| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jmeirhofer |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 08:13:28
What if anything? I leave my shore power plugged in at the marina but the only thing I leave turned on are the battery charger and the refrigerator on the 110v side. On the 12v side I leave the high water alarm and halon on.
Just curious what others leave turned on. |
| 35 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Billylll |
Posted - May 23 2012 : 08:36:59
Bilge pumps, CO detectors, Fire system, the high water pump, 4 small single LED red lights for entering at night, and the frig. This is on the DC side and on the AC side of the panel outlets and 3 battery chargers.
I always make sure my house solar system is on and that the inverter/charger is locked in charge mode only.
I can lose power for weeks and not have a problem because of the solar system and primary house bank.
Bill |
| Veebyes |
Posted - May 22 2012 : 22:07:10
The boat is kept on a revolving mooring. EVERYTHING is OFF except the bilge pump. Even the seacocks are shut off. |
| JAYROCK |
Posted - May 18 2012 : 08:22:32
I turn off the, water heater, head, dockside water.(the stove is NEVER on!)master ignitions. Everything else is left on. A/C has to be left on! takes too long to cool it down if it sits all week with it off.Battery charger, 2 fridges(110v side)these never turn off! |
| Veg |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 23:04:28
Only the battery charger and the fridge (and pumps obviously, I'd have to pull the breaker for each, which are not in the main control panel, for those to be off). Seacocks closed, a couple of portholes open for air circulation.
|
| littlebookworm |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 22:29:46
I have the shore power connected, but only the main, refrigerator, and the battery-charger breakers are flipped on. I've also heard of microwave ovens turning themselves on, so I leave that breaker and the hot water heater breaker off. The bilge pump, Mercathode system, and radio memory are automatic. They stay on even though the battery switch is on "Off." Hy |
| RWS |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 20:53:35
quote:
Originally posted by HarlenW
I used to leave my microwave plugged in until I read this post from the “I Boat Northwest” forum where a boat’s microwave turned itself on and started a fire because some paper goods were stored in the microwave; not an uncommon practice with storage space being so premium on our boats. I Googled this and found quite a number of reports that a microwave can have a faulty instant on switch that can start the unit.
http://www.iboatnw.com/forum/showthread.php?6988-While-small-a-fire-aboard
This actually HAPPENED ON MY BOAT in 2002.
melted some mnetal/plastic kitchen tools in there and SMELLED UP THE CABIN like crazy.
It happened when we fired up the genny at 4 AM on our way out to see the Leonid Meteor Shower and then do some fishing.
WHAT A BAD STINK !
now that (REPLACEMENT) microwave circuit is OFF unless it is needed.
RWS |
| HarlenW |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 19:07:13
I used to leave my microwave plugged in until I read this post from the “I Boat Northwest” forum where a boat’s microwave turned itself on and started a fire because some paper goods were stored in the microwave; not an uncommon practice with storage space being so premium on our boats. I Googled this and found quite a number of reports that a microwave can have a faulty instant on switch that can start the unit.
http://www.iboatnw.com/forum/showthread.php?6988-While-small-a-fire-aboard
|
| btoran |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 11:24:16
my boat stays on a mooring and i close all seacocks and turn everything off. the bilge pump, bilge counter, and high water alarm run from the "off" position. one solar panel and charge controller tops off the house batteries while another set tops off the starting batteries. |
| CurrentSea |
Posted - May 17 2012 : 06:49:42
I do turn it off, but if ice is low, then I leave it on. Water tank on boat is never full, so it's not gonna be 100 gallons.
|
| RWS |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 21:24:13
in addition to what most folks leave on, I have an oscillating fan that runs off a timer running pretty puch vvery other hour in the daytime & evening just to keep the air moving and everytjhing seems to stay clean and fresh that way.
never had any mildew, ever.
