[C320-list] Battery Woes

[Dean Vermeire]

Ahoy,

I recently had two new batteries installed.  I will say up front that 
they are not the greatest batteries or brand (Continental 
maintenance-free 4Ds), but there are not as many choices here in 
Kansas.  I also mostly daysail, and, if I do stay on the boat overnight, 
I stay in the marina.  So, I basically need to start the engine and be 
able to run the bilge pump, refrigerator, stereo, and instruments.

The first time I went out to the boat after installing the batteries 
(about 4 days), the engine would not turn over.  I shut everything off 
to let the batteries charge as much as possible for about 15 minutes.  
When I tried again, I was able to start the engine.  I went sailing and 
left the engine running the whole time.

Two days later, I went back out to the boat and took along a volt meter 
and a battery tester.  With the charger on, I was seeing about 13.4 
volts to the terminals.  I turned off the charger and waited 30 
minutes.  When I hooked up the tester, it showed both batteries as bad 
(less than 40% of the capacity).  I tried to start the engine, but it 
would not turn over.  The voltage of both batteries then showed around 
11 volts.

So, in all likelihood I got two bad batteries.  But, what are the chances?

My real question to all of you battery wizards out there is what in my 
wiring could kill two batteries?  I get the idea that something could 
run them down, but kill them?

Our boat is #847, a 2001, with the original 2-battery configuration.  
The batteries are dual-purpose, rated for 1200 CCA.  It was about 80 
degrees when I tested.  The boat was out of the water for 18 months 
before replacing the batteries.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Dean Vermeire

Moonstruck II (#847)