Help to pass BSS and electrical issues

[cuthound]

5 minutes ago, B2019 said:

Thanks for both of those links. Of great help ?. 

 

I'm just fixing my solar panels today. Fuse and cut off switch . Went to the chandler and got red and black ocean flex cable to replace brown and blue cable. I've got three batteries. One end is connected to earth and other end is positive running pumps ( will go through fuse box)  Where should I put negative and positive cables coming from solar panels? Coming from same end? 

 

Positive from solar panel to positive on battery, and negative from solar panel to negative on battery.

[B2019]

1 minute ago, cuthound said:

 

Positive from solar panel to positive on battery, and negative from solar panel to negative on battery.

Sorry what is meant is that I use to same positive port where the power goes out on the battery for the positive wire coming from the solar panel to the positive port on the battery. 

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, B2019 said:

Sorry what is meant is that I use to same positive port where the power goes out on the battery for the positive wire coming from the solar panel to the positive port on the battery. 

 

Yes (for now)

Remember that you need a suitable fuse in the positive line as close to the battery as you can reasonably get.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by Alan de Enfield

[WotEver]

And remember to connect the controller to the batteries before you connect the panels to the controller

[cuthound]

16 minutes ago, B2019 said:

Sorry what is meant is that I use to same positive port where the power goes out on the battery for the positive wire coming from the solar panel to the positive port on the battery. 

Yes, see the attached diagram.

 

If you have more batteries then simply ensure all of the battery positives are connected together and all of the battery negatives are connected together, then be,e a negative cable back to the DC hull connection. 

[WotEver]

This file might be a bit clearer for you...

https://app.box.com/s/v5y1n8z5dg53bgmzbj11u0b6x74vxkcm

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by WotEver
Added the image

[Tony Brooks]

1 hour ago, B2019 said:

Thanks for both of those links. Of great help ?. 

 

I'm just fixing my solar panels today. Fuse and cut off switch . Went to the chandler and got red and black ocean flex cable to replace brown and blue cable. I've got three batteries. One end is connected to earth and other end is positive running pumps ( will go through fuse box)  Where should I put negative and positive cables coming from solar panels? Coming from same end? 

 

One on either end like I think your main feed and charging cables are. Any other way will tend to unbalance the batteries so some do more work that others but how much of  a problem this is on a three battery bank is open to question. If you have a shunted ammeter or other shunted monitor the solar should go to the non-battery end of the shunt. This will normally be in the negative cable so the solar negative goes to the non-battery end of the shunt.

[B2019]

Hi boaters, 

 

I've updated my electrics yesterday and today with very slow gas soldering iron. Please see some pictures below of how far I've come and any advice or tips would be great. Solar panel controller now has a cut off switch and fuse and bilge pump has new switch and fuse. 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

There appears to be a couple of 'black' wires going from the negative terminal (bottom left) up to a positive terminal top right

Why ?

What are they ?

 

Ideally you only want a single wire (maximum two) on each terminal so where you have 6 wires on both the + AND - terminals you should ideally wire them to a busbar and a single wire from the bus bar to the battery terminal.

 

 

Example of a Busbar (basically a big heavy duty terminal block)

 

 

 

[B2019]

15 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

There appears to be a couple of 'black' wires going from the negative terminal (bottom left) up to a positive terminal top right

Why ?

What are they ?

 

Ideally you only want a single wire (maximum two) on each terminal so where you have 6 wires on both the + AND - terminals you should ideally wire them to a busbar and a single wire from the bus bar to the battery terminal.

 

 

Example of a Busbar (basically a big heavy duty terminal block)

 

 

 

I see. I've seen them in Chandler. I will buy a positive and negative Bush bar and I will show you when I done. The two small black wires are going to negative terminal for bilge pump and solar. 

[WotEver]

3 minutes ago, B2019 said:

The two small black wires are going to negative terminal for bilge pump and solar. 

@Alan de Enfield you can see them laying on the base plate in the 1st picture. 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, B2019 said:

The two small black wires are going to negative terminal for bilge pump and solar. 

Ah - OK so they drop down behind the battery then (not onto the terminal)

 

Next point -

you do need a lid to the battery box to meet the BSSC requirements - do you have one ?

the battery box must be strong enough to retain the batteries if the boat heels and 60kgs of batteries start sliding about - is it ? (it looks a bit flimsy / unattached to the wall)

[B2019]

12 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Ah - OK so they drop down behind the battery then (not onto the terminal)

 

Next point -

you do need a lid to the battery box to meet the BSSC requirements - do you have one ?

the battery box must be strong enough to retain the batteries if the boat heels and 60kgs of batteries start sliding about - is it ? (it looks a bit flimsy / unattached to the wall)

My BSS examiner didn't say anything about box just that the wires were too thin, no battery isolater, fuse box cover missing, loose wiring. 