RWS |
| JVM225 |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 19:36:38
I don't usually keep anything in the fridge unless we are going out (its kind of small), I run the boat often enough that the batteries are usually pretty well charged, and my boat is an express style with three hatches on the bow that I keep the canvass covers on so the cabin stays pretty cool. Its kind of like going in to a cave, but it does stay nice and cool.
Once in a while I might leave the boat plugged in to the dockside power and run the chargers if I spent a lot of time using up the 12 volt cabin lights, or the 12 volt side of the fridge while on the hook or something.
Running the AC while I'm not there makes me too nervous. I can't get past the idea of pumping that much water through the boat while I'm not there.
It probably wouldn't hurt anything if I left it plugged in and ran the fridge and charger all the time, but I really don't have a need for that at my home dock right now so why take a chance with the electrolysis.
As it is, those two big stainless props I have hanging off the outdrives is kind of tempting fate. Especially with all the stray current that is probably running up and down my canal. |
| Bradley |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 19:07:06
Fridge, Battery charger (on float), Cordless vacuum cleaner and cordless drill on chargers
Regards Brad |
| rawidman |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 18:40:19
Seacock to the head is closed. The propane remains off unless we are using it for cooking. Obviously, VHF, chart plotter, etc, are off. Lights as well.
Nothing else special. I may or may not set the AC to dehumidify mode or change the temperature setting. |
| stmbtwle |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 13:38:09
Pretty much everything except the propane and the electronics. Water comes from the onboard tank so even if I get a leak I only get a tankful in the bilge. Shore power is never plugged in as I'm on solar. |
| jmeirhofer |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 12:53:38
Totally understand Walter. What I leave on works for me. I was just curious as to what others left on. I imagine that by the heat of summer I will likely leave the air conditioner on as well but right now anyway it just isn't warranted spending the extra money or risk of broken hose. We don't use the icemaker at all so that is a no brainer. I am think of replacing with a refer or I may make it a storage area. I can not really think of anything else I would want to leave on. I guess the shower sumps if I leave the air on. |
| walterv |
Posted - May 16 2012 : 11:40:53
John,
As you can see there are vast differences on what people leave on, it really depends on your needs, boating style as well as boat type and size. I think the bare minimum that should be left on is your battery chargers, and refrigerator/freezer (assuming you keep it full with food and drinks). If you have an ice maker, then maybe keep that on, I turn mine off. My last boat had a ton of windows and the salon got really hot, hot to the point it can cause damage to the glued wood joints, therefore I kept the AC units on. Jury is still out on what I will keep on with the new boat, I am presently keeping on Three refrigerators, one freezer, battery chargers and that's it. I have 4 air condition units on the boat, hoping not to have to keep them on, but if so, hoping only two of them.
Dave,
Chances are you ice is full when you get back to the dock,therefore you not going to make anymore ice, I would turn your water off. I say this because if a hose let loose (rare I know) you will have a 100 plus gallons dumping some where in the boat, hopefully just the bilge. I mentioned this because a person I knew (acquaintance of a friend)had a hose break loose in the galley sink. I was not a fun experience and damaged a lot of stuff.
|
| bobalong |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 23:40:03
Just so I don't waste any time when I go down on weekends I leave both engines running. Also keeps the batteries charged. |
| JVM225 |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 17:09:23
Once it goes in the water, usually nothing. Maybe once in a while I leave the battery charger turned on if I've spent some extended time at the dock running the FM Radio and cabin lights which are hooked to the 12 volt side. But other than that I don't want to risk the electrolysis for no good reason other than the possibility of a cold drink when I first get to the boat.
The bilge pumps and alarms are wired direct, so no need to leave the battery switch(s) on. I usually leave my shore power cord disconnected unless I'm actually at the boat using 110 stuff. I don't run the AC or Heat when I'm not at the boat becasue I can't get past the idea of pumping water through the boat when I'm not there to be immediately alerted to a busted hose or something. |
| Rick D |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 12:22:30
I have a Charles CI battery charger... which I don't think is smart enough to not overcharge the batteries so I stay unplugged with battery switch set to off. Bilge pumps run independent of the battery switch anyway.
