www.iFourWinns.com

Here's my scenero. I have a dual batt charger hooked up in the boat and no good way to keep it plugged in at the storage place. The guy has outside poles with electric on them about every 4 or 5 stalls, but when he sees my extention cord plugged into it he pulls it. I talked to him about it and he said for insurance purposes he has to. I asked him if he minded me leaving it plugged in and he said "If I see it I have to pull it". I was like....ok. sounds like he's ok with me doing that but he's giving me the politically correct answer. Then I got to thinking the storage unit has one of those motion detection lights hung on the celing. I got the little adapter so I can plug an extention cord into one of the light sockets, but the problem is the longest setting is 10 min. While I was there I moved it to test but never moved the sensitivity setting. Does anyone know a way around the motion detector so it could be "on" all the time or have any other suggestions? Walt?

Thank you,

David

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

I've got the very same issue. I've pretty much decided I'm going to have to pull the batts this fall and bring them home. A real PITA in my boat.

My storage neighbor has an outlet wired into his unit, which was agreed to by the prior owner of the facility. He had let me run a cord over the wall between our units to run my chargers. But he moved out in early spring. The new guy has a landscape business and was parking his trucks right in front of my unit. After politely asking him to stop doing that and explaining the problems it caused - to no avail - I complained to the manager. Of course, the SOB retaliated by pulling my cord and throwing it back over the wall.

I've got to get out of this storage situation.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

There has to be a live feed somewhere between the sensor and the light. Actually the sensor is essentially just a switch so it would have a live feed going to one side of it. Remove it from the wall, get a volt meter and find the live feeds then connect some BX cable and run it down to the floor level and put a duplex box with receptacles. By reconnecting the motion sensor it will still function as it is now. All should need is some marretts and a box coupler for the BX.
It is hard to explain but should be fairly simple to do.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

I would say bad idea all around and I'm taking 1 point from each of you!
1) you could be violating the electrical code by not using GFCI protection in this application (FYI, I'm a union electrician)
2) If there was a fire, you could be held responsible/liable for damages.
3) If the owner/manager got wind of it, the best you could hope for is getting kicked out.

So what are you after exactly?
Charge the batts in the off season? Remove them to home and have a chager/batt set-up. I have one shelf for all my 12V batts (2 for boat, 1 for lawn mower, soon to add 1 for '69) and have them wired in parrallel on a trickle charger.
During the season, running dual batts you shouldn't need a charger other than the boat's alternator. If you want to have power while going to/from lake, then run a removable wiring harness from something in the car such as trailer lights to a 12V pos on the boat. I had my sailboat wired this way. I had no 120V avail to charge the batts, so used the truck when towing.
Is the storage unit out-doors? I've used a solar charger very successfully on my sailboat as well. Not much, but enough to be a trickle charger.

Sorry I can't help you more.

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

First off I would never make any changes to the wiring without the owners permission. Second, I know enough about electrical stuff to get myself introuble. Yes, off season charging/maint as well as in-season. We mostly take the boat out, cruise around a little and then raft up with friends. The stereo puts a heavy drain on the batteries and I love knowing I'm going out with 2 full batteries. So, really it's just as important in-season to me. We were in a stall that had an ele pole right outside the stall, so that worked pretty good, but the JA's next to us kept breaking bottles in front of our stall so we asked to be moved and the only thing he had open didn't have ele right next to it. So now I have to run an extention cord in front of 2 other stalls, plus the issue with the owner unplugging me every time he sees it, so I'm trying to come up with some other solution.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

I agree with Walt also. The outlet in my neighbor's unit was installed with the previous facility owner's permission by a licensed commercial electrician, and I wouldn't dream of making changes to any of that (although I have the know-how to do it).

For my part, the only issue is that getting the batteries in and out of the boat is very tough on my back and knees due to where they're located.

I thought about a solar solution - it would be plenty for what I need - but don't have any good way of running the wiring in this unit.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I think you all are over thinking this one. The owner of the place said that if he see's it then he must unplug it. Well put a be honk'n rock that can't be moved and will cover it up in front of the outlet.

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Mike
Smithville, MO
08' Hayabusa, 2011 Subaru Outback, 03' Infiniti G-35 S.C.

The solar charger is sounding like a possible solution. I'm gonna check with the owner to see if he'd allow it. This would solve alot of problems for me. Like Mike said getting the batteries in and out is definately a pain and I already have the charger hooked up in the boat. Any recommendations on the solar charger?

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

The one I used only put out about 1.5A @12VDC; but that's all a trickle charger does anyway. I don't remember cost, but without my batt hooked up on the Sailboat, it would run the stereo alone. I would go all summer on my 2 lawn mower batts using the night lights, stereo, etc. You've seen my lighting mods, you can imagine how I was in my early boating years and pre-LED's no less!

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

I guess I should have written about the "ask permission first" but I thought that would have been understood. Anything that would put others property (or your own) in danger should be thought about seriously. I think you guys have a good solution with the solar panels... the key will be getting them somewhere that they won't get vandalized or damaged by ice or snow loads.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Talk to the Mgmt. Explain your needs, include information on expected watts/amps, ask if they will install an outlet in your current unit., or perhaps move you to another unit that has electric.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

He's full up. He knows I want to move right next to electric. I've told him that a couple of times. Just depends on when someone moves out. I still have the "insurance" problem with him. If he sees me plugged in he's gonna pull the plug. I'd have to drive over there once a week to plug the damn thing back in. Next chance I get I'm going to talk to him about the solar solution, if I can find something reasonably priced. I will ask again if he'd let me wire up a box inside if I pay, but I doubt it because all the electric is on the outside, except for lights.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

What city? Problem is if he agreed on no internal power source at time of building he has to stick to that, or re-permit, install fire sprinklers and get a fire inspection.

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It's Denton. There is power for lighting inside, but you mean outlets. You bring up a good point, and this is probably the reason no power outlets inside.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB