'97 330DA Battery Problem

B

bliss

New Member
Nov 17, 2006
305
chicago, il
Boat Info
330 Sundancer 1997
Engines
454 Mercruiser w/v drives
I do not have a genny. My batteries are located: two under the cockpit seat with two Guest on/off switches as well, a third, slightly smaller battery is just starboard of the starboard engine. The two batteries appear to be wired in series (I think!)
My problem is that the port battery doesn't hold a charge or, I believe is not being charged at all. How can that be if they are wired in series? I started out with two brand new batteries and when I presented my problem to Batteries Plus they gave me two more new ones. That did not help, so I don't think it is the batteries.
What should I be checking out? I'll open the hatch this weekend and find the charger (I hope!)
 
First, check the fuse in the charger line to the port battery(s). It may be blown and the batteries are just draining down. That actually happened to me recently. Second, I'm not so sure Sea Ray would have wired those in series. More likely they are in parallel which maintains 12 volts. Do you have a wiring schematic you could point me to or e-mail?
 
Yes I would think the two under the cockpit seat are wired in Parallel meaning that the bank produces 12V and you add the amp/hrs of the two batteries together to get the amp hours for the bank. The charger if your boat is laid out like mine is mounted on the forward bulkhead in front of the port engine. If you have the original charger it will be black and have an ammeter on the front. As well as an orange light which reads DC present. If its charging the dead batteries you should see the orange light and the ammeter should read up around the 20-30 amp range if its trying to charge the batteries. If neither are happening I would suspect the charger, fuse first.

What type of batteries are you trying to charge with it? I don't know how well that charger charges the newer AGM no maint no water type batteries. That may very well be part of the issue. If you put in upgraded AGM batteries you may need a new charger to charge them. I know someone will correct me that they charge their AGM batteries with the 1997 charger in their boat but if it was me and I was spending $600 on new batteries I would also spend $590 and get a proper charger... I have seen posts where the optima blue tops were pesky to charge while interstate or Deka AGM worked great...

You can also do a quick sanity check on your charger/wiring by just looking at the ammeter on the panel in the cabin, as soon as you turn on the AC Converter switch the ammeter should jump up as the charger pulls current. If that does not happen I would check the charger, then check how they are wired, or water levels if the batteries are not AGM type...

If I was a betting man I would bet your port bank starts the port engine and powers all the 12 V loads on the boat which is why you have 2 there. The starboard one starts the starboard battery and acts a fail safe to start the port engine via the emergency switch on the dash in case your Port batteries are dead...

Another dumb question, does running the port engine charge the batteries??? If not that might indicate a wiring or battery issue...
 
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Thanks for the speedy response! I'm sure you are right; they are paralleled. When I turn on the charger (converter?) at the panel the meter shows 13+ volts on starboard. When I click "port" it shows 8 or 9 and with use (cabin lights, etc.) the port battery dies over an hour or two. Yes Alegria, you would win the bet. The batts provide service as you stated.
I'll open the hatch on Friday and look for a charger fuse and anything else suspicious.
One more question; the two switches, does one turn on/off the two batts and the other serve the one in the e-room?
Again, thanks!
 
As Alegria mentioned have you tried starting the Port engine using the emergency start switch and seeing if the engine is charging the batteries, or if they are holding a charge? If your batteries are that week you will have trouble raising the hatch too, you will have to either get the Port engine running or your going to have to back feed the circuit through the cigerette lighter. I would bet that you have a blown fuse on the house charger, I would start the Starboard engine then us the emergency start button and start the Port engine, if this charges your batteries then you have narrowed it down to the onboard charger or fuse.
 
I would check the fuses as Dave suggested. See my post here. Don't know how your boat is wired as mine has the generator (which moves the batteries) and also the crossover charging system (the gold anodized unit on the right side of the photos).
 
Larry, the starboard batt. is the only problem. I always have a fully charged portable batt. (Costco $60.00) with me so I can get the hatch up using it as a jumper on the port batt.
I'll be looking into this Friday noon and will report back. Many thanks!
 
Bliss -"My problem is that the port battery doesn't hold a charge or, I believe is not being charged at all"


Bliss - "Larry, the starboard batt. is the only problem"

I am not sure now which battery is the problem... When you are saying Starboard and Port battery are you reffering to the engine that they operate or there orientation in the bank.

In your boat you have 2 batteries under the rear facing helm seat (Port engine & house power) and 1 battery next to the Starboard engine (outboard side for Starboard engine starting only)
 
Oops!! Haste makes waste! I meant to say "Larry, the port batt. is the only problem." The one to the left as I face forward-under the rear facing helm seat- that does provide the house power. Sorry about that!
 
It is Friday PM. The problem is solved-for the moment. I opened the two fuse containers in the wires from the charger. One had a 20 amp fuse with a delay the other had a two element fuse(?) again 20 amp.The one serving the house battery. (the one on the left) was blown. I called Jim Mitchell at the factory and he said replace them with 40 amp fuses-no delay required. I questioned the 40 amps and he confirmed that is factory spec. Nobody in Racine, WI had the fuse-- so I put in 20s for tonight. The Admiral is reading a magazine by the bunk light as I type. Tomorrow morning I'll start looking for a couple of 40amp fuses. I may have to settle for 30 amp.
Thanks for the input!
 
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bliss said:
It is Friday PM. The problem is solved-for the moment. I opened the two fuse containers in the wires from the charger. One had a 20 amp fuse with a delay the other had a two element fuse(?) again 20 amp.The one serving the house battery. (the one on the left) was blown. I called Jim Mitchell at the factory and he said replace them with 40 amp fuses-no delay required. I questioned the 40 amps and he confirmed that is factory spec. Nobody in Racine, WI had the fuse-- so I put in 20s for tonight. The Admiral is reading a magazine by the bunk light as I type. Tomorrow morning I'll start looking for a couple of 40amp fuses. I may have to settle for 30 amp.
Thanks for the input!
Click to expand...

Don't waste your time with those stupid fuses. Sea Ray should have put circuit breakers in that circuit. Follow the link.

Best regards,
Frank
 
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