battery advice requested

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dkm

dkm

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starter battery for starboard engine (KAD 300) is looking dodgy, any advice appreciated:
Current battery is, I believe, the original (5 years old) 180 amp hour deep cycle battery used solely for starting starboard engine. Yesterday starboard engine refused to start with voltmeter showing just below 12v - does EDC need 12v plus to allow engine to start up?
Managed to start starboard engine using battery change over switch - what's the correct way to do this? - with the port engine running or not?
Heater in engine bay keeps batteries at about 10 degrees C so cold should not be a problem, I'm assuming the battery is knackered and needs replacing -any suggestions on a supplier with good service advice and prices near to hamble?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Yesterday starboard engine refused to start with voltmeter showing just below 12v

[/ QUOTE ] If that was 12volts before you tried to start then the battery is only about 25% charged. Maybe just needs charging.
While cranking the volts will fall to 10 or maybe less.

Maybe better to have one engine running before operating the change over switch as then you have one engine running! BUT BUT BUT if the change over disconnects the battery from the running engine you'll most likely blow the diodes in the running alternator. If it commons both then no problem.

Why have a deep cycle battery solely for engine starting. They are not designed for engine staring, get a starter battery, they are, and use deep cycle batteries purely for domestic services.
 
Is it a change-over or battery link switch ?

It was / is common to have a relay between engine batteries. Then if you had a low engine / service battery you could link to engine only battery for starting.


Do you start with the other engine running, if using a link relay ? that is the question.

Brian
 
Its a battery change over switch and I used it with the other engine running, is this correct?
Planning on getting a deep cycle batteray simply because this is a straight replacement for the battery supplied by manufacturer.
 
Ever since the 1980, the boat builders fitted all the same batteries, start or supply, and I do not remember any problems.

A change-over switch? does that mean it physically changes over batteries ? what does it do ?

Brian
 
don't know what it actually does other then direct power from the port battery bank to the starboard engine
 
All the 12v batteries you could ever want here
For the engine start battery the key thing to look for is the Cold Cranking Amps value; the higher the better. I've not had one, but the Numax sealed look a good spec and are a good price too.
 
There is a set procedure for using the C/O switch, unfortunately my manual is on my boat in Spain, but be careful I recall some warnings that you can damage the alternator circuit if not followed correctly. On my T34 I had a similar problem with my SB battery in Feb, it truned out to be a faulty split diode. I replaced it, charged the battery and all is well.

If you need the C/O sequence and can wait a few weeks, I will copy the relevant parts of my manual for you. PM me if needed.
 
Just a bit of advice (ignor if you know already) There is no standard configuration for positioning of the + or - polarity posts, so before buying a new battery check which way around your's are or you'll have to change the lead lengths if you get it wrong.
 
The SB battery fitted to my T34 is a 180AH Energy FLA Series 2.

When I had problems I contacted them (david.wallace@energy-batteries.com] and they were very helpful.

They suggested I try to get the specific gravity of the electrolyte up to 12:60 / 12:70 stating if I achieved that the battery will operate as normal.

In any case the following image shows the range and some characteristics of their batteries:

Energy.jpg


Hope this is of use!
 
When you use the link switch you are linking the battery banks together, so that for example if as I had in one case a totally dead set of started batteries and I used the link switch to start them, as long as the switch was engaged she would run but as soon as it was stopped she stopped.
 
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