How do you keep your batteries covered?

[shrew]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

http://www.iboats.com/Marine-Batter...2137220--**********.315706543--view_id.374310

 

[sewerrat]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

http://www.iboats.com/Marine-Batter...2137220--**********.315706543--view_id.374310

I was thinking that there was one cover that covered the main post and the wing nut section . . I do not see that type.

 

[ziggy]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

i have the same covers as the op pics in the first post over my cables...
i also have a similar batt. w/wing nut + post connections...

my answer was... 1st i cut the posts off that i wasn't using with a hacksaw. filed the rough edges smooth. that let the black and red covers fit. then i still had the several wires problem. i cured that by taking all ground wires to engine ground, not batt. ground. ground is ground, it all leads back to the same place. the neg. terminal on the batt.. on the pos. side i moved the extra wires over to the sol. on the starter..... now i've got one wire on ea. terminal of the batt. w/ nice covers that now fit over them..

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

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.

Schrew,
Can you point out to me in ABYC Section E-11 where drip loops are a requirement?

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

ABYC Section E-11...drip loops...requirement...

 

[sasto]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Schrew,
Can you point out to me in ABYC Section E-11 where drip loops are a requirement?

No.... he can't show you anything wrong with your set-up in ABYC, seabob.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

I have dual batteries no boxes. I went to the boat junk yard and bought two battery box tops and set them on top of each battery. The batteries are under a rear seat/hatch

 

[shrew]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Schrew,
Can you point out to me in ABYC Section E-11 where drip loops are a requirement?

ABYC Section E-11...drip loops...requirement...

Bob, are you saying No this isn't a requirement or Yes this is? I was always told this was required. Maybe it's just a 'best practice'? Maybe I'm way off base. I would defer to a guy who actually builds boats for a living. I don't know that I specifically quoted section E-11.

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Shrew,

Drip loops may be a requirement in residential/commercial codes (NEC) in areas that can be exposed to water, however, E-11 does not require them, and if I'm not mistaken, does not even mention them.

In E-11, only the positive terminal or bus needs a cover over it. I had not attached mine when I took that pic, it now has a clear plastic cover that is secured by the 1/4-20 studs at each end of the bus.

E-11 is a very long, very boring section in the ABYC handbook, but I have gone round and round with it over the years. John Adey, the Technical Director at ABYC up in Annapolis, is a very good friend of mine, but he usually doesn't like to hear from me as I am usually trying to bend some of their rules!

 

[shrew]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Bob, I appreciate the clarification. I've been told this for so long by so many that I assumed it was fact. I appreciate being told otherwise.

 

[seabob4]

Re: How do you keep your batteries covered?

Schrew,
Drip loops are not a bad idea, not at all. But what we try and do is wire our boats (that's my boat in the pic) where water pouring directly onto the components simply won't happen. Where you see my battery switch and bus bars id about 14" away from the hatch opening, I would have to shoot it directly with a hose to get it wet!

The wiring in my console, seen here...

Stay's completely dry, even in the heaviest of downpours, like we had yesterday (HOORAY!!!). Good sealant practices are a must, as she lives outside...