battery balancers /A54/ Victron AGM
|
Ulrich Michael Dangelmeyer
Hello Ameliens,
I hope you are all healthy and in good spirits, wherever you are. Inspired by some comments here about better battery condition and performance, I decided to install Victron battery balancers. We have a 54 #088, and replaced all 12 service batteries in Victron AGM 110Ah deep cycle this summer. Here I have the following questions specifically to other 54 friends who have done this optimization themselves:
- where did you install these blue boxes? Directly in the battery compartment or next to the bulkhead where all the cables and the main switches are mounted?Victron recommends mounting vertically, out of the battery vapor. since I can't get directly into the boat at the moment, I have no idea where and how to mount.
- 2nd question: what is the best way to wire? Victron recommends for 12 batteries 2 balancers connected in parallel. so 1 balancer between 6 batteries. If you have better pragmatic experience, I am very grateful. Since we do not know when we come back to Greece, I would with your recommendation then provide the electrician of the marina with the parts and installation instructions, so that he can install the balancers in the meantime optimally.
I have already asked twice at Pochon, Mr. Geniteau, who make the electrical installations at all Amel. But until today unfortunately no answer or feedback get. pity.
Therefore, I hope for your tremendous practical experience and exchange in this great forum and thank you very much in advance.
For 2021, wherever you are, I wish you only the best: health, happiness and fair winds.
Stay healthy!
Best regards
Ulrich "Soleil Bleu" / A54#088
|
|
|
|
Mohammad Shirloo
Hello Ulrich;
Sorry about this question about a completely unrelated issue. But since I did not have your direct e-mail, thought I’d reach out to you on the forum.
We are considering adding a hardtop to our 54 and would like to discuss your experience with the hard top on Soleil Bleu. Would you mind sending me an e-mail directly to mshirloo at transpacific.us
I apologize to the rest of the forum for this unrelated post.
Happy Sailing;
Mohammad and Aty B&B Kokomo AMEL 54 #099
From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
On Behalf Of ULRICH DANGELMEYER via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2020 4:34 AM To: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io Subject: [AmelYachtOwners] battery balancers /A54/ Victron AGM
Hello Ameliens, I hope you are all healthy and in good spirits, wherever you are. Inspired by some comments here about better battery condition and performance, I decided to install Victron battery balancers. We have a 54 #088, and replaced all 12 service batteries in Victron AGM 110Ah deep cycle this summer. Here I have the following questions specifically to other 54 friends who have done this optimization themselves: - where did you install these blue boxes? Directly in the battery compartment or next to the bulkhead where all the cables and the main switches are mounted?Victron recommends mounting vertically, out of the battery vapor. since I can't get directly into the boat at the moment, I have no idea where and how to mount. - 2nd question: what is the best way to wire? Victron recommends for 12 batteries 2 balancers connected in parallel. so 1 balancer between 6 batteries. If you have better pragmatic experience, I am very grateful. Since we do not know when we come back to Greece, I would with your recommendation then provide the electrician of the marina with the parts and installation instructions, so that he can install the balancers in the meantime optimally. I have already asked twice at Pochon, Mr. Geniteau, who make the electrical installations at all Amel. But until today unfortunately no answer or feedback get. pity. Therefore, I hope for your tremendous practical experience and exchange in this great forum and thank you very much in advance.
For 2021, wherever you are, I wish you only the best: health, happiness and fair winds. Stay healthy!
Best regards
|
|
|
|
I won’t speak for the rest of the forum but I’d also be very interested in hearing about the excellent and beautiful hardtop on Soleil Blue. For those who haven’t seen it, check out this great video. https://youtu.be/DT7x0SjM648 This hard top looks like it came off the A54 assembly line. Super well done. I’d love to hear how it has worked out.
Brent Cameron, Future Amel owner & Amel Owner's Registry Moderator
On Dec 27, 2020, 12:01 PM -0500, Mohammad Shirloo <mshirloo@...>, wrote:
--
Brent Cameron Future Amel Owner & Amel Owner Registry Moderator Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada
|
|
|
|
Hi Ulrich,
We have 6V AGM batteries in a series parallel arrangement with balancers on each string of 4. We have no issue with vapor as the batteries are AGMs, The balancers are in the battery compartment with the batteries. If you have acid vapors in the battery compartment I wouldn't put any electronics in there. For your setup, I think from my experience the best setup could be : Two balancers on each of 6 batteries in series parallel with the middle negative poles connected together. See my drawing attached. Cheers Alan Elyse SM437
|
|
|
|
I too am very interested in this new hardtop set up. Carango has a half (forward half) hard top which we sailed around the world but we are interested in replacing that with the Soleil Blue version. Ours has a top window so we can see the set of the main sail from the cockpit which we like. But we do not have solar panel on top because of that.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Can someone tell us where this new hardtop was made and who owns the design. I would like to ask prices of the manufacturer. Can anyone help with that. Peter Peter Forbes Carango Amel 54 #035 La Rochelle 00447836 209730 07836 209730
On 27 Dec 2020, at 21:38, Brent Cameron <brentcameron61@...> wrote:
|
|
|
|
Alain Durante
Peter,
For your information, hardtop set up on my Amel 54 #021 , photos attached.
Cordialement,
Alain Durante
De : main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
De la part de Peter Forbes via groups.io
I too am very interested in this new hardtop set up. Carango has a half (forward half) hard top which we sailed around the world but we are interested in replacing that with the Soleil Blue version. Ours has a top window so we can see the set of the main sail from the cockpit which we like. But we do not have solar panel on top because of that.
Can someone tell us where this new hardtop was made and who owns the design.
I would like to ask prices of the manufacturer.
Can anyone help with that.
