[C320-list] Battery Selector Switch

[Robert Seastream]

I've heard reports of 5 years lifespan to a whopping 11 years lifespan. 
  Now I'M worried, because my boat is a 2002.  Only remarkable 
occurrence is that I recently charged them to a trickle charge in 
drydock; one week later the voltmeter said they were at about 12 volts 
resting.  This voltmeter (however crude) indicates that's about 75% 
charge.

Bob Seastream
Intuition, hull 906

On May 20, 2007, at 5:48 PM, stevelgross wrote:

> If your batteries are Lead acid cells and more than 5 or (with luck} 6 
> years
> old, they are at the end of their life. Lead acid cells tend to die a 
> rapid
> death at that age.  The plates become coated with sulfate and won't 
> hold a
> charge.
> We had a similar experience on the eave of a 100 mile boat move.  We 
> turned
> off the shore powered battery charger the prior evening and woke in the
> departure day AM, finding batteries would not turn over the engine.  
> We were
> fortunate that the marina crew was able to install replacements prior 
> to our
> departure.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of 
> Vpweikel at aol.com
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 3:44 PM
> To: c320-list at catalina320.com
> Subject: [C320-list] Battery Selector Switch
>
> 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
> http://www.aol.com.
>
>
>