New 242 owner with questions

M

Michael Meyer

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
RO Number
27857
Messages
80
I recently puchased a Regal 242 and I am very impressed! This boat seems to be everything I was looking for... not too big not too small... and seems to be very well made.

Since the boat did not come with an owners manual I few questions...

How should I use the battery switch? Does it have to be in "all" to charge all the batteries? It seems one battery is connected to the number "1" switch selection and the other two connected to the number "2" . Should I it run with the switch in on "2" and just rely one the number "1" to start the engine?

Any help is greatly apriciated.

Thanks
 
Congratulations on the new boat. You will love it. As for the battery switch, it is my understanding if you have one switch controlling the starting and house batteries that the switch should be on all when running. When anchored for the night, you want the switch on the house batteries. You do not want to run your starting battery down along with your house batteries which will happen on all. Also, never switch the batteries while the engine is running. Can't remember what it does but it's not good. Also, if you run your house battery down over night, run the next day with the switch in that position, it should send more charge current to that battery. I'm sure you will get more info from the experts on this sight.
 
If the boat doesnt have a battery isolator or a combiner, yes it will have to be in all to charge all the batteries at one time. You can change batteries switch positions while the engine is running AS LONG AS YOU DONT GO TO THE OFF POSITION. Doing so will blow out the diodes in the alternator
 
Thanks for the information Patrick and Paul. I don't think it has an isolator or combiner. All it has is a converter. Which I beleive provides shore power and charges the batteries..right?

If I could figure out how to post pictures on this site I would share... I think i nee to host them somewhere first???

Thanks again,

MM
 
Michael,

Yes the converter just charges your batteries and converts AC to DC in the boat along with suppling AC to your AC appliances.

As for posting pictures, a lot of people use photobucket.com. It's free and seems to work well. Thats what I use.

IMG_1442_A.jpg


Pat
 
Welcome.

"How should I use the battery switch?" What type batteries and what are your overnighting plans? That has a HUGE effect on the big picture of how to use the switch. If you are just going to listen to the stereo on the hook for an afternoon, use one battery to power the stereo and the other as a starter. I used to alternate them based on whether it was an odd or an even numbered date to spread the load.

If you plan to spend any time on the hook, you may want to look into two golf cart batteries for the house and a starter battery well...to start. I know the batteries are a pain to get to. If you decide to go AGMs I would recommend the optima troll fury pack as a house, and another group 34 as a starter.
 
I just purchase three optimum blue tops (D34M). The two house batteries are connected in paralell and third one is by it's self. More than likely we'll use the boat for weekend overnighters... on local lakes.

I just signed up to photobucket... I'll post some pic's of my new boat here soon...

Thanks again.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Michael Meyer

I just purchase three optimum blue tops (D34M). The two house batteries are connected in paralell and third one is by it's self. More than likely we'll use the boat for weekend overnighters... on local lakes.

I just signed up to photobucket... I'll post some pic's of my new boat here soon...

Thanks again.

Click to expand...


Make sure you have the cables going to the load coming from opposite ends of the parallel hookup. That is the negative from one battery and the positive from the other to the load. That way you are sure you are drawing from all the cells equally. PascalG had a post about it in another area of the forum.

If you need shore power on the hook, a Honda 2000iu is a champ for that boat. Plus you can tie into the your boats internal tank and run forever.
 
Here's a picture I took of the old batteries to make sure I put the new batteries in correctly. Notice that the battery in the picture that is furthest away (top right) has it's (-) connected to the battery to the left and the two on the right are connected in paralell via the (+). Is this what you were talking about...? does this seem right...?

IMAGE_00336.jpg
 
bump...

Anyone know if there's a reason for connecting the negatives together? Or should the batteries be completely isolated???
 
quote:
Originally posted by Michael Meyer

Here's a picture I took of the old batteries to make sure I put the new batteries in correctly. Notice that the battery in the picture that is furthest away (top right) has it's (-) connected to the battery to the left and the two on the right are connected in paralell via the (+). Is this what you were talking about...? does this seem right...?

IMAGE_00336.jpg


Click to expand...


I can't get pictures at work. I'll check at home tonight and get back to you.
 
Hi Michael, I also have a 242. I think my setup is all standard, it has 2 batteries and it charges both batteries no matter what possition the selector switch is set to. The selector switch only selects which battery you wish to use. I tend to leave the switch on 'A' all the time while docked, and switch it to ALL prior to starting the engine.

Your setup looks non standard? one bank looks parallel hookup to another battery, Im not sure the charger will manage this well?
 
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