[C320-list] Battery Selector Switch

[Len]

Paul,

After reading your battery saga, I'd like to get a portable
generator---which portable 1200 Watt generator Make/Model do you have?
Cost/where bought?

Thanks,

Len Krane
Aqua5   #1070

On 5/20/07, Vpweikel at aol.com <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
> http://www.aol.com.
>