My Spring Launch

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:25 am

I am bummed. Washed and scrubbed the boat Last Saturday am. to launch later in the day in hopes of overnighting with the missus. I say hopes cuz when I went to start her I got nothing. No voltage showed at the instrument panel, no engine nothing. Tried some low voltage stuff and found the Cd player on deck worked, but apparently no power to the instrument panel or the devices it powers-like the depth sounder, blower, nav lites etc. Even the cabin lights would not work. Checked one battery bank, the new single battery and it showed 12.4 volts. Did not check the other bank yet. Oh, and she statred and ran fine Thursday.

What could be wrong and where do I start.

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:30 pm

gotta start with the simple stuff; battery switches and circuit breakers

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:36 pm

If the batteries were heavily discharged, can they be recharged?

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:52 pm

Deep Cycle batteries are usually good for a few full 'flattenings' and will usually come back to full life, but regular duty batteries are less forgiving. Depends what you have on board...

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:28 pm

Use a good charger ... I had 3 charges, but bought a Husky "smart" charger about 2 years ago. It includes a "Battery Recondition" cycle for damaged batteries, and even cycles charging (not constant) on regaulr charge modes.
http://205.196.138.20/pdf/8ce29168-c60b ... 4c0a23.pdf

Make sure you're not low on electrolyte, and charge it slowly at 2amps. Should be good to go.

You probably left something on.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Sun Mar 21, 2010 8:53 pm

Thanks Rossjo, it has been on the charger a week now, so if they are a coming back they should turn over tomorrow. Will take my trolling motor battery to swap out if need be. Will try to check back with all tomorrow.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:55 pm

Trickle charger I hope ... don't boil them dry!

1967 seavoyager · Post by **1967 seavoyager** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:15 pm

On the Interceptors they had a circuit breaker where the main harness plugged into the engine harness. It may be tripped.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:45 am

Great news. I took my trolling motor battery, swapped it for the engine bank battery and shazam! everything works!! Bad news is I might need three new batteries. Is it possible that the charger in the boat was not enuff to charge all three batteries and bring them back from the beyond, assuming that I completely discharged them? Can a load test be done on them now , or do I need to charge them seperately first and them test them?

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:16 pm

When I have a doubt about my batteries I take them to a professional and have them tested and follow there advise for my application. Several times this has saved me from replacing when I really didn't have to. Example: after having minor battery problems on my F-32 I recieved friendly advise to replace some of the batteries, which I did. I bought two nice Trojan engine starting batterie$$ assuming the old ones were junk. During the change over prossess I decided to have them checked just out of curiousity. They checked out perfect but were not being charged all the way and were suffering. I replaced the old two bank charger with a new three bank battery charger/maintainer (one bank for each engine and one bank for the house set) so each battery system has its own charger. This cured my problem. I still have two new Trojan group 27 batteries sitting in the garage waiting for a new home. I have found through the years that, unlike cars, boat battery care is too important to scrimp on and professional help is worth the money spent. However, if this was something I had to do all the time I would gather the correct tools and information to do the complete job myself, but once it's done correctly, it's done. In the past I have replaced countless batteries that I didn't have to because of my chargers. How was I to know my charger wasn't completing the charge, or at other times over charging and cooking them. So I've found the professional testing and the new digital charger is cheaper than buying several sets of batteries through the years and going through all the headaches that this issue causes. As you are probably aware, battery application is a personal preference and many people have many opinions but with the wealth of information on this site you should be able to customize the perfect system for your own application, just ask.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:01 pm

Foofer -

You say you charge all 3 at the same time? Is it a 3-bank charger, or do you simply charge all 3 off the same charger?

could be your problem ... but you said they were fine 1 week earlier ... so ...

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 2:09 pm

if you have typical deep cycle Marine batteries, even if they are completely discharged, you should be able to recharge them. They do however,have a lifespan, and are only able to deal with a finite set of discharge cycles. Deep discharges will reduce their lifespan faster than partial discharges, but even a complete discharge should not kill them. I agree, need to look at your battery charger. would have the batteries checked with load tester after recharge.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:45 pm

Good points Wowzer, Rossjo and Peter. I had them all load tested and was told they were all good and only one needed to be charged. Glad I did not buy new ones. Will put them on the home trickle charger tonight and tomorrow. I think you are right, the charger in the boat may have been good enuff for the original bank, but may only maintain the three or maybe not even enuff for that. If I discharged them significantly, which I believe I did, then it might not have charged them sufficiently in the week since they went out. I am going to id my charger and will look into a new one.