[C320-list] Battery Help / Confused ?

Tue Apr 22 04:49:18 PDT 2008

Joe,

Jeff Hare has also posted some excellent wiring diagrams on the 320 web
site. One thing you can also look at is the date of the batteries. There
should be a sticker on the top of them indicating the month/year. If they
are originals, I suspect you may have weak/dying batteries. Even if resting
voltage is 12.4 this doesn't indicate they can take the deep charge the
starter imposes on them. I also have a 99 and mine died after season 5. I'm
the original owner and took very careful care of the batteries. I now have
AGM's and a Xantrex charger. Finally, if you are relying on the voltage
meter on the boat's electrical panel you will find it is not a very accurate
way to determine actual battery help. A multimeter is the best way to get a
real sense of the state of the batteries. Good luck!

Regards,

Jon Vez
Solstice #582

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of
crashley at gte.net
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 2:01 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Help / Confused ?

Joe,

I happen to be an electrical engineer but this sounds very mysterious. If 
the battery switch is wired per the C320 diagram I have (Catalina drawing # 
320-73002-10, I can send you copy if you want), then when the battery 
selector switch is in position 1 and the motor will start it makes 
absolutely no sense that the distribution panel is not powered properly. (By

the way, does the engine start in the OFF position? This might explain 
something.) It's hard to imagine a bad selector switch or a bad battery 
could cause this problem. I suspect the wiring has been reconfigured 
somehow. I would start with trying to verify that the wiring is per the 
drawing I referenced earlier. Also, try to verify that the battery grounds 
are connected together with a very low resistance (i.e., large cable). Good 
luck and I'm interested in eventually knowing what the story is.

CRA
Rosebud #882

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Monte B." <mjbc60 at sbcglobal.net>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 5:56 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Help / Confused ?

> Joe,
>
> The place I would start is trying to determine the age of the batteries. 
> The
> life expectancy of these batteries runs the gamut depending on how you use
> them and maintain them. If you are in the battery business, (you own a 
> boat)
> get a commercial grade battery hydrometer to assess cell state of charge.
> The specific gravity reading of the electrolyte roughly equates to the 
> state
> of charge, I.E. 1240 = 12.4 volts. If after a full charge the readings 
> vary
> by .2 or more you need to equalize the batteries. Throw away the 
> promariner
> charger and get a Xantrex as it has an equalize mode. By the way, my
> promariner also failed in the full charge mode and fried 2 4D batteries.
> (8d,s wont go in the boxes without mods). The S.G. or state of charge will
> not reveal capacity but as batteries age capacity always suffers due to
> sulfation on the plates. The equalize mode counteracts this phenomena to a
> degree. If your batteries are three or more years old they have done well
> and they may not be shot but will suffer from reduced capacity. Five or 
> more
> years and it is time to recycle from a reliability standpoint. I cannot
> comment on the boat wiring, but it sounds like you may have a battery with

> a
> shorted cell.
>
> Monte
> Laima #620
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of
> BAdams3491 at aol.com
> Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 5:33 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Help / Confused ?
>
> Good advice.
>
> Bert
> At Ease
> #442
>
>
> In a message dated 4/21/2008 5:10:53 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
> Orlando.Duran at AveryDennison.com writes:
>
> If this  is your first experience with deep cycle batteries (or 12V 
> systems
> on a  boat), go to www.amazon.com and order this book, it's an invaluable
> source  of information on the subject.
>
>
> Boatowner's Mechanical &  Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and
> Improve Your Boat's  Essential Systems (Hardcover)
> by Nigel Calder  (Author)
>
>
>
>
> "Joe Abbagnaro"
> <jabbagna at gmail.
> com>           To
> Sent by:    C320-List at catalina320.com
> c320-list-bounce        cc
> s at lists.catalina
> 320.com              Subject
> Re: [C320-list] Battery Help /
> Confused  ?
> 04/21/2008  03:05
> PM
>
>
> Please respond
> to
> C320-List at Catali
> na320.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Bert
>
> Why do you say the battery is 75%  discharged.?
> A 12 volt battery at rest I thought usually displays 12.2 -  12.4 volts
> when not being charged, while being chrarged it is usually 14 +  volts
> and shorly after being charged   13+ volts and will  eventually
> stabalize to 12.2 - 12.4.
>
> This is my first experience  with deep cycle batteries so if I am wrong
> than let me  know.
>
> Thanks
>
> Joe
>
>
> Bob
>
> The batteries are not  orginals one was replced in 2005 and one in 2006,
> The chrger is the  original a Flyback Promariner that makes a lot of 
> noise,
> which might need  to be replaced.
>
> Joe
>
> On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 4:02 PM, Robert  Seastream
> <robert.seastream at comcast.net> wrote:
>> And if the  batteries are originals, depending on their care and feeding
>> under the  PO, it may be time for replacement.
>>
>>  Bob  Seastream
>>  Intuition # 906
>>
>>
>>
>>   On Apr 21, 2008, at 3:29 PM, BAdams3491 at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>
>>  > Part of the problem is the 12.4 volts...that's about 75%  capacity.
>> >
>> > Bert
>> > At Ease
>> >  #442
>> >
>> >
>> > In a message dated 4/21/2008  7:27:21 A.M. Central Daylight Time,
>> > jabbagna at gmail.com  writes:
>> >
>> > Hi
>> >
>> > I have a 1999  320 Hull 574, I bought the boat from the  original
> owner.
>> >  It has 2 Batteries , NO Dedicated start battery. So I am   pretty
> confident
>> > the wiring is original from the factory. Both  batteries  are reading
>> > about 12.4 volts but I have no way to  load test them. My  problem has
>> > me confused.
>>  >
>> > 1)  Select battery 1 Engine starts but  no other  accessories will
> work.
>> > If I turn on the map  light it  comes on at less than half light
>> > than fades off after a second  or  so
>> > to no light at all. Almost looks like  a   feed back condition
>> > through the light.
>> >
>> >  2) Select Battery 2 Engine  will NOTt start,  but all the  Accessories
>> > will work when powered  on.
>> >
>>  > 3)  Select ALL and Engine starts all Accessories  work.
>>  >
>> > Do I have a bad Battery, or possibly a Bad selector   switch.
>> >
>> > Joe
>> >
>> >
>>  >
>> >
>> >
>> > **************Need a new ride?  Check out the largest site for U.S.
> used
>> car
>> > listings  at AOL Autos.
>> >  (http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)
>>  >
>>
>>
>
>
>
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