I recently completed modernizing Mon Ami's electrical system with additional batteries and the installation of an AC inverter. The enclosed pictures may be of interest to others contemplating a similar project.

The combination nav station seat/battery box works well for me. I wanted a seat at the nav station, and of course, someplace to put the extra batteries. The seat has become one of my favorite "perches" on the boat. It provides a nice seat for work at the nav station, but also doubles as a great spot to have lunch or watch TV.

Four golf cart batteries combine to provide 440 amp hours of house power. With optimum discharge level/charging rates considered, that equates to a little over 100 amp hours of useable power...enough for the typical 24 hour period of refrigeration, lights, CD player/TV and limited inverter use. A new 125 amp alternator was installed, which should bring the battery back up in about an hour of running time. The Link 10 battery monitor allows us to keep track of where we are in that regard.

A dedicated starting battery was installed below the former quarter berth. That location allows a short cable run to the starter for minimal exposure to cable damage/ shorts. The 1000 cranking amp group 24 battery turns the Perkins over with much more verve and authority than the deep cycle batteries did. It is charged via a combiner/isolator unit seen in one of the battery box photos.

The convenience of AC power away from the slip was missed (especially the micro-wave), so I installed a 1750 watt AC inverter just aft of the nav station. That mounting location was selected as it was out of sight, yet easily accessible, and the wiring could be run inconspicuously under the quarter berth. AC output of the inverter is routed to an AC changeover relay mounted near the shore power plug accessible from the starboard cockpit locker. The changeover relay automatically switches to shore power when plugged in, then back to the inverter when unplugged. Of course, heavy AC loads like the battery charger, water heater, etc. need to be shut off to avoid unnecessary depletion of battery power.

The inverter can be operated by a remote control panel (seen in one of the pictures with the Link 10 Battery Monitor). However, with the inverter just aft of the nav station, it can be turned on/off easily without the remote control. (bought the control before I really knew where I would install the inverter. As it turned out, I really didn't need it but since I had it I used it.)

Mon Ami's skipper and crew are looking forward to a summer of cruising fun with our new improvements!

Fair Winds,

Jim Joubert
Mon Ami
jwjoub@earthlink.net
3/30/05

Finished Installation	Seat removed	Nav Seat Batteries	Stairs Batteries
Inverter	Link 10 Meter

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