batteries not holding charge?

Xplicitlnck

Well-Known Member
Jan 2, 2012
4,030
Long island ny
Boat Info
330ec
Engines
Twin 7.4 straight drive
Well I went out sat night and stayed on the hook for a while. Lets say 4 hours. Music on fridge on head system being used quite often and the normal stuff running. My battery alarm went off so I fiered up the gennerator and let it. Charge the batteries. We then moved to a restaurant and stayed there on the boat for another couple hours. Maybe 5. Same thing happened so again turned on the genny. Thought nothing of it went back to dock connected power and went home. Went for a quick run yesturday and I accidently leaned on the ignition switch and shut down the motor while idling out of my canal and immediatly the battery alarm came on. Fiered the engine back up and it went away. Back up to 12.5volts. I then ended up dropping anchor and rafted up with a friend for a good 8 hours. Had all the same electronics on but voltage held at 12 for all 8 hours. This one stumped me. Any ideas? Did that all make sense? Also my fridge stopped working on the 110 side so I have it constantly running off 12v side. My fridge stays on all summer never gets turned off is this bad for my batteries?
 
Check and clean the connections first, all of them. Also check the water levels in the cells, if they are the old style grab a tester and check the cells looking for a dead cell. That's what it sounds like to me, a dead cell. I switch all three to the Jell Blue Tops
 
#1 check connections at the batteries.
#2 With generator running & a DC voltage tester in hand, you should see +/- 14.4V DC across the terminals.
Less than 13.9V DC at a minimum, your charging system is not up to par.
Based on what you find, pull the batteries & have them load tested. Easily done at most battery vendors.
 
After you add water a battery hydrometer is going to show no good. Attempt to charge then load test them. Also a battery hydrometer is only good after charged. And as stated clean the connections should be done at the first of the season.
 
Yes there old style batteries purchased sept 2011. Less than 2 years old....? There deko brand. Checked the water yesturday all full and thinking about it yes ive always had 14 volts while underway and with the genny on now im only getting 12.5 on either genny shore or underpower. Will be going out tomorow to check connections. I just cant see a battery less than 2 years old crapping out...
How do u test each cell individually?
 
With a hydrometer. And yest they can die in two years
 
Yes there old style batteries purchased sept 2011. Less than 2 years old....? There deko brand. Checked the water yesturday all full and thinking about it yes ive always had 14 volts while underway and with the genny on now im only getting 12.5 on either genny shore or underpower. Will be going out tomorow to check connections. I just cant see a battery less than 2 years old crapping out...
How do u test each cell individually?

With a hydrometer like this. They are under $10 at pepboys and the like.


Battery-Hydrometer.jpg
 
Don't forget to check belt tension at the alternator. This happened to me and it was a two minute fix!
 
Well I have 4 blue tops in my basement from last year. I know there not the same group size but other than not fitting in the battery tray does the group size matter. The blues have a much higher cca, ca, hourly output ect. I would hate to go spend another grand on batteries when I have 4 perfectly good ones. Second my boat has the original charger in it. Will that hurt the gel batteris?
 
X,
I would think with all the specs exceeding what you currently have you should be fine as long as you are able to secure them properly!


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Todd
 
If you think there is a battery issue, I would bring them right to East Penn in West Babylon. I bought my dekos there and had an issue the following season. The manager quickly replaced them with brand new.
 
As for group size, just make sure that all of the batteries in each bank are the same size.
 
Scottie,
So what you're saying is AGM is the same as gel? Thanks for the help.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Todd
 

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