Engine starting battery replaced along with new cable and box switch working! - 2017

Beginning of January 2017 - Tied up in Marina Mazatlán, Mexico 

 We purchased a new smaller battery box.

We came back to the boat from my hip replacement and the first thing that also needed replacing was our group 27 "Lifeline" Beta diesel engine starting battery. It was just over 5 years old, just out of warranty and did not turn over the engine. The top had bulges in it by the studs so it was shot.

We do not need such a large or expensive battery but do need an AGM battery. We have a PSS shaft seal that the battery sits on top of and so the battery needs to be sealed. We were a little overwhelmed at getting the boat ready to live on so hired "Rick" at "Marine Services Mazatlán" to do the job. 

 We had them purchase a battery and a new marine battery cable for the switch we installed [but never finished]. The switch needed a short cable to the battery.

 They put the new battery in the old box and strapped it down. That made it so the cover did not fit on the battery box. The box is for a bigger battery. Also there was pressure on the posts as the cables were pressed against the top edges of the battery box.

 The cable they brought they hooked to the switch so the switch would work. However they twisted the cable upside down to fit it on the positive battery terminal. That put stress on the terminal and added two cables to the positive terminal and it only should have one. If it was done correctly the second twisted cable would be the only cable to the battery and would not need to be twisted. There are four places on the switch for cables and they used only two, they should have used three.

Showing old bigger battery box with their setup.

 We cleaned up the area and moved the "Battery Tender" to the right (forward bulkhead).

In case of an emergency with the stuffing box or shaft area we can remove the battery box and unscrew a half dozen screws then remove the shelf the battery is sitting on. We then have great access to the stuffing box and shaft.

Blue Sea Systems dual circuit plus 5511e

Simultaneously switches two isolated battery banks or combines battery banks to all loads

Make-before-break contact design allows switching without power interruption

Ignition protected—safe for installation aboard gasoline powered boats

Case design allows surface or rear panel mounting.

So if the Beta diesel engine starting battery has problems we can combine it with the house batteries to start the engine. Or if the starting battery dies we can just switch to the house batteries to start the engine in an emergency.

The switch works (in one position) but is wired wrong.

The house batteries are wired direct to a cable going to the starting battery.

We rewired the switch so that is "OFF" meaning if the switch is on "OFF then nothing happens, no juice from any batteries. "Rick" or his crew from Marine Services. Mzatlán" wired the switch so you could start the engine while the switch was in "OFF"
Some people swear by "Marine Services. Mzatlán" but others not so much. We found on this job, the only one they did for us, that we would not have them do another.

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Old car type cable, un-tined next to the new marine cable we had made up.

We also found that "Marine Services Mazatlán" used an old car cable not a new marine cable. We asked for a new marine cable be made up and installed.

We went to "Active Marine" in Mazatlán and they were very nice and get good reviews. They made up the new marine battery cable you see under the old cable used by "Marine Services Mazatlán".

We used the Dremmel to cut up the battery box top
and bottom so the cables would fit without any stress on them.

Watch out for my leg! safety last 😎

We had never finished running the cable to the house battery buss
so we would not have a live cable hanging about.

We did end up at one time connecting one end to the switch but the switch was missing a cable so we never connected the other end. We snaked the cable through this area under the deck and into the battery compartment and connected it.

Here you see the finished job with the switch connected up correctly and working correctly.

Now "OFF" means "OFF"! Switching to ON means you're using the starting battery and it is ON...switching to "Combine" means you are combining the house batteries and the starting batteries for starting. Like using jumper cables but the cables are a lot bigger and it is secure. I guess you could combine them for charging also but we do not use it that way.

Looking good and getting ready to strap down.

All working fine and secure.

 Here and all four sides of the battery box we will install some teak braces to keep the battery box from sliding around in rough seas. It is strapped down but we do not think that is enough.