How do you keep your batteries covered?

[sewerrat]

Went through a free Coast Guard checkup of my new-to-me boat and I had all the required safety equipment, etc except for my battery terminals were not covered. I have a dual battery setup and the way he explained it is that my "accessory" battery has to have both the positive and negative terminals covered.

The coast guard agent made me run into the launch store and buy the covers and he passed me and gave me my sticker.

The covers were like this:

However, these things are impossible to install. I have quite a few wires connected to my battery and these types of covers don't allow for the pass-through of wires. I have a nice tray and strap to keep the battery secure, so I'm not too excited about redoing all that to install a battery box.

Any thoughts?

 

[Thad]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

I have two sets of those on my boat. One set I had to cut the ends off of my bigger cables, slide the covers on, and crimp on new ends. The other battery had smaller cable ends and I was able to put a little jelly on the cover and manipulate them through.

So, other than installing boxes, you're gonna just have to put a big grin on your face and bear it.

It really is nothing more than a minor inconvenience. And a heck of a lot cheaper than a ticket or spark ignited fire/explosion.

 

[lncoop]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Best option I can think of is cut off the connectors, slide the covers on, then put on new connectors. Alternatively, you could slit the cover sleeves, put the covers on, then put tape or wire ties around the sleeves. Should hold like that for a long time. Others might give you better ideas if you have this moved to the electrical section. Good job getting the check up though. I need to do that myself.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Where are you that it's required. I just had my CG inspection (and just rechecked the form) and it's not on there anywhere. It simply reads that the batteries must be securely fastened against movement.

 

[superbenk]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Why not slice the opening on the covers that the wires go through length-wise (ie, the direction the wires go into the boots), slip it over the cables & put a small zip-tie around the part the wires go through to hold it on?

I have a boot on the positive side of my batter, but I also have the whole thing sitting in a battery box with a cover that completely encloses the battery.

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Why not slice the opening on the covers that the wires go through length-wise (ie, the direction the wires go into the boots), slip it over the cables & put a small zip-tie around the part the wires go through to hold it on?

I have a boot on the positive side of my batter, but I also have the whole thing sitting in a battery box with a cover that completely encloses the battery.

Ding, Ding, Ding! Slice the boots on the bottom, in line with the centerline of the boots...

 

[sewerrat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Where are you that it's required. I just had my CG inspection (and just rechecked the form) and it's not on there anywhere. It simply reads that the batteries must be securely fastened against movement.

Its a federal requirement if you boat on federally controlled waters. I boat on Lake Michigan as well as the Winnebago chain (WI) which are both federally controlled waters:

Electrical Systems

* Wiring must be in good condition and properly installed. No exposed areas or deteriorated insulation is permitted.
* The electrical system must be protected by fuses or manual resetting circuit breakers. Switches and fuse panels must be protected from rain or spray.
* Batteries must be secured to prevent movement and the terminals covered to prevent accidental arcing.

http://nyss.com/federal#3

 

[superbenk]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Ding, Ding, Ding! Slice the boots on the bottom, in line with the centerline of the boots...

What did I win, Monty?

 

[sewerrat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Why not slice the opening on the covers that the wires go through length-wise (ie, the direction the wires go into the boots), slip it over the cables & put a small zip-tie around the part the wires go through to hold it on?

I have a boot on the positive side of my batter, but I also have the whole thing sitting in a battery box with a cover that completely encloses the battery.

It's been a week or two since I looked, but I believe my problem was that all the connectors on the terminal itself didn't allow the boot to fit, not the wires. I'll have to snap a pic to give you a better idea.

Also, it is a dual post battery and all the accessories are connected via a wingnut type post and these terminal covers don't seem to anticipate the wingnut portion.

Something like this

 

[dingbat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Where are you that it's required. I just had my CG inspection (and just rechecked the form) and it's not on there anywhere. It simply reads that the batteries must be securely fastened against movement.