--Rick
|
| mintregila |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 11:23:13
Battery charger and fridge. Everything else off.
On the old boat, I would leave the AC in humidity control mode during the summer.
|
| littlebookworm |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 11:11:21
I leave short power,charger,and fridge on. Bulge pump and radio memory are on automatically. Battery switch is off. Water is disconnected. |
| Sea Bitt |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 11:10:08
DC off - AC on for battery Charger in case of water leak and bilge pumps need to run for a prolong period, but all other AC off at panel. |
| lark |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 10:22:07
I guess I don't understand the corroded/brokem wire melting fitting issue. But a "boat" computer probably has a $10 Chinese power supply and that would scare me more than anything else.
For the record, I'm a weekend boater during the week, I leave my boat connected to shore power, with the battery charger and both fridges connected to AC and DC. Everything else is off except the hardwired stuff, bilge pumps and fire suppression.
I really never gave a thought to the possibilty of draining the batteries all the way down to power the fridges during an extended power outage. I think I will now leave the fride's DC off during the week. Warm beer and a some ruined condiments is a small price to save my battery bank. |
| millsan1 |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 10:20:00
AC, Fridge (110 and 12), battery charger |
| nwaring |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 10:18:17
When we are staying every day but still going to work from the boat we leave everything on. If we will be gone for a couple days I usually turn off the hot water heater and the smaller of the 2 air conditioners. I leave the dock side water on all the time but I do use a flow meter that shuts off automatically after a 100 gallons.
Niles
|
| Ghost |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 09:52:04
Just to touch on "why" for a moment. I'm most concerned about the potential for a corroded/broken wire energizing a fitting and slowly melting it off while I'm not there. So, with that in mind I try to turn off anything that is not necessary.
What I do comfortably leave on are circuits that I feel I need AND that I feel are in a known condition.
*Battery Charger
*bilge pumps
*outlets that run the boat computer (so I can remote monitor)
*fridge(120V as in a power outage I'd rather lose my food than deep cycle my batteries)
|
| JohnC |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 09:47:39
I turn everything off except the fridge, freezer, and block heaters. |
| cwms |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 09:17:23
Boat is unplugged so nothing is on except the bilge pump. |
| CurrentSea |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 09:05:07
Yeah, I figured you did. I leave mine on so I make ice, but depends on how much I went thru. If it was a GOOD weekend, then I need to make more ice!!!!! |
| HOGAN |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 09:04:13
Dave, I'm aware of that, I leave the bar in the ice maker up, so that it doesn't try to make ice. I just want to keep the ice in it frozen and the unit cold. |
| CurrentSea |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 08:59:15
If you turn off water pump, your not making ice.
I leave water pump on so I have ice when I get there the next weekend!
I don't hook up dockside water ever at my dock so in case of leak, its just my tank.
Turn off Head.
Leave on A/C if gonna be hot.
Fridge is left on in 120v and 12v. Battery charger on.
I can't control bilge or halon.
Outlets are on.
Been leaving satellite on because wife is using DVR to record shows!
|
| HOGAN |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 08:27:25
It depends on how long I'll be gone for. If it's the end of the weekend and I'm not coming back until Friday, just the battery charger, outlets, refrigerators, and ice maker on the AC Panel.
On DC panel, I turn off water pump and leave eveything else on. |
| Woodsong |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 08:25:30
I leave on battery charger, halon, bilge pumps (which are hard wired anyway), refrigerator (both 110V and 12V sides just in case 110V goes out in a storm), and I leave the breaker switches for all cabin lighting on since they don't do anything unless turned on at the switch and my 12V panel is all the way up in the pilothouse and I want to be able to see when we get on the boat. |
| Philyteach |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 08:23:33
Nothing! |
| abalmuth |
Posted - May 15 2012 : 08:20:30
if I remember, I turn off dockside water & ice maker
I leave everything else on.
|
-
