Battery trouble

Pluto said:

Wow, thanks TF for all the good information to my question. Someone asked what type of charger I had. Its a "Professional Mariner Protech 4 Series". Probably original to the 2004 boat. It apparently charges those two D8's and the bow thruster battery.

I have stopped leaving the charger on all the time and the puddles have disappeared. Also a sulfur smell that was in the cabin is gone. I'll see how it goes from here.

Thanks again!

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Hi Pluto - This is how I do it with my "1977" Professional Mariner battery charger (it is the orig in our Tollycraft 34' tri cabin and it works well)... keeping it simple!

1. I use all wet cell semi sealed (screw cap deep cells) and a flip cap starter batt; as well as an isolated flip cap combo batt with its own 2 amp trickle charger that operates any time AC 120v (genset or shore) is activated. It sits in its own box ready for any emergency!

2. House bank consists of 4 deep cell group 31 batts – that same bank starts engines

3. Single group 27 starter batt is for gen set... it is also charged by solar panel on fly bridge front

I keep multi tester hooked to house bank and check it often in master stateroom. I do not allow house bank to go below 50% charge (usually keep it 60% or better) before recharging to full capacity with gen set running the PM charger, engine alternator charging, or dock AC running the PM charger.

Gen set starter batt stays charged via gen set alternator or solar panel. Emergency 27 batt charge explained above

When we leave boat we always make sure house bank of 4 – 31’s is 100% topped off. The two 27 batts are always topped off.

We off hook boat from dock AC and shut down batt Perko Switches when we leave. This keeps all batts isolated at full charge. When we return (usually 3 month span at longest) all batts still remain in the 90% charge range. We immediately connect to dock AC with PM charger on and while loading boat for cruise we top off the batts.

BTW – I check batt water levels once or twice per year and add just a little distilled water to keep em full.

Simple as that – batts last up to 15 years for us. We repeat above sequances over and over.

Art, I'm curious do you leave the bilge pumps on and if so which battery bank are you using?
Bill

Billylll said:

Art, I'm curious do you leave the bilge pumps on and if so which battery bank are you using?
Bill

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Bill - Bilge pump w/ float switch left direct wired to house bank. Of course... if boat sprung BIG leak house bank would soon expire - then blub, blub. I keep all leak potentials (through hulls, rudder shafts... etc) in very good condition and ins well paid. We also have dock mates as well as a marina secuity truck that checks on all docks several times 7 days per week, 6 AM to 11 PM. Truck often parks where looking right at stern of our boat, just because it's comfortable for the guard to rest there.

So far so good... never had a problem... bilge stays dry!

Art thanks for explaining the obvious to some of us. It's nice to have a relatively dry bilge. I use MPPT controlled solar to keep my house bank charged when the chargers are off.
Bill

Billylll said:

Art thanks for explaining the obvious to some of us. It's nice to have a relatively dry bilge. I use MPPT controlled solar to keep my house bank charged when the chargers are off.
Bill

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Bill - We're in covered slip - no solar available at dock... wish there was... but, cover really saves money and prolongs boat life regarding sun/rain.

This keeps all batts isolated at full charge. When we return (usually 3 month span at longest) all batts still remain in the 90% charge range.

Simple as that – batts last up to 15 years for us. We repeat above sequances over and over.

You must be purchasing some fantastic batts,

Most WLA loose .5% to 3% per day , even when brand new.

To have 15 year old batts loose 10% in 90 days is very impressive.

What brand?

FF said:

This keeps all batts isolated at full charge. When we return (usually 3 month span at longest) all batts still remain in the 90% charge range.

Simple as that – batts last up to 15 years for us. We repeat above sequances over and over.

You must be purchasing some fantastic batts,

Most WLA loose .5% to 3% per day , even when brand new.

To have 15 year old batts loose 10% in 90 days is very impressive.

What brand?

Click to expand...

Fred

I don't know why you set the loss on isolated wet batts (or any other type batt for that matter) at ".5% to 3% per day"... brand new or in good condition used?? Longest we usually let batts sit isolated unattended is 90 days. I’ve heard all sorts of “loss” ratios from different contributors, owners, manufacturers, independent labs and the like. I can only relate my own ongoing experiences.

1. Daily loss of .5% per day for 90 days = 45% drop – leaving only 55% remaining... That’s way below what we find with our batts.
2. Daily loss of 3% for 90 days = 270% drop - dead 2.7 times over! No Way Jose!! – Not with our batts...

Wet batts I've had real good luck with are "Interstate" Napa, and "East Penn" (under several brand names). There are undoubtedly more good brands; others I’ve used failed too quickly.

Group 27 starter batt that lasted me 15 years was a Napa... nearing that age batts drop charge way faster than new batts... till they eventually poop out!

I currently have:

- A 2004 group 27 Interstate in my 1T, 4WD Chevy Silverado 4SPD, 325 hp, 350 cid. Often driven, still works like a charm
- 4 - 2008 group 31 Batteries Plus "Xtreme" deep cell batts – always take, hold, and expend charge very well - after 3 months dormant and isolated usually read 85% to 90% remaining according to multi meter. We top em off before leaving dock.
- A 2005 group 31 Interstate deep cell I keep on bench as service batt - I usually put a charger on that about once per 3 month interval. Always check with multi meter first... usually reads around 90% charge still remaining.

IMHO – Besides having well constructed batts the secrets are these for long batt life (note; wet batts – only type I use; have not had and currently don’t want experience with other types):

a. Never let batt go below 50% charge... best to fully recharge from 60% level
b. Never let fluid in cells get anywhere near lead plates – always top off with distilled water
c. Never leave batt for duration with any draw whatsoever – isolate it completely!
d. Never leave any charge going into batt – even a trickle charge

I hear about and read about all the nice new battery charger systems that constantly monitor batts and keep putting top-off charges into batts at discretion of the charger’s computer chip(s). Then I read about batt failures people are having with relatively young batts. All I know is that I keep close tabs on my wet call batts and charge when needed, isolate when needed, top-off with distilled water when needed, and use them to their fullest extended intent – in other words – I treat my batts the way the manufacturer planned and built them to be treated.

I believe that many batt failures are due to improper discharge and recharge as well as simply burning their insides to death by constantly having “smart” chargers’ supplying some sort of charge.


Happy Boat-Batt Daze! - Art