How do you configure your boat when you are away from it?

Talonewo said:

... All four bilge pumps are powered via a single breaker on the 32v panel but the audio alarm associated with the bilge pumps are powered by 12v breaker. Both AC and DC power panels are set up so just about everything has its own breaker/power supply. And the refrigerator is 110 or 12v.*...

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I usually don't give these kinds of answers, but after reading this several times it seems pretty clear - Having ALL of your bilge pumps connected to a single breaker is a serious problem for 2 reasons. First if any one pump goes bad you lose ALL of your pumping ability. Second, it is not possible to use a breaker of the correct size that will allow even 2 pumps to run simultaneously and yet trip at the correct current for a single failed pump. You don't mention how the automatic functions of the pumps are wired, but IMO it is best to wire each automatic pump circuit separately - through a properly sized fuse or breaker - to a separate battery or bank. It should also not be possible to turn off the automatic function, because if it can be done, it someday will be.

Ken

Ken, I was not real clear, the one CB on the DC power panel powers four separate Rule panels, see picture. Each panel has it's own fuse, so if one bilge pump blows a fuse the other three still have power.

Wow, great responses. I'm amazed how many leave the sea cocks open.

I'm paranoid about them, no way I could sleep if they were open. With my boats history you would think I would be ok with it, my boat was damaged in Katrina sold at auction and sat in the water neglected, unused with no power or batteries with all sea cocks open(including the two underwater ones for the toilets with the white pvc hose) for SEVEN YEARs until I bought her in 2012. Best I can tell none of the strainers, hoses or seacocks ever leaked a drop.

Anyways, I will continue to close them and attach the key to start the engine to the handle of the seacock for the cooling water.

I leave the boat with the shore power connected, both battery charges on, 12v battery switch to one or two(never both, two different size 12v batteries), DC to DC charger for the thruster off, frig on 110v, auto bilge pump power on. Everything else off.

One of my questions was how to configure the 32v battery switch, 1, 2 or both. It would make sense to leave it in both, if shore power fails then I would have max battery life for the bilge pumps if needed, but I'm concerned even though the two banks are identical one it 8 months older... will the older bank harm the newer bank? Or am I overthinking this?

3 hours away and try and get down every couple weeks
Seacocks closed - with sign
Bilge pumps on
All other DC off
Shore power on
Fridge on
Battery charger on
Small fans and dehumidifier (drains to sink) on timers - has kept the south texas humidity in check this summer
Doors locked but Keys on flybridge
And usually forget something

Talonewo said:

Wow, great responses. I'm amazed how many leave the sea cocks open.

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My thought also... all my hoses and seacocks are new but it takes a minute to close my three. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I really like the idea of having a note on the ignition indicating the seacocks are open!

Talonewo said:

I'm amazed how many leave the sea cocks open.

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I amazed to at how many leave the shore power connected. This is my first boat with shore power and all I seem to hear is that I should not leave it connected because of stray current and my zincs being eaten quickly then the metal in contact with the water will be eaten next. I have read a lot about this subject and am quite confused.

You have received some bad information, if you are having stray current eating away your zincs then you have an issue that needs to be resolved and disconnecting is not the answer. Walk down any dock and you'll see almost all with them plugged in.

One thing I see on my dock with more then one boat is leaving the air conditioning on, I would not recommend that.

kwmeyer13 said:

I amazed to at how many leave the shore power connected. This is my first boat with shore power and all I seem to hear is that I should not leave it connected because of stray current and my zincs being eaten quickly then the metal in contact with the water will be eaten next. I have read a lot about this subject and am quite confused.

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I keep the boat behind my house and none of my neighbors have boats requiring shore power. Based on that, I would not think there would be any stray current. Is there an easy way to check? My zincs do not seem to have any excessive wear but I would like to be on the safe side.

Being at a mooring, when away from the boat I keep all power off except the automatic pumps. 2 main engine, gen and one head seacock open. I hear the concern about leaving seacocks open and I share it, but with all (almost) new high quality seacocks and hoses and intimate knowledge of them I CAN sleep at night.

If I were at a slip, I would leave the battery charger and maybe the fridge on.

Ken

Ski in NC said:

AC power on
Charger on
Fridge on if there is food in it, if no trip coming up, turn it off and clean it out.
Four bilge pumps in auto, two per batt bank.
Sea cocks open
Aircons off
Everything else off.

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Pretty much the same.
I also have rope led lights outlining pilot house on shore power, so if they go off, my watchers know to call me.

