Batteries during winter/engine hatch

06Rinker270

I have searched throughout the forum and have read several discussion on removing batteries during winter and operating the engine hatch.  The issue is my boat is out of the water for winter and no access to shore power.  I want to get into the engine compartment and at least disconnect the batteries if not remove them for winter and keep on a charger being that they have been connected for two weeks and probably not fully charged anymore.  Once I disconnect how do I get the engine hatch down?

frenchship

If you look into your at your batteries panel there should be two studs for your hatch override 
then you can use a battery pack and connect it to the studs to open or close the hatch. Look at 
this picture they are the two red studs
Paul

JoeStang

I've got the same thing and couldnt figure out how to get the hatch to raise/lower. Do you still use the switch at the helm? Key in or out?

I ended up removing the batteries and putting jumper cables to the battery terminals and snaking the cables to the cockpit so it was like a remote battery of sorts.

06Rinker270

Battery pack..you are referring to a battery jumpstarter pack?

06Rinker270

So you used jumper cables and went from your battery terminals to the terminals on the battery panel? 

frenchship

Yes a battery jumper start pack, just plug in to the studs directly  and reverse the cables to open or close the hatch, you don't need to use the switch at the helm.
Paul

06Rinker270

Thanks brother tons of help.  Doing this today. 

06Rinker270

This worked fantastic.  I went to West Marine and made my own jumper cables with 10 gauge wire and neg/pos colored clamps.  Hatch shut as soon as there was a connection.  Thank you. 

frenchship

Great just reverse the connections to open it .

JoeStang

Dang, I wonder why mine didnt work at all.......

frenchship

Your didn't work?..... You could actually  plug in the 120volts a/c to your boat put the breaker on for the battery charger then used the switch on the helm that should work.

Paul

JoeStang

No shore power option on mine.....

DanD2

frenchship said:

Your didn't work?..... You could actually  plug in the 120volts a/c to your boat put the breaker on for the battery charger then used the switch on the helm that should work.

Paul

You want to be careful doing that. If your batteries are out you need to make sure that the positive wire is not grounded on something.

JoeStang, did you try reversing the wires?

JoeStang

Yep, tried about every combination I could think of. I'll try again in the spring.

howardrams

Joe Stang, You may have tripped the breaker while trying the various combinations so in the spring make sure the breaker for the hatch is reset.  Then just connect a battery to those override posts and it should open. You don't need the key in or to do anything with the switch.  And like someone said, when pulling the batteries for the winter everyone should make sure the plus and minus cable clamps stay separated and insulated from any metal, etc.