Domestic battery replacement..

[nicknorman]

2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I don't think that is what the BSS requires although some examiners may be gold plating it. I think the BSS requires the terminals/top of the battery to be protected from short circuits and the batteries be secured so they don't move with a 45 degree list on the boat. Hence then BSS suggestion that  putting them in a fixed box that comes half way up the battery meets the regulation. I accept that to meet that requirement many builders who put batteries in stupid places (contrary to the BMEA standards) find it easier to  strap the batteries down so they can be slid out of their position. On JennyB the domestic batteries were in a lift out steel box welded into the cruiser stern. The deck board was accepted as compliant although I did fit a secondary cover secured with door bolts that I felt had advantages. The engine battery was contained in a tray with about an 8mm up stand all round with a hinged wooden lid that dropped down and was secured with a cord.  This had about a 25mm down stand with cutouts for the battery cables. The up stand met the not moving bit and the hinged lid the protection from shorts and prevented the batteries falling over. This was also accepted as fully compliant.

#Its trikes me the BSS regulations about this, as written, are entirely sensible but common word of mouth interpretations of what they require are often "gold plated". This is not helped by the lack of cntrol the BSS office seem to have on examiners and their interpretation of the regulations.

 

A wide beam can easily heel to more than 45 degrees if hung up in a lock and GRP ones even easier, before they fall off the hang up - if they do! Narrowboats are probably more difficult to heel in that situation but it can still happen, like when a pound/reach drains.

IMO it’s partly that a heel angle is an easy way to express a sideways force. For narrowboats I think it’s important for batteries to be unable to move sideways because otherwise in the event of a hard impact, the heavy batteries might slide, either damaging wiring or bringing positive terminals in contact with the hull.

[Tony Brooks]

1 minute ago, nicknorman said:

IMO it’s partly that a heel angle is an easy way to express a sideways force. For narrowboats I think it’s important for batteries to be unable to move sideways because otherwise in the event of a hard impact, the heavy batteries might slide, either damaging wiring or bringing positive terminals in contact with the hull.

 

I fully agree, but the fact remains the BSS does not require batteries to be strapped down. That is just the way many people meet the regulation but that is not the only way. There are better ways if the builders/fitters gave it some thought.

[ditchcrawler]

35 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

  There are better ways if the builders/fitters gave it some thought.

Like so many things, but its always been that way rules some of their thoughts. A classic is the 6" holes it the front and back doors for ventilation when there are so many other better ways of doing it.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

I fully agree, but the fact remains the BSS does not require batteries to be strapped down.

 

Actually yes it does. Quote from the BSS, Section 3.1.2:

 

"Applicability – restraint against vertical movement is generally required."

 

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/299273/bss-examination-checking-procedures-core-private-boat-public-interim-complete-compress.pdf

 

But then it goes on to contradict itself with this, which does not restrain against vertical movement:

 

"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."

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

3 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Actually yes it does. Quote from the BSS, Section 3.1.2:

 

"Applicability – restraint against vertical movement is generally required."

 

https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/299273/bss-examination-checking-procedures-core-private-boat-public-interim-complete-compress.pdf

 

But then it goes on to contradict itself with this, which does not restrain against vertical movement:

 

"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."

 

 

 

 

BUt - that doesn't mean that they must be STRAPPED down, there are many ways of stopping vertical movement without using a 'strap'

 

For example, there could be a 'lid' which bolts down (hasp & staple ?) and stops the battery having any vertical movement.

 

I must agree with Tony :

 

 

4 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

I fully agree, but the fact remains the BSS does not require batteries to be strapped down. That is just the way many people meet the regulation but that is not the only way. There are better ways if the builders/fitters gave it some thought.