 

I've got a box cover. Just need to make it look nicer. 

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, B2019 said:

I've got a box cover. Just need to make it look nicer. 

Sounds like you got a doozer of an examiner -

 

3.1.2
Are batteries secure against excessive movement in any direction? 
Check by visual assessment the extent all batteries,
battery boxes, cradles, frameworks etc, can move.
Apply light manual force to all battery boxes, cradles,
frameworks etc, to verify the extent of possible
movement.
All battery boxes, cradles, frameworks etc, must be
free of signs of movement or possible movement.
All batteries must be incapable of movement in
excess of 10mm in any direction.
NOTE – restraint against vertical movement is generally required. However batteries may be secured by
means of a cradle or framework sufficient to ensure batteries remain secure under any condition up to 45° to
the horizontal. Recesses, cradles or frameworks extending to half the height of the battery meet this
allowance.

3.1.3
Are battery terminals correctly insulated or protected? 
Check for the presence of a battery cover or
terminal covers.
Check material and condition of any battery
cover or terminal covers.
All metal parts of battery terminals or connections must be
insulated or protected by battery covers or terminal covers.
All battery covers or terminal covers:
• must be made of insulating material; and,
• must not allow any metal part of the terminal or
connection to be exposed; and,
• must be free of signs of damage.
NOTE – deck boards, locker lids, etc, made from or lined with insulating material may only be considered as
battery covers where they will not be removed for any purpose other than gaining access to the batteries.

Edited June 29, 2019 by Alan de Enfield

[B2019]

Hi again, 

 

I've just fitted my new fuel tank. New exhaust, new fuel line, new cap/vent, new vent line and fuel cut off switch. Let me know what you think. 

[Tony Brooks]

If the vent is in the filler cap  have a horrible feeling the vent needs to terminate above the filler but I am sure you checked the BSS on this point before buying.

[B2019]

5 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

If the vent is in the filler cap  have a horrible feeling the vent needs to terminate above the filler but I am sure you checked the BSS on this point before buying.

The filler hole is below the vent hole. 

[WotEver]

27 minutes ago, B2019 said:

The filler hole is below the vent hole. 

And is the filler arranged such that any spilt diesel cannot enter the boat? This is usually dealt with by a 1/2” upstand around the filler hole so that any spilt diesel is routed to the water (not very environmentally friendly but them’s the rules). 

[B2019]

28 minutes ago, WotEver said:

And is the filler arranged such that any spilt diesel cannot enter the boat? This is usually dealt with by a 1/2” upstand around the filler hole so that any spilt diesel is routed to the water (not very environmentally friendly but them’s the rules). 

I accidentally spilt some fuel today and it ran into the water as it's positioned on a tilt.  No fuel got into the boat. I could use some sealant around the cap?

[WotEver]

3 minutes ago, B2019 said:

I accidentally spilt some fuel today and it ran into the water as it's positioned on a tilt.  No fuel got into the boat. I could use some sealant around the cap?

See what your BSS examiner says. ‘On the tilt’ might well be acceptable

[Tony Brooks]

4 hours ago, B2019 said:

The filler hole is below the vent hole. 

And does it have the flame arresting gauze in it?

[B2019]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

And does it have the flame arresting gauze in it?

Yeah it does. I bought the cap from ASAP supplies. 

 

"The Perko diesel deck filler suits 38mm (1-1/2") diesel hose and 16mm (5/8") vent hose. This 0540 deck filler features an integral tank vent with a flame arrestor gauze and an anti-surge valve". 

 

U.S.C.G. Safety Standards, 33 CFR 183

[B2019]

Hi guys, 

 

I'm just fitting bush bars as someone on here suggested. There are 3 bolts all the same size and then 1 which is even smaller. Which one should the main wire coming from the battery go?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

54 minutes ago, B2019 said:

Hi guys, 

 

I'm just fitting bush bars as someone on here suggested. There are 3 bolts all the same size and then 1 which is even smaller. Which one should the main wire coming from the battery go?

Are you sure the left hand one is smaller? The nuts look the same size, measured by spanning with my fingers across the screen. Is it an optical illusion from the lack of a plain washer at the bottom of the stack?

If they are all the same size, then it doesn't matter which the battery lead goes to. If they are different sizes, then put the battery lead on one of the big ones.

Jen

Edited July 3, 2019 by Jen-in-Wellies

[B2019]

4 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Are you sure the left hand one is smaller? The nuts look the same size, measured by spanning with my fingers across the screen. Is it an optical illusion from the lack of a plain washer at the bottom of the stack?

If they are all the same size, then it doesn't matter which the battery lead goes to. If they are different sizes, then put the battery lead on one of the big ones.

Jen

No. One of them is 6mm and rest are 8mm. 

Hi guys,

 

How is this looking now?

 

I've still got to put the bush covers on.