Peter Peter Forbes Carango Amel 54 #035 La Rochelle 00447836 209730 07836 209730
|
|
|
|
Bonjour Alain,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Thank you - I have seen the video - can you tell me who made it and could they make another. Your 54 is beautiful. I am at ppsforbes’at’gmail.com Cordialement Peter Peter Forbes The Old Rectory Farnham Blandford DT11 8 DE 00447836 209730 07836 209730
On 28 Dec 2020, at 09:41, Alain Durante <info@...> wrote:
|
|
|
|
Paul Dowd and Sharon Brown
Ulrich,
I seem to recall reading that it is important that all the cables connecting the balancers are exactly the same in gauge and length.
Cheers, Paul S/Y Ya Fohi - Amel 54 #98 - Grenada
From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io> On Behalf Of ULRICH DANGELMEYER
Sent: 27 December 2020 13:34 To: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io Subject: [AmelYachtOwners] battery balancers /A54/ Victron AGM
Hello Ameliens, I hope you are all healthy and in good spirits, wherever you are. Inspired by some comments here about better battery condition and performance, I decided to install Victron battery balancers. We have a 54 #088, and replaced all 12 service batteries in Victron AGM 110Ah deep cycle this summer. Here I have the following questions specifically to other 54 friends who have done this optimization themselves: - where did you install these blue boxes? Directly in the battery compartment or next to the bulkhead where all the cables and the main switches are mounted?Victron recommends mounting vertically, out of the battery vapor. since I can't get directly into the boat at the moment, I have no idea where and how to mount. - 2nd question: what is the best way to wire? Victron recommends for 12 batteries 2 balancers connected in parallel. so 1 balancer between 6 batteries. If you have better pragmatic experience, I am very grateful. Since we do not know when we come back to Greece, I would with your recommendation then provide the electrician of the marina with the parts and installation instructions, so that he can install the balancers in the meantime optimally. I have already asked twice at Pochon, Mr. Geniteau, who make the electrical installations at all Amel. But until today unfortunately no answer or feedback get. pity. Therefore, I hope for your tremendous practical experience and exchange in this great forum and thank you very much in advance.
For 2021, wherever you are, I wish you only the best: health, happiness and fair winds. Stay healthy!
Best regards
-- Cheers Paul Ya Fohi - Amel 54 #98
|
|
|
|
Ulrich Michael Dangelmeyer
Hi Alan and Paul, best thanks for your input on the installation of the battery balancers, which i will pass to our electrician in the marina, as soon as the parts arrive here. The know how in this forum is almost unlimited, neural network, mhm? Great, thanks. Dear Mohamed, apparently your inquiry about our hardtop has sparked further interest, as Brent and Peter indicate. So I'm welcome to respond throughout the forum: No hardtop was ever built by Amel on a 54 ab shipyard to my knowledge, ours is also a custom build by the previous owner. in the youtube slideshow you can see all the details. may be also measures. He designed it, it was built in Turkey where he had stayed for a long time. I myself have neither drawings nor measurements, nor anything about the construction, there is no contact to the previous owners, so sorry. I mean to remember he had the HardTop built at Demir Marine Marmaris. All handmade and only the 3rd mould version has then fit. The sub-construction should consist of carbon and foam. Spotlights are mounted in the ceiling and LED strips on the edges. The upper small windows forwards can be opened to the outside. In the ceiling is also a plexi window, to control the mainsail. We love this deckhouse because it provides perfect wind and weather protection, like a winter garden it can also be closed off sideways and aft with matching sunbrella canvas (with integrated plastic windows and mosquito nets. This YouTube shows all details and equipment too, but sorry no construction drawings, so sorry! Alian, your solution appears to me also very professional and versatile too. compliments. Best wishes to all and THX Ulrich „Soleil Bleu“ / A54#088
|
|
|
|
Thanks Ulrich... I didn't mean to imply that your hardtop came from the Amel factory, just that it looks like it did. I particularly like how they focused on BOTH sides of the hard top and finished it like the Amel 55 Hard top with the LED lights inside and the windows. On a related question, do you still use the dingy railway/cradle system that is in the other video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT3VnlBR2Uc. Thanks again!
-- Brent Cameron Future Amel Owner & Amel Owner Registry Moderator Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada
|
|
|
|
Thanks Paul,
that's right, AND all the +ve and -ve battery cables should be the same length, otherwise there will be voltage differences which will work against the balancing effect. Cheers Alan Elyse SM437
|
|
|
|
Ulrich Michael Dangelmeyer
Hi Alan, please help: what do you mean with the „+ve“ battery cables? Cables to balancers or which way and connection? Sorry to ask, just avoiding any errors on Installation. Thanks so much for you expertise. Best Regards Ulrich
Am 29.12.2020 um 08:39 schrieb Alan Leslie <s.v.elyse@...>:
|
|
|
|
Ulrich Michael Dangelmeyer
Hi Brent, THX for you interest. We do not use this cradle because it‘s to much work to install ist. It‘s a mess to pull all tubes out and to connect them just for launching the tender. We take the mizzen halyard on the powerwinch for the mainsheet, protect the topsides with some flat fenders..,and here we go. 10 minutes. After all, we take the dinghi in the arc like davits. So this cradle may be as toy to launch from the poop deck and back. We are not a German lifeboat Cruiser with seperate rescue boat to launch thru the stern. Hope this helps. This boat really got a lot of „improvements“ from the former owner. Best wishes and stay safe Ulrich
Am 28.12.2020 um 20:23 schrieb Brent Cameron <brentcameron61@...>:
|
|
|
|
Hi Ulrich,
What I mean is all the cables that connect each of the batteries to the common +ve and -ve points should be the same length. And, separately, all the connections to the balancers should be the same length. Good luck Alan Elyse SM437
|
|
|