[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Boat RF Ground plans, plus do you know if anyone has a battery cable crimper and cable cutter that I can use?

Sun May 30 10:05:48 EDT 2021

Great advice Harry!  Won't be a big issue since the boat is on a trailer
and not a marina.  If you keep a boat at a marina and connect to 115vac
shore power you have a huge problem.  Improperly wired marinas have been
known to electrocute swimmers close to the docks, and other boats with
improper AC wiring can become part of your electrical system causing much
corrosion in a single season.  The solution is a device known as a
'galvanic isolator' like https://www.promariner.com/en/22034.  Even better
is an 'isolation transformer' but these are bigger and pricier - usually
boats bigger than 30-35 feet.

73, Ian N8IK

On Sat, May 29, 2021 at 8:36 PM Philip Brown <phil at pjb3.com> wrote:

>
>
> On May 29, 2021, at 7:10 PM, Harry Jones <n4cwp at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Robert,Sounds like you are getting some good info, but as you are probably
> aware, you need to take care of any galvanic issues with the bronze and
> magnesium metals.
>
> Harry/n4cwp
>
>
> Thank you Harry N4CWP.
> I trailer exclusively, so I should be good…  The longest I would every
> stay in salt water is probably a trip over a 3 day weekend…
> but I also plan to keep with the sacrificial anodes.
>
> Judy last year, I learned that you use different types of metal for fresh
> water vs salt water us.
> Zinc for salt, and Magnesium for fresh water — I never know that before!
>
>
> I also learned tonight that around the 1990’s Mercury and some other
> companies started going to an aluminum alloy instead.
> that is supposedly suitable for both environments and lasts longers.
>
>
> The company that sells these products  (
> https://performancemetals.com/pages/sacrificial-anodes-faqs)
> states that an ABYC report from 2008-2009 confirms that their alloy is
> preferred to Zinc, and should last 30% to 50% longer.
> Maybe I’ll try them!
>
> …….
>
>
> On May 29, 2021, at 6:15 PM, Gene Jenkins <n4jee at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> I assume that you're planning on a battery switch so that both batteries
> would charge when the motor is running but disconnect the starting battery
> when "camping." It's also nice to have a complete disconnect for both
> batteries when storing the boat out of the water during the off season.
>
> Gene, N4JEE
> Keystone Heights FL
>
>
> Thanks Gene, N4JEE.
>
>  Yes.   I’ve actually purchased this:
>
>
> (
> https://www.bluesea.com/products/5511e/e-Series_Dual_Circuit_Plus_Battery_Switch
>  )
>
> For simplicity, I like that a single, simple on/off switch handles both
> battery banks, while keeping them isolated,
> but you *can* manually combine them to get a boost if your starting
> battery becomes weak.
>
> For charging the batteries, I purchased this:
>
>
> (
> https://www.bluesea.com/products/7601/m-Series__Automatic_Charging_Relay_-_12_24V_DC_65A
>  )
>
> It’s a smart, solid state relay that senses the charge condition using a
> combination of voltage for a preset length of time, and combines the
> batteries while charging,
> and then isolates them when the charging stops.
>
> It has two different voltage thresholds for charging… one that triggers
> the charge condition of combined batteries after 2 minutes above the
> threshold voltage, and a  higher voltage threshold that triggers the charge
> condition of combining the batteries after only 30 seconds.
>
> The time factor is to prevent the system from cycling.   Similarly, there
> is a floor voltage with a time limit that cause the system to isolate the
> batteries again.
>
> One cool feature is that it also has a separate “start condition” sensor
> wire.  You connect that wire to the starter motor power lead, and when it
> goes hot, the system ensures that the house and starter batteries are
> isolated.  This is to protect the electronics on the house batteries from
> experiencing low voltage while cranking the engines, and also to shield
> them from noise and electrical spikes.
>
>
> I think I’m really going to like this set up.  Simple and clean.  One
> switch, that’s either on or off, and a third “emergency start” position if
> the starting battery becomes weak.
>
> I also carry one of those portable booster jumper packs… just in case.
>
> I’m starting to think that Ham radio is the right hobby for me!
>
> This club is the first group I’ve joined where I think the members enjoy
> these topics as much as I do, if not more!
>
> :-)
>
> ‘73
>
>       -Philip,  W3PJB
>
> P.S. — I you really like this stuff, check out products from Yandina
> www.yanda.com
>
> Before Fish Beware, for 15 years I had an 18 foot proCraft 180 Combo with
> a Merc 150 on the back and — of course — lots of goodies that I added over
> time.
> The boat is a fresh-water fish-n-ski that’s a cross between a bass boat,
> and a run about.  It’s basically a bass boat hull, with a larger cockpit
> area, more seating plus a real windshield and a bimini top to get you out
> of the sun or protect you from the cold and wet.  I had a 3 battery system.
>
>
> Battery 1  - 12V for starting & the 2 bilge pumps.
>
>  Batteries 2 & 3  — each 12 V.
>               #2, ran all 12V electronics.
>               #3 was the “kicker” battery that combined with#2 to provide
> 24 volts to the trolling motor.
>
> I used a Yandina combiner 100 to automatically combine the starting
> battery and house battery when the system was charging, and isolate them
> otherwise.
>
> The really slick part is that #2 & #3 were connected to a Yandina 12/24
> Volt system that kept the 2 house batteries connected in parallel… for a 12
> volt set up, but as soon as it detected current demand from battery #3, it
> used solid-state switching to reconfigure #2 & #3 to be in series, so that
> the trolling motor could run at 24 volts.
> Then, when ever I stopped the trolling motor, the #2 & #3 were again
> re-configured to series, which allowed my 12V applications to benefit from
> the power stored in *both* of the house batteries, and also allowed the #2
> & #3 to equalize their state of charge, so that they worked together as a
> single system.
> I always used identical batteries for #2 & #3…. that’s important since
> they spend considerable time connected in series.
>
>
>
> I liked that system so much, that I pulled out my yandina gizmos before I
> got rid of the boat.
> Don’t ask me why… I just wasn’t ready to part with them yet… but I also
> figured that the new owner would never
> figure out how to work all that stuff, so it was best to pull it and just
> put on some old-school battery switches!
>
>
>
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