Another Battery Problem

[Nudge]

The boat is ashore for the past couple of weeks with mains power on but the battery isolators off but the charging system mistakenly left on. When I was on the boat today, I switched on the 12 volt and all seemed to be well. Then the audio system which had the radio on stopped working and wouldn't switch on again. Then the VHF which had been receiving some traffic lost it's display and had only static.

Realising that there was likely to be a common problem, I tried to power up the instruments and no power there either. I then isolated all the batteries and discovered that the engine battery was very warm although the domestic bank seemed OK.

Switched on the domestic system only and everything returned to normal.

Is this simply the engine battery knackered? All batteries came with the boat to me so are probably 10 years old. All are 105AH as far as I can recall.

Advice gratefully received.

 

[matthewriches]

Do you have a voltage gauge? If so how was it?

Either batteries are goosed, or charger goosed. Or maybe charger goosed then also causing batteries to be goosed?

Could be a dead cell causing the battery to want to become a radiator. 10 years for a battery is pretty old.

 

[Poey50]

All batteries came with the boat to me so are probably 10 years old. All are 105AH as far as I can recall..

I think you've had your money's worth!

 

[Nudge]

Thanks Matthew, That's what I figured too. I have a 105AH battery lying in the garage from my Land Rover so might just swap that out when I'm back at at the boat on Thursday and see what happens.

There is a voltmeter but I forgot to look at it.... It's a pretty crude series of LEDs. Again will check during the week.

...and that photo is just making me hungry!

 

[Nudge]

I think you've had your money's worth!

Yes, you're probably right!!

 

[matthewriches]

If you have a multi meter, take that too. Guessing battery at fault but there must be some common link between your engine battery and the domestics if your electronics were playing up... diode pack, split charge relay, etc. OR your VHF and instruments wired onto the engine battery?

I have seen engine start battery backfeed through a multi-output charger that was on its last legs.

Thanks Matthew, That's what I figured too. I have a 105AH battery lying in the garage from my Land Rover so might just swap that out when I'm back at at the boat on Thursday and see what happens.

There is a voltmeter but I forgot to look at it.... It's a pretty crude series of LEDs. Again will check during the week.

...and that photo is just making me hungry!

 

[simonfraser]

Thanks Matthew, That's what I figured too. I have a 105AH battery lying in the garage from my Land Rover so might just swap that out when I'm back at at the boat on Thursday and see what happens.

There is a voltmeter but I forgot to look at it.... It's a pretty crude series of LEDs. Again will check during the week.

...and that photo is just making me hungry!

How long has it been in / out of the Land Rover ?

 

[Nudge]

How long has it been in / out of the Land Rover ?

About 4 weeks out of the Land Rover but been used as a "pulse" for another car. It's taking and holding a charge,