Using the power from my outboard battery - connections?

[maillme]

Hi All,

last post today (promise)

I;m new to boating, and take delivery of my boat end April

I have an 8hp suzuki outboard with elec start, and so I think this comes with a 12v battery and alternator to charge.

- Is 12v the standard type of power on a boat of this size?
- What connections / fittings do I need to get, to allow me to use this battery for other things? Eg. lighting, cooler etc?
- Can I use an inverter to use other appliances such as sound dock which uses mains normally?

It would be nice to have a standard plug or 2 which I can have installed that would then be attached by "something" to the battery.......

many thanks,
Neil

 

[PaulGooch]

If you check the charging output from the engine, you will find it isn't much.

Running the type of things you mention isn't going to work without some other way of charging the battery between outings. What is the boat ?

 

[dpb]

Hi,

12V is standard on that size of boat...and quite a lot bigger too!
You could do the following in order of simplicity, easiest first:
1) Run wires to cigarette lighter type sockets around the boat.
2) As 1) but via an isolation switch.
3) Run wires to a small distribution panel so that you can have different circuits for different things. One circuit for power sockets into which you can plug in anything and other circuits for items you might hard wire in like lighting.
4) and on involve twin batteries, shorepower arrangements, battery chargers and so on.
5) You can get inverters but you are probably better at looking for 12v versions of what you want to use. Inverters and what you plug into them can put a heavy load on the system.

Your main issue will be power capacity. If you want to use electrics extensively you need a bigger battery than the one that might be supplied with the engine, an 80amphour leisure type battery would be the minimum for your use, 110 amphour better.
The rating of the alternator would need to be checked as it may have enough to drive charge the battery only.
Hope this points you in the right direction!

 

[VicS]

The 8hp electric start model I believe comes with a 12 amp " alternator". In reality a charging coil and a rectifier I think you will find.

You available power is therefore very limited.

I think the battery is not part of the engine as such but is presumably part of the boat package.

You may be able to specify a larger battery but you wont have any increased charging capability

 

[clydeoutboardservices]

Hi

I would not use the engine battery for other things unless you can pull start your engine but I would buy quick release connectors so that you can change batteries quickly and easily as they only cost around £12-15.00 as there is nothing worse when bobbing around undoing anything!

Dave

 

[maillme]

thank you all, that's been extremely helpful.

Neil

 

[Dave_Seager]

Since nobody else seems to have mentioned it, do not add any extra circuits without considering fuses! You will find endless threads here on the subject. Remember, a 12 volt lead acid battery can deliver easily enough current to start a fire.

 

[Spi D]

As mentioned in an earlier thread your motor is capapble of charging 6A (or 10A if electric starting).
This makes it sensible to fit up to 60 ah battery capacity and if you connect consumers that in total takes more than the amps generated, your current 'account' (=the battery) will be drained and eventually be zero.

As your starter needs proper power to at all start the ingine you must either keep consumption well below the charge or make sure you charge by other means (shore power and intelligent charger) frequently. A larger battery will extend the 'account' but also need more charging.

FYI an exemple of setup:

Since you're unlikely to have instruments the four yellow circles and connecting lines on top can be ignored.

A charger should be connected directly to the battery terminals.