C lectric
Guru
Angus,
SInce the boat was high and dry those batteries should have been ok. I leave my 12-13 yr Gels for 4 1/2 - 5 months and although the voltage has dropped they are still about 12.6.
Almost All electronics draw current even when 'off'. TVs and stereos the same. CO and Propane sensors draw current. Auto Fire systems may draw current if there are electronics involved. I don't KNOW this since I don't have one but it's likely. Unless they have a true ON/OFF switch there is a small current draw to maintain enough electronic activity to recognize a button push for 'ON'.
I have several pieces of equipment that do the same so I physically disconnect them.
None of these pieces of equipment draw much but add them up and leave them over many months and they will kill a battery bank.
If you have a dicey battery that is developing a low voltage cell , that battery can, if bad enough become a load to the other batteries.
You may or may not be able to save the batteries - good luck to you. You should be able to prevent this from occuring again but absolutely everything must be truly off or disconnected. Some boats are wired so the loads are killed with the battery on/off sw. but some are not and many electronics and such loads actually bypass those switches.
The other way is as suggested - disconnect all the batteries. Just be sure to tie those wire ends in such a way that they cannot touch anything such as a battery terminal.
Your FM radio with preset stations may need to be reprogrammed in spring. Just make a note of the stations.
And check into some of those suggestions like plugging in monthly overnight.
SInce the boat was high and dry those batteries should have been ok. I leave my 12-13 yr Gels for 4 1/2 - 5 months and although the voltage has dropped they are still about 12.6.
Almost All electronics draw current even when 'off'. TVs and stereos the same. CO and Propane sensors draw current. Auto Fire systems may draw current if there are electronics involved. I don't KNOW this since I don't have one but it's likely. Unless they have a true ON/OFF switch there is a small current draw to maintain enough electronic activity to recognize a button push for 'ON'.
I have several pieces of equipment that do the same so I physically disconnect them.
None of these pieces of equipment draw much but add them up and leave them over many months and they will kill a battery bank.
If you have a dicey battery that is developing a low voltage cell , that battery can, if bad enough become a load to the other batteries.
You may or may not be able to save the batteries - good luck to you. You should be able to prevent this from occuring again but absolutely everything must be truly off or disconnected. Some boats are wired so the loads are killed with the battery on/off sw. but some are not and many electronics and such loads actually bypass those switches.
The other way is as suggested - disconnect all the batteries. Just be sure to tie those wire ends in such a way that they cannot touch anything such as a battery terminal.
Your FM radio with preset stations may need to be reprogrammed in spring. Just make a note of the stations.
And check into some of those suggestions like plugging in monthly overnight.