idea of the minimum capacity CCA rating for these units I would require to jump a 1999 115HP 2 stroke Yamaha? Also, any recommendations on good quality brands would also be appreciated.

In the absence of installing a hardwired monitoring system, I'm looking to install one of those bluetooth monitoring systems that can provide me with battery health information (voltage, charging, current flow, etc) and alerts while out on the water. Does anyone have any experience with these and can recommend a good quality solution? Any pro's and cons between hardwire and bluetooth solutions?I'm assuming that with a dual battery setup I will need to purchase two of these bluetooth sensor systems to avoid having to swap across to each battery when I wish to get information on each battery, is that right?

Does anyone have one of these older Furuno LS-4100 sounders laying around they don't mind parting with?

Help with a dilemma. I have this old Furuno LS-4100 monchrome sounder (see photos), still works fine but LCD screen has discoloured making it harder to read. Heading up to Forster in mid January for 3 weeks and just looking to swap in another one of these sounders as an easy fix, short-term solution. Does anyone in Sydney metro (or failing that perhaps elsewhere) have one of these old units laying around (fully functional & in good condition, screen etc.) that they don't mind parting with that I could acquire? regards, Richard, Menai NSW

Thank you everyone for your comments, they help me build some confidence that things are basically okay with the setup (but maybe add a VSR) and I can manage the isolator settings to preserve maximum available capacity on both batteries. One clarification please, the advice includes switching from battery 2 (crank battery) to battery 1+2 after starting the motor. Is it okay to switch like this when the motor is running? Also, if I'm underway with a 1+2 setup this presumably means the current draw from equipment (instruments, radio, sounder, GPS plotter, etc.) is being shared equally across the two batteries AND similarly each battery is sharing the alternator charge offered by the motor and the net diff between charge and consumption means that each battery is slowly increasing capacity back towards a full charge capacity. This would mean that the cranking battery takes longer to restore to full capacity than if the isolator is on battery 2 only. Have I got this right?

Thank you everyone for your observations.

Back in January 2017 I purchased a second hand boat (1999 Cruise Craft Rival 500) with a 1999 115 HP 2 stroke Yamaha. At purchase the motor had 170 hours and I immediately had it given the once over with a 100 hour service by a Yamaha dealer up on the mid north coast of NSW, cost a bomb but it was all done, spark plugs, impeller and water pump housing, gear oil, fuel filter, etc.) Since that service I've only added about 50 hours (total engine hours of 220 now) in 2 years. I'm about to go on our regular annual holiday for a few weeks up to Forster where the boat gets most its use from year to year (about 25-30 hours in 3 weeks thru January, not much at other times in the year). Should I get the motor serviced again in early January 2019 prior to our 3 week holiday up at Forster or is okay to defer a service until after I come back from holidays in late January 2019? Is time elapsed or hours more critical in these circumstances, particularly where my use profile only sees me predominantly using the boat each January? During the year when the boat is not in use I tend to run the motor every few months just to keep things lubricated. Interested in your thoughts on how to manage this.

Looking for some advice Some background first… I’m a first time boat owner, a 1999 Cruise Craft Rival 5m runabout with a 1999 115HP 2 stroke Yamaha. The boat has a dual battery system and I replaced the cranking battery with a Century 730CCA 100Ah (Wet cell Flooded) at purchase in Dec 2016. I have purchased a Ctek 5amp smart charger which I have recently used to recharge the cranking battery out of the boat (all 8 step process okay). When a tried to recharge the deep cycle battery the charger reported an error at step 5, meaning that battery won’t keep a charge and therefore needs replacing. So the deep cycle battery (Century N70T 100Ah wet cell flooded) has now died and I will need to replace it. I’m not techie minded and it was worrying me that I didn’t really understand how things were wired up in this system and how I should manage it on the water, particularly now that I wish to venture outside for some in-shore coastal fishing (not too far out). So I bit the bullet and got down and dirty in the back of the boat to see how things were connected. I have now documented this as best I can in the wiring diagram I have attached to this post. My questions are: 1. Can I replace the deep cycle battery with an AGM type battery and therefore mix battery types in the dual battery system, one wet flooded and one AGM? (My research seems to suggest that there are some advantages to AGM including no risk of acid spills, no maintenance beyond recharging, quicker recharging, and hold their charge longer during periods of no use) 2. Whatever type of replacement battery I choose I'm thinking to replace the deep cycle with a dual purpose (cranking and semi cycling battery) which might offer better redundancy on the water if my cranking battery unexpectantly dies. Any thoughts? 3. Can I use my Ctek charger to recharge the batteries in situ (wired up in the boat) either one at a time or both at the same time with the existing wiring setup? What is best practice? 4. Does the dual battery wiring setup (main cable connections between batteries, isolator switch and motor) reflect a standard setup that reflects good practice for such a system? (I need some confidence that everything is as it should be!) 5. How do I manage this system on the water so that battery health/capacity is efficiently maintained for a day out of stop/start cruising with the family or a longer run out to in-shore coastal fishing spot? Hope you can help.