On Board Power A Fresco Install

[Lloyd]

Then i did some design and bench work.

[Lloyd]

Then i did some more design and bench work.

[Lloyd]

And did some install work.

[Lloyd]

And did some more install work.

[Lloyd]

And did some more install work.

[Lloyd]

And did some more install work.

[Lloyd]

And did some more install work.

[BioHazard]

This Yacht was/is gas powered (twin 354 ci/340 hp big block GMs)

354 ci big blocks? Did they really make them that small?

[veggie]

Lloyd,

You did a really great job on that system. You obviously have considerable skill in wiring.

Couple of questions....

1] Why two Leece alternator's ? Is one of them a redundant backup to the primary unit ?

2] What size wire is used to inter-connect the batteries ?  #0/2 ?

Thanks,
veggie

[deeiche]

rm /

[rcavictim]

This Yacht was/is gas powered (twin 354 ci/340 hp big block GMs)

354 ci big blocks? Did they really make them that small?

I remember 366 BB truck motors.

I used to be a diehard Chevy fan but haven't looked in my engine books in 20+ years. Yes there is a 366 and 427 tall deck BB truck engine from GM (have samples here), but there were an earlier BB available up until about 1964.  Remember the 409 and the song that legendized it by the Beach Boys?  There was a smaller displacement version of that same block called if memory serves me correctly the 348.  Came with 3 dual barrel carbs in the 1958 Chevy as an option called the 348 tri-power also IIRC.  The valve covers are unique on the 348/409 engines shaped like a W.  IIRC the modern 396 came out in '65.  The 427 and 454 soon followed using the same block.

To clarify, the distance from the crank centerline to the cylinder head decks on the truck engines 366 and 427 are 0.6" greater than in the regular 396, 427 and 454.  This means the normal BB distributor is too short and the regular intake manifolds aren't wide enough to use on the truck engine. Con rods and pistons will not be interchangeable without proper thought if at all.  All else are interchangeable including heads. Truck BB's all have forged steel cranks and four bolt mains.  The extra deck height makes the truck blocks ideal for high performance stroker engines to be made, just in case the BB you already have doesn't consume enough fuel. 

[Lloyd]

Lloyd,

You did a really great job on that system. You obviously have considerable skill in wiring.

Couple of questions....

Hi Veggie,

Thanks, I think quality workmanship shows pride, and pride always equals a job done right...99.9999% of the time.

1] Why two Leece alternator's ? Is one of them a redundant backup to the primary unit ?

Due to the manufacture's pulley arrangement, I was limited to using a single belt on the alternator, so that limits the alts to 100amp, with the size of the bank installed, I needed more charge power.

So both alternators charge the single house bank, and the crank battery is charged via the Balmar digital duo charge, it's a 30 amp 4 stage parasitic charger, it's starts when ever the house bank voltage rises above the setting for float on the house bank. It doesn't matter the charge source, it charges when the alts, or the inverter are charging.

2 What size wire is used to inter-connect the batteries ?  #0/2 ?

Thanks,
veggie

All of the battery, series and parallel cables are 4/0, as well is the inverter feed cable. I have found this to work to keep any of the cells from going out of balance.

One of my battery bank commissioning procedures is is to discharge 150 amps out of the bank, then I take voltage readings at each 6 volt battery post to post and cable to cable, the repeat at the 12 volt series, and at the opposite ends pos/neg 12 volt  of the s/p bank during the 150 amp discharge.

I then let the bank rest for 2 hrs, take SPG on each of the cells, then I repeat the whole voltage test again as the bank charges back up. As it reaches float, I run an SPG on each of the cells again. Then the next day I repeat the same process, and the following day I run an Equalize Cycle on the bank.

As long as all of the cells are equal , I declare the bank good and turn it over to the customer, along with a copy of the spread sheet where I recorded all of the voltages and the SPG, with instructions on how to run the same test, and advise that it be done once every month, for 2 months. After that we will only do the test 2 a year.

Lloyd

[Lloyd]

This Yacht was/is gas powered (twin 354 ci/340 hp big block GMs)

354 ci big blocks? Did they really make them that small?

Bio,

That was a typo...they are 454 ci 340 hp twin engine. for a whopping 640 hp total.

lloyd

[Lloyd]

This Yacht was/is gas powered (twin 354 ci/340 hp big block GMs)

354 ci big blocks? Did they really make them that small?

I remember 366 BB truck motors.

I used to be a diehard Chevy fan but haven't looked in my engine books in 20+ years. Yes there is a 366 and 427 tall deck BB truck engine from GM (have samples here), but there were an earlier BB available up until about 1964.  Remember the 409 and the song that legendized it by the Beach Boys?  There was a smaller displacement version of that same block called if memory serves me correctly the 348.  Came with 3 dual barrel carbs in the 1958 Chevy as an option called the 348 tri-power also IIRC.  The valve covers are unique on the 348/409 engines shaped like a W.  IIRC the modern 396 came out in '65.

RCA,

That brings back memories of my gearhead days, one of the many cars I had was a black 1962 Impala SS with 348 tri power, and 3 sp w/overdrive.

I quickly learned the tin can and vacuum gauge trick to keep those carbs synced up.

Lloyd

[rcavictim]

This Yacht was/is gas powered (twin 354 ci/340 hp big block GMs)

354 ci big blocks? Did they really make them that small?

I remember 366 BB truck motors.

I used to be a diehard Chevy fan but haven't looked in my engine books in 20+ years. Yes there is a 366 and 427 tall deck BB truck engine from GM (have samples here), but there were an earlier BB available up until about 1964.  Remember the 409 and the song that legendized it by the Beach Boys?  There was a smaller displacement version of that same block called if memory serves me correctly the 348.  Came with 3 dual barrel carbs in the 1958 Chevy as an option called the 348 tri-power also IIRC.  The valve covers are unique on the 348/409 engines shaped like a W.  IIRC the modern 396 came out in '65.

RCA,

That brings back memories of my gearhead days, one of the many cars I had was a black 1962 Impala SS with 348 tri power, and 3 sp w/overdrive.

I quickly learned the tin can and vacuum gauge trick to keep those carbs synced up.

Lloyd

LLoyd,

That would have been a sweet ride and really collectible today!  The only Impala SS I owned was a '67 with the 325hp 396, 4 speed stick and 3:31 rear 12 bolt posi. Buried the 140 MPH speedo once on a long straight quiet highway in Northern Alberta and lived to tell about it.  I went through a number of money hole project cars when I was young and foolish but never owned anything with the early BB in it.

Thanx for the compliments about my own work.  I think your work is outstanding to look at too and I clearly appreciate the time and thought that goes into them, plus it is such a pleasure to look at projects made with new components.     I don't have the luxury of a customer who can pay for the materials (my choice not to build stuff for others due to health), so I have had to be resourceful in recycling what society throws away. The sandblaster and various angle grinders with twisted wire cup brushes, etc. are amongst my 'essential' tools.  I'm not complaining.  This is how I have learned to source what I personally need by DIY.