[C320-list] Battery Help / Confused ?

Joe Abbagnaro jabbagna at gmail.com
Tue Apr 22 06:01:58 PDT 2008


Jon

>From the records I have of the Previous Owner , one battery was replaced in
06/2004  the other in 07/2005.  I am using a Digital Multi Meter to
check voltages at the batteries. Looks like I will be taking along a
Battery Jumper
pack for the trip home, and hopefully will resolve this issue by the weekend.

Joe

On Tue, Apr 22, 2008 at 7:49 AM, Jon Vez <jonvez at comcast.net> wrote:
> 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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