240 sundancer 1999 - two battery switch use and what's expected battery life

[Colin lighten]

Hi, I just bought the boat, and don't understand why you can select to have one or two batteries connected. Also if the mains are not plugged in after one week there is not enough charge to start the boat, is that normal or do I have a poor battery. How can I work out which one it is... Thanks or any advice

 

[GrandMaster]

The selectable battery switch is so that you dont accidentally run both batteries dead when the engine isnt running. One battery should always be charged so you can restart an engine.

Batteries/Batter Switch should all be "OFF" when the boat is not in use. If that is what you have ben doing, your batteries should hold there charge for at lease a couple months provided watr hasnt been getting into the bilge area and the bilge pump has not been cycling over that time.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Even if the battery switch was left on, you should have plenty of juice even many weeks later. Pull the batteries, check fluid (if required), charge and load test. If all is good, you have an excessive draw and need to get that checked.

 

[GJarrett]

Even if the battery switch was left on, you should have plenty of juice even many weeks later. Pull the batteries, check fluid (if required), charge and load test. If all is good, you have an excessive draw and need to get that checked.

Actually, my '99 240 Sundancer has a refrigerator which will draw down the batteries in less than a day. My '93 had an icebox, but the '99 has a refrigerator.

Colin, where do you have the switch positioned at? As stated above, it should be "OFF" when not in use.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Actually, my '99 240 Sundancer has a refrigerator which will draw down the batteries in less than a day. My '93 had an icebox, but the '99 has a refrigerator.

Colin, where do you have the switch positioned at? As stated above, it should be "OFF" when not in use.

If the OP has the fridge on, yes, in a week the batteries will be low. I guess I was assuming that he wouldn't be asking this question if he had the fridge running. However, one day? You've got either weak batteries or something else going on. The fridge will not drain one DC (or even a starting battery in that short of a time) battery in a day, let alone two.

 

[GJarrett]

I miss-typed. Yeah the house batteries will last more than a day. But not the 27 series starter battery - it won't last a day with the frig on.

 

[Lazy Daze]

I miss-typed. Yeah the house batteries will last more than a day. But not the 27 series starter battery - it won't last a day with the frig on.

While obviously not recommended for starting batteries, a group 24 starting battery will indeed last more than a day with the fridge. I have Deka batteries - one 24 starting and one 27 DC. I have personally run the starting battery (some radio and various lights) for a full day, through the night and the engine still started right up the next day. I've never tried longer than that with the starting battery, but have gone 3 nights and 4 days with the DC (about 1 hour total engine run time the whole time). Something is probably still slightly amiss in your system.

 

[mwph]

Sounds like all good advise to me. Start with verifying the condition of the batteries. If they are full & test well, something else is sucking them down. I'll put my money on a battery issue though.