[C320-list] Battery Selector Switch

[Robert Seastream]

Perhaps someone wired both batteries in parallel to one position of the 
switch, with a starter battery on the other position?

Bob Seastream
Intuition, hull 906


On May 20, 2007, at 3:43 PM, Vpweikel at aol.com wrote:

> We had what I call a strange and unexpected occurrence while anchored 
> out
> this weekend.
>
> Before retiring for the night, I was careful to put the selector 
> switch on
> battery #2 only so that in case the battery bank was drawn down, I'd 
> have
> battery #1 for a back-up to start the engine.
>
> As I expected, the anchor light and a few other small miscellaneous 
> uses
> drew the battery down low enough that the engine would not crank ( I 
> purposely
> turned the reefer circuit off ).  Feeling good about the back-up plan, 
> I
> switched over to battery #1 and turned the key.  Nothing !  Both  
> batteries were
> down.
>
> I know for a fact that the batteries are at least 5 years old since I  
> have
> not replaced them.  The boat is a 1996 and for all I know the  
> batteries could
> be 10 years old which is well beyond the normal expected life  span.  
> But that
> doesn't explain to me satisfactorily why both banks were  discharged 
> with the
> selector switch set to #2 only.  Surely, even a tired,  old battery 
> would
> hold charge for 14 hours - but maybe I'm wrong.
>
> Has anyone experienced this ?
>
> I'm beginning to think that something must be wired wrong or the 
> selector
> switch failed.  This was the first real "test" of the system that we  
> have done.
>  Any suggestions on how to make the proper checks of the system  both 
> switch
> and house wiring ?
>
> I am planning on replacing the batteries soon.  At the moment, I  just 
> think
> this should not have happened given the precautions that were  taken.
>
>
> The good news is that, the new portable 1200 Watt generator was 
> on-board  and
> in 30 minutes running time the batteries were topped up enough to 
> start the
> engine and get us underway.
>
>
> Paul Weikel
> Second Chance
> #361
> Georgetown, MD
>
>
>
>
> ************************************** See what's free at 
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>