Help me understand how to use my boat :/

[b_arrington]

A suggestion for the overall health and maintenance of your generator. Don’t just let it sit. Generators or equipment that like to be used, or else they tend to develop problems. The idea that you can preserve your generator by not running it doesn’t hold true. If you regularly run and exercise your generator it will give you much more trouble free operation then just letting it sit and run it for 10 minutes once in a while. If I see a main engine with a couple hundred hours on it and a generator with 10 or 25 I know there’s bound to be problems with the generator.

here’s some tips on the general operating of a generator also. When you first start the generator let it warm up to operating temperature before you apply any electrical loads on it then switch over the loads want to time, letting the generator settle in for a few seconds before turning on the next load. When you’re done with the generator and want to shut it down reverse the procedure for the loads. This allows the generator settle into a stable operating temperature and let it run that way for about two minutes before shutting it down. Following these practices will help provide you with more trouble free operation of your generator.

 

[dtfeld]

If you looks at your electrical panel, you will have an AC and a DC panel. The AC side you can choose to get the power from Shore Power or the generator. The DC side gets power from your batteries. The individual breakers/labels will get you a very general idea of what items are on each circuit, but you’ll need to reference the Owners Manual and Suppliment to really get a better understanding of what’s connected/powered by what. There is a learning curve!

Sea Ray does a pretty good job of having the manuals online.

Here is your Owners Manual. —> https://owners-resources.searayweb....ruisers_Sport_Yacht_General_Owners_Manual.pdf

Here is the Owners Manual Suppliment —> https://owners-resources.searayweb....rs Manual 1996 330 SUNDANCER - SUPPLEMENT.pdf

These documents get into the operation of every system, so very useful to have onboard, especially for a new owner.

Once you have a feel for what is what, how often/when to run the generator,/charge the batteries is a very personal decision based on how you use the boat. It will depend on a number of factors, but you will get a feel for it. Know how to use the Emergency Start System in case you drain a battery having too much fun.

 

[LTD.330]

Thanks for the replies - this is all useful.

If I’m on the hook and have the stereo going, what batteries is it drawing power from? Do those batteries effect starting?

I believe the boat in your descriptions should be a 330 not a 3300.

You boat may be set up different, but my 330 has 4 batteries, two in the port bilge wired in parallell, and two under the aft helm seat. The two port batteries, run all of the house electric, accessories, and start the port engine. Of the two under the aft seat, the port-side battery starts the starboard engine, and the starboard-side battery starts the generator.

So, theoretically if you are out on the hook and drain the batteries, you have two remedies. First is the start the starboard engine, then hold down the emergency jump switch and start the port engine. Secondly, you could start the generator, which will power up the battery charger and wait a while then start the port engine.

 

[Sundancer]

I added two 100-watt solar panels(Flexible so they are lightweight, but not as durable or heavy as a hard frame.) that sit on my bimini, like Galif1 mentioned. They keep my batteries topped off and allow us to run the stereo, charge phones, increase the ice making capability on the 33 year old fridge and charge my house batteries. We ran this way for almost a week without starting the engines. What a great feeling never worrying about the charge! We could send the temp down on the fridge to create a few more cubes and then increase it as the sun went down so it wouldn't freeze everything in the fridge. It was worth it for piece of mind!!

 

[TheSTRdude]

I added two 100-watt solar panels(Flexible so they are lightweight, but not as durable or heavy as a hard frame.) that sit on my bimini, like Galif1 mentioned. They keep my batteries topped off and allow us to run the stereo, charge phones, increase the ice making capability on the 33 year old fridge and charge my house batteries. We ran this way for almost a week without starting the engines. What a great feeling never worrying about the charge! We could send the temp down on the fridge to create a few more cubes and then increase it as the sun went down so it wouldn't freeze everything in the fridge. It was worth it for piece of mind!!

just put them on top of the arch? Do you have a thread explaining how you did this?