C22 Battery installation

[mariner]

Just wondering where people are placing their batteries? do you have a clever install that you would be so kind to share? thanks in advance. Im thinking about placing one or two batteries directly behind the plywood that supports the cockpit floor/behind the winch etc with maybe a custom floor tray. not sure about access though.

[CaptainScott]

My 75 has the battery in a box on the cabin sol to starboard slightly behind the companion way opening. Basically under the keel winch.

My 76 had the battery in a battery box in the far aft of the port lazerette.

Scott

[Capt. Bondo]

I have a single big deep cycle on a shelf behind the plywood that supports the cockpit floor/behind the winch under the cockpit. The battery is in a battery box and strapped in place. Since I use a little solar charger the fits in the window and the old Chrysler 280 has battery charging, the only time I have needed to access it is in the spring and fall when I remove it for winter storage.
Then it's a matter of sliding in to the port lesserate (spell ) from the dinette, and making the connections.
Sorry no pics until spring since Happy Place is wrapped up for the winter.

[John K]

Mariner, that's where I keep mine. Access is a little bit of a challenge, but I can get to it via the port cockpit locker. I do have to slide it to port a little bit to get to the starboard terminal, but I just slide it back to center for normal use. It's a very heavy industrial UPS battery (what can I say, I had one laying around). If it were aft of it's current position, the scuppers would probably be in the water just a bit when docked, which I try to avoid. I have a rigid 5 watt solar panel hooked to it that resides on the sliding companionway hatch, with one bungee cord to the mast step, and another to the toe rail. My Honda outboard does have a generator, but I don't motor enough for it to really do much good. Cheers!

[Windward]

You've already gotten some good advice on this. Low, out of the way, and accessible is a decent combo. Windward's a C26 and not directly comparable. That said...

I built a locker in the middle of the starboard settee to house a pair of Group 27s. A hatch on top provides access. I glassed in a mini-bulkhead on each end, then built a solid tray that slides in from aft and is secured with screws. It puts the weight low, helps correct the C26's common "list to port," permits access to check/add water, and also divides the settee locker into something I find more useful.

Using the white trash approach to high tech materials, I protected at each battery with large (80 amp) car stereo blade fuses, then used 4 gauge jumper cable to run to a conveniently located A/B/Both switch. From there I run 8 gauge to separate distribution panels. Not ABYC, or even tinned, but I'm mostly in fresh water and there's little voltage loss over the runs.

I have a separate Optima Blue Top that I used just to start the outboard. It's behind the galley now, but want to relocate it to someplace a bit more low-profile if I can decide where. I used a combiner to share charge between them, plus an emergency combine switch to permit the starting battery to run the house load if necessary.

Not the perfect combo, necessarily, but much much better than new, and quite serviceable so far.

[Banshi]

I have mine in a wood pocket underneath the port seat just in front the keel cable thru hull. You have to remove one end of the pocket which is held on with wing nuts to get it out. Being my first non dingy sailboat I have learned that if it can turn over or come loose it will at some point, lock it down or pay the price later. Plus the admiral gets very upset when the boat heels and things go crash Thus the cargo net on the starboard bunk.

[gregcrawford]

I built a shelf just outboard of the port keel pivot under the settee. The battery (Group 24) is mounted in a plastic battery box and strapped to the shelf. This gets the battery about as close to the CG as possible and doesn't weigh down the stern. I have 6 gauge wire going to the electric start Honda and 10 gauge going to the electrical panel.

[Andiron120]

I have two mounted in under the port lazerette toward the aft, in battery boxes that are screwed down. They are scooted as close to the centerline as possible and any lean is offset by stoaring the anchors and tools to starboard of the centerline.

[Alanhod]