U.S. Coast Guard, VSC check list. The battery covers are covered under Item 15 - Overall boat condition, back of the form

15. OVERALL BOAT CONDITION: As it applies to this
Vessel. Including, but not limited to:
a. Deck free of hazards and clean bilge - The boat must be
free from fire hazards, in good overall condition, with bilges reasonably clean
and visible hull structure generally sound. The use of automobile parts on
boat engines is not acceptable. The engine horsepower must not exceed that
shown on the capacity plate.
b. Electrical and Fuel Systems: The electrical system must be
protected by fuses or manual reset circuit breakers. Switches and fuse panels
must be protected from rain or water spray. Wiring must be in good condition,
properly installed and with no exposed areas or deteriorated insulation.
Batteries must be secured and terminals covered to prevent accidental arcing.If installed, self-circling or kill switch mechanism must be in proper
working order. All PWCs require an operating self circling or kill switch
mechanism.
Fuel Systems - Portable fuel tanks (normally 7 gallon capacity or less)
must be constructed of non-breakable material and free of corrosion and leaks.
All vents must be capable of being closed. The tank must be secured and
have a vapor-tight, leak-proof cap. Each permanent fuel tank must be properly
ventilated.
c. Galley and Heating Systems - System and fuel tanks must

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Are battery boxes not an option for you?

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Those boots look like the ones we use at Proline, about 2 1/2" L X 1 1/2" W. should be plenty of room. If you have wires coming in from all directions, than you should orient the paths of the wires so they fan out in about a 30 degree range from the main cable.

But the best way to wire that back end would be to have a positive and negative bus bar that you feed with one heavy gauge wire (8GA would do it), then terminate all your wires to the bus bars. That way you only have 2 wires coming off the ground post, 3 coming off the hot post (the third being the float switch constant hot). Like this...

 

[sewerrat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Are battery boxes not an option for you?

It's an option, but I think where everything runs I'm going to be height challenged. In other words, I don't think a box with cover is going to fit so I'd like to exhaust other options first.

 

[superbenk]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

But the best way to wire that back end would be to have a positive and negative bus bar that you feed with one heavy gauge wire (8GA would do it), then terminate all your wires to the bus bars. That way you only have 2 wires coming off the ground post, 3 coming off the hot post (the third being the float switch constant hot).

How does the CG consider an exposed bus any safer than exposed terminals? If anything you have more exposed surface (unless there's a cover you have removed for clarity).

 

[sewerrat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Those boots look like the ones we use at Proline, about 2 1/2" L X 1 1/2" W. should be plenty of room. If you have wires coming in from all directions, than you should orient the paths of the wires so they fan out in about a 30 degree range from the main cable.

But the best way to wire that back end would be to have a positive and negative bus bar that you feed with one heavy gauge wire (8GA would do it), then terminate all your wires to the bus bars. That way you only have 2 wires coming off the ground post, 3 coming off the hot post (the third being the float switch constant hot). Like this...

Thats a nice looking setup, but wouldn't those have to be covered as well to meet the requirements? Isn't the possibility of arcing just as great with those as it is with a battery?

 

[dingbat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

They make covers that fit the marine terminal configurations. I have on my both of my batteries.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Thanks for the information. I'll check the form again.

What the hell...just cover everything is spray foam!

 

[shrew]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Thats a nice looking setup, but wouldn't those have to be covered as well to meet the requirements? Isn't the possibility of arcing just as great with those as it is with a battery?

You are correct, these need to be covered as well. Not only that, but that wiring job is not to ABYC standards. (I will include a caveat that I cannot tell which way it up in the photo, but assume that the wording on the batery switch is indicating that the postive bus bar and switch are mounted on a bulkhead wall and up in the picture is up in the real world).

Notice how the postive cable from the swtich to the bus bar on the left goes up and then down? There is no drip loop here. so if water gets on the cable in any way, it will run along the cable and straight into the switch and/or positive bus bar. All cables should be running UP to the connection, so water will run down the cable and away from the connector, switch, or bus bar. the remaining positives and all but one negative all look correct. The black negative coming from the top left of the picture really should have been run under the bus bar and switch and up to the negative bus bar.

You would need to run any horizontal runs or runs coming from above, down past the bus bar or switch, then back up to the connection.

 

[shrew]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Correction, judging by the throughulls, I'd say this is mounted on the hull, not a bulkhead.

 

[sewerrat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

They make covers that fit the marine terminal configurations. I have on my both of my batteries.

Got a link?