1988 Montauk 17 Moving Battery to Console

[mattroche]

Hi. I inherited my 1988 Montauk 17 with a 2000 Yamaha 80-HP. The increased weight didn't justify the horsepower. To get excess weight out of the stern I'd like to move the battery, currently located aft starboard, to the inside of the center console.

Does anyone have pictures [that show relocation of a battery to the console of a MONTAUK 17]?

Can readers point me in the right direction on the forum?

Anyone believe this idea isn't worth the time, effort or expense?

Thanks in advance for your time.

[jimh]

I think your plan is a good one. I believe moving the battery to the console is often done. The usual practice is to cut an opening in the lower level of the shelf in the console so the battery weight bears on the deck, not on the console shelf.

You will find many prior discussions of this project or similar ones in the archives of the old forum. Try these:

Fitting Battery into Console
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/016985.html

Battery Placement, 1986 Newtauk
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/004975.html

Since the battery will be enclosed in a small space, any fumes from the battery may collect inside the console. Flooded-cell lead-acid batteries that are vented will give off fumes that will cause nearby metal objects to corrode if the surrouding space is not well ventilated. For that reason, I recommend use of a sealed valve-regulated lead-acid (SVLA) battery. Since the battery will now also be subjected to more movement and shock-loads from that movement, you should also consider using a battery with absorbed glass mat (AGM) construction. Since AGM batteries tend to be leak-proof, you can also eliminate the usual battery box container, saving some space in the process. But be certain the battery connections are very well protected against shorting by loose objects stored in the console.

For advice about the electrical nature of this project such as the required conductor size of the new cables, please inquire in the SMALL BOAT ELECTRICAL discussion. I would be very glad to discuss that topic with you in that more appropriate forum.

[kwik_wurk]

Putting the battery in the console is easy. Contrary to jimh's recommendation of cutting the floor, I would not. I like to wash out under the console, and not have anything catch in a spot I can't reach easily. (Not to mention the water ingress if you don't seal the lowered battery box against the floor.)

I can send a picture of my installation if you want.

[jimh]

Images of appropriate file size and image dimensions can be attached to postings here. Attachment of an image is preferred to private exchange of that information.

[jimh]

Contrary to jimh's recommendation of cutting the floor, I would not.

I did not actually give my own recommendation to cut the floor, but I did observe many others had done just that:

"The usual practice is to cut an opening in the lower level of the shelf in the console so the battery weight bears on the deck, not on the console shelf."

I can also observe that the practice for a battery to sit on the deck is extraordinarily common. And I do not recall anyone suggesting elevating a battery above the deck so that the deck could more easily be washed or cleaned below a battery. This same risk occurred when the battery was in the stern; dirt could collect under it there. I have never seen advice that one ought to elevate the battery to enable cleaning the deck below it.

While it is true that some dirt or debris might accumulate under a battery case or a battery box, I don't see that as being the determining factor in where the weight of a battery ought to bear on the hull. I believe the cutting away of a portion of the shelf in the interior of the center console of a MONTAUK is being done, as I suggested, in order to transfer the weight of the battery to the deck instead of the shelf out of concern that the console shelf has been constructed in a manner that is insufficient to support the weight of a battery. I suppose one could completely re-do the shelf and add sufficient reinforcement to permit the shelf to bear the weight of the battery, if keeping the deck under the battery completely unobstructed were a great priority. To me, such a renovation of the console shelf seems like a lot of work to avoid possibly bending over once in a while to see if anything is stuck under the console against a battery case.

Note that in a 17-foot hull, the deck area is reinforced with plywood below the laminate. Refer to callout "L" in the wood locating diagram at:

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/16-17/graphics/17wood1190x743.jpeg

Concern for ease of cleaning is subordinate to my concern about the battery weight busting the shelf; this may not be a universally held position.

[kwik_wurk]

Attached is an image of the interior of one of my classic consoles, granted the picture was targeting the fuses and battery selector. The battery is forward, starboard corner, in a Boston Whaler battery box, strapped down to the floor of the console. No build up of the sub floor was needed. (Battery is an Optima BLUETOP, which probably doesn't need a battery box anyways.) -- What you can not see in the image is the main DC fuse, and the short cables going to/from the battery.

In this install, all hardware was pre-mounted and wired to the board, then with 3M 5200 bonded it to the console interior. (I really don't plan on removing in my lifetime.)

My only comment to the battery being on the floor within the console, is that it's a chore to clean under it when you want to. When it's back aft, to get underneath is a one handed job. -- Water ingress is not into the battery box, but into the console as you wash down underneath.

[AZdave]

Kwik_wurk that's an excellent picture of a beautiful wiring job.

[mattroche]

Thank you all so much for your input!

[Phil T]

Rewire - After the spaghetti:

wiring.jpg (35.02 KiB) Viewed 7377 times

I enclosed all the wires in bilge tubing and wireloom to protect it from objects getting thrown in the door (by others). Battery is in a floor cutout out of view.

[Pr William]

I have 2 batteries inside the console. I cut rectangular holes to accommodate two battery boxes with lids that the batteries sit in. The weight of the batteries rest on the boat deck when this is done. The plywood shelf is only 5/8" thick and will eventually collapse if you don't do this.