How to lock engine covers

[John Orentas]

Its what everyones done for donkeys, and its good enough for bss...

 

 

The worst possible place to locate isolator switches on a cruiser stern boat is under the deck covers, every time you need to switch on or off you will need to scrabble about down there often in bad weather. The problem is compounded by the use of those terrible modern things with the red removable key, they are poorly engineered with insufficient pressure on the electrical contacts, they fail in that damp oily atmosphere regurlarly.

 

Fit isolators in the dry conditions of the cabin, a couple of extra meters of cable and a bit of trouble, they will be happy in there for years to come

[DHutch]

Yeah, its a mess! Im not doubting it, but other than doing better yourself, theres little can be done about it.

- We've got a 200/300amp vetus off/1/2/both type rotary in the middle of the boat, next to the batterys.

 

 

Daniel

[ChrisPy]

Both covers have the low security cabinet type locaks you see on electrical type cabinets that engage in the support channels.

Peter: where did you get those from ? I've searched and googled and cannot find ........

[blackrose]

The worst possible place to locate isolator switches on a cruiser stern boat is under the deck covers, every time you need to switch on or off you will need to scrabble about down there often in bad weather. The problem is compounded by the use of those terrible modern things with the red removable key, they are poorly engineered with insufficient pressure on the electrical contacts, they fail in that damp oily atmosphere regurlarly.

 

Fit isolators in the dry conditions of the cabin, a couple of extra meters of cable and a bit of trouble, they will be happy in there for years to come

 

I agree John and have some new isolator switches which I keep meaning to fit. Ok, they're modern but not everything modern is poor quality & I think they have a good spec. http://www.bepmarine.com/showproduct.cfm?productid=1

I've got a cluster of 3 with an emergency parallel between the domestic & starter switches.

 

Someone told me that on cheap switches everytime you switch them on & off the current passing through damages the contacts until eventually they can fuse together without you knowing. A potentially hazardous situation.

 

I would obviously prefer to fit my new ones in the cabin, but don't the switches need to be as near to the batteries as possible? Or am I making the mistake of thinking of them like fuses?

Edited November 15, 2006 by blackrose

[chris w]

The boat on which I am awaiting delivery (cruiser stern) has a permanently connected (very low current) relay operating a large solenoid which in turn operates a double pole isolation switch. The button for the battery isolation ON/OFF is located just inside the main rear doors. The isolation switch can also be operated manually if necessary by lifting the engine boards.

[ChrisPy]

........... don't the switches need to be as near to the batteries as possible? Or am I making the mistake of thinking of them like fuses?

 

BSS Chapter 3:

Are battery isolators fitted and are they as close as practicable

to the battery?

Check the distance of battery isolators from batteries.

Battery isolators must be located as close as practicable to

the batteries.

Notes – Accessibility takes precedence over proximity to the batteries.

[John Orentas]

I agree John and have some new isolator switches which I keep meaning to fit. Ok, they're modern but not everything modern is poor quality & I think they have a good spec. http://www.bepmarine.com/showproduct.cfm?productid=1

I've got a cluster of 3 with an emergency parallel between the domestic & starter switches.

 

Someone told me that on cheap switches everytime you switch them on & off the current passing through damages the contacts until eventually they can fuse together without you knowing. A potentially hazardous situation.

 

I would obviously prefer to fit my new ones in the cabin, but don't the switches need to be as near to the batteries as possible? Or am I making the mistake of thinking of them like fuses?

 

 

Hi Blackie.

 

Those isolators you have found certainly the part. I only mentioned the 'New' bit in an attempt to identify them, everyone and his dog seems to sell them these days. The bigger sizes are not too bad, the contact pressure which is the important thing goes up with the rated current. I have never seen them with the contacts actually welded together, more that arcing over a period leads to oxidisation and high resistance.

 

Personally I would always favour the use of a mains type isolator, possibly a 3 phase one with linked contacts, usually better quality and lower cost than boaty ones.

 

The BSS have changed priorities on all this in the last couple of years, as Chris quoted. "Accessibility takes precedence over proximity to the batteries".

[PeterF]

Peter: where did you get those from ? I've searched and googled and cannot find ........

 

Chris,

 

Mine were on the boat when I bought it last month but I have bought them before from RS. They are called spanner locks. Go to RS website www.rswww.com and enter spanner lock into the search. The stock number is 451-1469, you could search on that also.

 

Peter

[chris w]

I've gone for a rimlock mounted under the engine board. I managed to find one in B&Q (£11) that just has the bolt and key part and not the normal door handle bit. The bolt will fit under the steel cross member, I don't actually need the bit that normally fits on the doorframe (I'm sure it's got a technical name but I don't know what it is)

 

I also found a nice brass escutcheon (£3) to sit on the top of the engine board which is very slim and will help to keep the weather out of the lock. (representative photo below)

 

 

 

I hope these photos are not to the same scale

 

Chris

Edited November 15, 2006 by chris w

[blackrose]

I've gone for a rimlock mounted under the engine board. I managed to find one in B&Q (£11) that just has the bolt and key part and not the normal door handle bit.

 

I also found a nice brass escutcheon (£3) to sit on the top of the engine board which is very slim and will help to keep the weather out of the lock. (representative photo below)

 

 

 

I hope these photos are not to the same scale

 

Chris

 

That sounds like a good solution, but you'll probably need a few won't you?

 

BSS Chapter 3:

Are battery isolators fitted and are they as close as practicable

to the battery?

Check the distance of battery isolators from batteries.

Battery isolators must be located as close as practicable to

the batteries.

Notes – Accessibility takes precedence over proximity to the batteries.

 

Thanks

[chris w]

That sounds like a good solution, but you'll probably need a few won't you?

I'm hoping that I will only need one as the opposite end of the small board (cruiser stern) that carries this lock will have short steel rods that fit under the steel cross member at that point. The large board will have similar rods at its end and a bolt underneath at the middle where it meets the short board. The bolt will be inaccessible if the short board is locked down.

 

Chris

Edited November 15, 2006 by chris w