1974 48YF Questions

[silverpaul]

My new to me 48YF 'Freeway' is home in Channel Islands Harbor. It came 15 hours non-stop from San Diego after many months of no use with minimal problems. The captain reported some vibration near the end but thinks he may have picked up a lobster pot - I am more inclined to think shaft alignment but we can hope - and the port engine used over a gallon of oil!
I have only spent a few hours on the boat but I am confused by the arrangement of the batteries. The boat is all 12 volt and the stbd engine four 6 volt units in series-parallel and the port has eight 6 volters that are also the house units. At first glance, they all appear to be deep cycle - or possibly dual use.
Paperwork on the boat indicates this arrangement goes back at least 20 years. The problem is, starting the port engine pulls the house volt so low that all the electronics reset and I hate the idea of combining house and start. Was it standard at the time to use one engine's start battery as the house bank? I have ordered the manual from Hatteras but there is a 4 - 6 week wait.
Second question does anyone know of a source for the keyed lock on the companionway door from the pilot house to salon. It is very similar to several Perko models but none have the drive in latch with a keylock.

Finally (for now), the instrument panel is black plastic, how is that lifted to get at the wiring on the back? I need to replace some switches. I think 41 DC has the same arangement.

Thank you,

Paul
'Freeway' 1974 48YF
Channel Islands Harbor
California

 

[lumina]

Hi All,

Paul,

I believe the configuration and battery type you're describing is a non-traditional setup, maybe something pulled together by prior owners.

I have a 3 stateroom 1974 48 YF. I've owned her for appx 5 years. She is extremely original and our battery configuration seems to match the Hatteras specifications for that year.

If you look at my profile and check out the albums section you'll see an album of “factory specifications”. You'll find one in there for your boat, then reference the ‘electrical systems’ heading.

“Two Banks of Heavy Duty Marine 12 Volt Batteries with 40 Amp 12 Volt Automatic Battery Charger and Battery Paralleling System with Switch at Control Console. 120 volt AC Ship Service and 120 Volt AC Air Conditioning Inlets on Port Side with 120 Volt Shore. Two 240 Volt AC Ship Service Inlet Port and Starboard with Shoreline. Light Fixtures Both 12 and 120 Volt and 120 Volt Duplex Electrical Outlets. Electric Control Panel with 12 and 120 Volt Circuit Breakers, Distribution Switches, Volt Meter, Ampere Consuming Meter, Battery Condition Meter, Indicator Lights and Polarity Alarm.

This is how we’re set up, the port engine bank is the house bank. We have four 8V deep cycle batteries, two for each engine. The 48YF was manufactured as a 12V boat.

It is absolutely not normal for the starting of the port engine to create such a draw that it resets your electronics. Might actually be a hazard.

Ahhhhhhhhhh the dreaded black instrument panel...............In our case it was held down by 4200 and we had to carefully separate with a utility knife to break the bond. Once you do that it will only tilt back maybe 6 inches if you're lucky. This issue of access to the lower helm wiring is THE single most frustrating thing about the 48YF. In our case we also have access up into the helm from a compartment in the aft companionway, but even so that is of little help.

 

[TopHattandTails]

As a general "good practice", I always parallel the batteries when starting. Needed or not, its much easier on things...

 

[Boatsb]

As a general "good practice", I always parallel the batteries when starting. Needed or not, its much easier on things...

I believe that systems should be designed as not only independent but only paralleled in an emergency. Testing the parallel switch is a good idea monthly but to always use it may cause a dependence on it and allow weak batteries to sneak past you.

 

[REBrueckner]

All good info above.... corresponds with my experience except that I had a pair of 8D's, corresponding to the original set up, and starting would cause SOME electronics to reset. Different electronics have different input voltage sensitivities.

Because I ran a 12 volt frig for six months at time while cruising full time, I added a separate house bank...another pair of 8D's....and normally fed my electronics from that house bank.

I also added a selector switch so I could feed all my electronics from either the house bank or in case of a failure there from the original port start bank.