Ski in NC said:

AC power on
Charger on
Fridge on if there is food in it, if no trip coming up, turn it off and clean it out.
Four bilge pumps in auto, two per batt bank.
Sea cocks open
Aircons off
Everything else off.

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Ditto. Fridge set for AC only and we don't leave anything perishable in it - just drinks.

Kwmeyer13, not sure where I got it, it was either on this forum or the DeFever group, but someone much smarter than me built a checklist of how to check the A/C electrical system on a boat, it's a great excel document that walks you step by step though and helps identify and diagnose any issues, all you need is a decent muliti meter(it has to have the clamp on the end to check amps) it is very well written such that someone with limited electrical knowledge can follow the steps.... The sad part it I can't find it on this computer I must have stored it on my work machine, I will look for it on Monday, PM me with your email address if you would like me to send it to you.

Talonewo said:

Ken, I was not real clear, the one CB on the DC power panel powers four separate Rule panels, see picture. Each panel has it's own fuse, so if one bilge pump blows a fuse the other three still have power.

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The builder wired 4 pumps off of 1 breaker!?

I don't understand why folks close the sea cocks. In my 20yrs in the marine business, I have never seen a boat flooded from a seacock failing while docked. I have seen sea strainers bust from freezing, but freeze protection is a different topic. Engine hoses blow under way, again another topic.

If a sea cock or hose fails at dock, it has to be a rotted mess. Hoses don't just fail sitting there with no flow, again unless rotted. If those things are inspected and kept in good shape as they should be, they are safe and reliable.

I have repaired many engines that were started with sea cocks closed, that is real. You guys with keys on handles and tagouts have that covered, though.

I like being able to hop in the boat, throw off the lines and shore cord and being under way in three minutes. I don't bother checking oil or coolant. That stuff is well maintained and is as reliable as my car. I don't check oil before starting the car up, as I'm sure most of you don't.

I will give the boat machinery.. and car.. a good go-through before a long trip, and also maybe once a month.

Ski in NC said:

I like being able to hop in the boat, throw off the lines and shore cord and being under way in three minutes. I don't bother checking oil or coolant. That stuff is well maintained and is as reliable as my car. I don't check oil before starting the car up, as I'm sure most of you don't.

I will give the boat machinery.. and car.. a good go-through before a long trip, and also maybe once a month.

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I'm the same way. I Check everything about once a week, or before a long trip. I'm glad I'm not the only one. I was starting to feel negligent by not doing a full 100 point inspection before firing the old gals up.

Ski in NC said:

I don't understand why folks close the sea cocks. In my 20yrs in the marine business, I have never seen a boat flooded from a seacock failing while docked. I have seen sea strainers bust from freezing, but freeze protection is a different topic. Engine hoses blow under way, again another topic.

If a sea cock or hose fails at dock, it has to be a rotted mess. Hoses don't just fail sitting there with no flow, again unless rotted. If those things are inspected and kept in good shape as they should be, they are safe and reliable.

I have repaired many engines that were started with sea cocks closed, that is real. You guys with keys on handles and tagouts have that covered, though.

I like being able to hop in the boat, throw off the lines and shore cord and being under way in three minutes. I don't bother checking oil or coolant. That stuff is well maintained and is as reliable as my car. I don't check oil before starting the car up, as I'm sure most of you don't.

I will give the boat machinery.. and car.. a good go-through before a long trip, and also maybe once a month.

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+1

O C Diver said:

I discount the power, close the seacock, and make sure the bilge pumps are turned off whenever I leave the boat.



View attachment 44307



I also make sure to close the door and turn the lights off.



Ted

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That is awesome! How do you get it in and out of the water?

Capt.Bill11 said:

The builder wired 4 pumps off of 1 breaker!?

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Yes, one breaker that is rated for enough amps to supply all four pumps, think of it this way, one breaker supplies power to a second power panel, the second power panel has fuses properly sized for each individual pump.

It's similar to having a single inline 150 amp ANL fuse suppling power to a power panel and that panel having one breaker for each pump.... unless you have a dedicated battery bank for each pump at some point in the circuit there will be a single wire supplying power to multiple things.

Phil Fill said:

I installed a Boatnanny security alarm the send a text status every day and if an alarm goes off. It monitors two bilge floats, temperature in the bilge and salon, sound, motion, AC electricity, and I can call for a status report or listen. So if a bilge, smoke, fire, CO, propane alarm goes off the sound sends a message. So thousands of miles away, I can monitor the boat.

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I'm a bit surprised you're the only one to mention alarms. They're really rather simple in today's world. While they're no guarantee, they sure make me a lot more comfortable. We also have cameras we can access to check on things in general.