West Wight Potter Owners Home Port _______________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| Modifications Simple Charging System for a Boat's Battery by Alfred Nolet |
To keep the battery charged on my Potter 15, I took a 50 foot extension cord, cut the ends off, and
installed two cigarette lighter male electrical plugs, one at each end of the cord.
I plug one male end into the a 12-volt cigarette receptacle mounted on the transom of my Potter 15.
I then run the cord through the rails, through the back window of my tow vehicle, and plug it into my
vehicle's cigarette lighter.
As you can see I use small line-ties to secure the cord to the P's rail, and the vehicle. While the boat is
being towed, the vehicle's charging system charges the 12-volt battery in the boat, much like a car or
truck with two batteries.
IT WORKS GREAT!
I have used this system for over three years with out any problem with my vehicle's alternator,
regulator, or the batteries in the vehicle or boat. I live in Pompano Beach, Florida, and I have driven
to Key West, Florida, around 300 miles or so, three different times. Two or three times a month I drive
50 miles one way to Homestead, Florida to sail my Potter.
My towing vehicle's regulator controls the charge gong to the vehicle and the boat's battery at the
same time.
Alfred Nolet P-15 #2758 Mud Hen
alfrednolet@gmail.com
NOTICE: Charging a Auto Jump Start Battery using a towing vehicle's charging
system could easily damage the Jump Start battery. Therefore, you should not use
this method unless you have a automobile size battery in your boat.
installed two cigarette lighter male electrical plugs, one at each end of the cord.
I plug one male end into the a 12-volt cigarette receptacle mounted on the transom of my Potter 15.
I then run the cord through the rails, through the back window of my tow vehicle, and plug it into my
vehicle's cigarette lighter.
As you can see I use small line-ties to secure the cord to the P's rail, and the vehicle. While the boat is
being towed, the vehicle's charging system charges the 12-volt battery in the boat, much like a car or
truck with two batteries.
IT WORKS GREAT!
I have used this system for over three years with out any problem with my vehicle's alternator,
regulator, or the batteries in the vehicle or boat. I live in Pompano Beach, Florida, and I have driven
to Key West, Florida, around 300 miles or so, three different times. Two or three times a month I drive
50 miles one way to Homestead, Florida to sail my Potter.
My towing vehicle's regulator controls the charge gong to the vehicle and the boat's battery at the
same time.
Alfred Nolet P-15 #2758 Mud Hen
alfrednolet@gmail.com
NOTICE: Charging a Auto Jump Start Battery using a towing vehicle's charging
system could easily damage the Jump Start battery. Therefore, you should not use
this method unless you have a automobile size battery in your boat.
See Notice at bottom of page!
