Flat Batteries!

[gonfishing]

Went to the boat yesterday afternoon intending to do a night fish, but alas the batteries were completly flat! Isolator swith on "of" position nothing left turned on anywhere. So has anyone any idea what may have happened? and any idea where I can buy a battery drop tester to check if mine are now knackered! I have them on charge and they seem to be charging, I guess we'll find out tomorrow if they have taken a charge. In the meantime I need to find the root cause of the problem.

Julian

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[Talbot]

take your battery to a garage and ask them to put their resistance machine on it. This will check what the battery is delivering under load, and will instantly tell you if it is dead, or you can take it as a given and go visit your local caraavan shop and buy some reasonably priced replacements for the deep cycle, and macro for the engine start.

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[Mike21]

Could be isolator switch not working, could be just bad battery which is ok if used all the time ,but won't hold a charge for any lenght of time or if you have an automatic bilge pump that comes direct of batteries.

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[robind]

Isolator switch not stuck in off, is it??
Rob

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[Newbroom]

Buy yourself a hydrometer from Halfords, check the cells now and then after charging. Leave dor six hours and see what the readings are then.

Dave

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[ShipsWoofy]

Do you have a bilge pump always on, has it been running, could be a more serious problem.

Alarm, radio memory, how long since your last visit and start.

Running the eber a little too much last time without recharging properly?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>

 

[brianrunyard]

1. How long since last use?
2. Have you checked the battery connections, as both appear completely flat could be an open curcuit.
3. Switch not making.
4. Automatic bilge pump drained batteries?
5. Top of batteries damp.


<hr width=100% size=1>Brian
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/brunyard

 

[gonfishing]

Hi All
Definately a dead isolator switch, my sparky mate reckons it was the switch charge diode at fault????, he also reckons that I need an inline fuse from the batteries to the switch, not too keen on this idea what do you all think??? Oh and the batterries are naffed!!

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[duncan]

surprised that the charging circuit and the isolator have both failed together............
if the charging circuits died then nothings been charging so eventually you have a flat battery....OK but what about the alternator charge warning light on your dash? Shouldn't that have given you some warning?

I will admit that I realy appreciate the digital voltage readout on my sonar (Lowrance) - have used it on all my boats and it gives me great confidence. This is now reasonably founded after instruction from some on here as to how I should interpret the readings too!

In relative terms good batteries are one of the cheapest/most effecient investments boaters can make - if you do your own servicing oil and filters are in there too.

<hr width=100% size=1>madesco madidum ..../forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[brianrunyard]

It'll have to be a big fuse if it's going to carry the starting current!

<hr width=100% size=1>Brian
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/brunyard

 

[BarryH]

Only ever seen this once before. The switch you have, does it have the small wire connection to the alt? Its sposed to take the alt out of circuit when you switch over batteries when running. If the the contacts in the switch go it takes out the alt and you get no output. Its there to protect the regulator/rectifier when switching.Basically whats happened, if its the type of switch I think it is, is that the switch has gone belly up and this has killed the charging side and let you run the engine from batts alone. It wouldn't show up on the charge light at the dash so you think all is well.
I had this with a 1,2, both switch. I've dumped that and just gone for two battery switches from a car shop. Half the cost and almost indesructable. Just make sure you've got good quality cables and all will be fine.

Oh yeah nearly forgot. Batteries? Got mine from Maccess for 17 quid each 8 years ago. Badged "Equip Lesuire" they're deep cycle and start a petrol lump no probs. So you don't really need a dedicated start batt. Its not as if you've got the cranking load of a diesel. They've not been off the boat since I bought them. Just checked and disconnected when not being used.
Never given any probs and even survived being dunked a while ago.

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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by BarryH on 09/11/2004 15:37 (server time).</FONT></P>