Winterising the engine

[Russ the Diver]

Hi All
Excuse the "greenness" in me.
I asked my boat yard to winterise the engines, which they said they have, however they also turned the isolated to the batteries off.
I now have three very flat batteries I use two solar panels to trickle charge all six batteries
Question. Should/does the isolated switch need to be turned off when winterising the engines? if so, should I have known or should they have told me that they'd done that?

I have tried to charge the batteries but they seem to be holding a charge of just 6 volts. So I think we can safely say they are F&^%$d
Thoughts/comments please.
Russ

 

[Tranona]

Yes, the isolators should be off. If the batteries are any good a solar panel would keep them topped up to an extent even in winter.

 

[Hadenough]

Your solar charge should not go through the isolator but straight to the batteries via a regulator.

 

[Russ the Diver]

Excuse my ignorance here but if the batteries are isolated how can they be charged??

 

[sailorman]

Yes, the isolators should be off. If the batteries are any good a solar panel would keep them topped up to an extent even in winter.

what where/were the panels wired to buss bar or batteries

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

solar charge not through isolater as/my boat.

S.

 

[Russ the Diver]

What are "Buss bar"

 

[Tranona]

what where/were the panels wired to buss bar or batteries

Just assumed (maybe wrongly) that the panels were wired correctly.

 

[Russ the Diver]

As far as I know the batteries are wired correctly. Has worked ok for 5 years!

 

[Tranona]

What are "Buss bar"

Don't mean to appear rude, but might be a good idea to get a marine electrician to check out your installation with you so that you at least know how it is wired up and what all the major parts of the system do.

The solar panel should be wired to the battery bank through a regulator so that it charges the batteries all the time. The isolaters disconnect the batteries from the engines and other systems when not in use so there is no drain and reduces fire risk. You may have some things connected direct to the battery such as an automatic bilge pump. Useful to know about these things.

 

[Russ the Diver]

Definitely a good idea. Need to make sure I've got my head around this. thanks

 

[Hadenough]

Excuse my ignorance here but if the batteries are isolated how can they be charged??

By isolated do you mean by way of a switch or are they disconnected at the posts?

 

[Russ the Diver]

By a switch/

 

[Hadenough]

So your solar panels are not wired correctly. Unless that us you are talking about Maplin specials plugged into a fag lighter socket.

 

[sailorman]

So your solar panels are not wired correctly. Unless that us you are talking about Maplin specials plugged into a fag lighter socket.

but that socket might be wired into the buss bar rather than onto the battery

 

[Hadenough]

If it was, he wouldn't have flat batteries I think. Anyway, we are working in the dark here as the OP doesn't seem to know how it is wired.

 

[bert49uk]

If with the isolator off if the batteries are flat they cannot be much good, the op says they have been ok for 5 years! May be time to get new batteries, or find out if something is still connected drawing the batteries down

 

[rob2]

My experience of marine engineers winterisation is varied to say the least. It used to be that the recommendation included flushing the engine and spraying the inside with misting oil, check head bolt torques and valve clearances, removing the impeller and/or checking the concentration of anti-freeze... Nowadays it only seems to mean changing the oil and taking the impeller out.

It is normal on most boats to switch off the isolator on leaving the boat, as said it eliminates fire risk and prevents uneccessary discharge of the batteries. This is why the charge regime is connected to the battery side of the isolator and fused to protect against failure and consequent shorting with the attendant risk of fire and explosion (batteries of this size make an impressive bang).

I don't understand why your batteries have degraded so much unless their age has reduced their capacity over the years, unnoticed and now they have effectively died. If they charge up to an acceptable rested voltage, it would be worth finding an autoelectrician who has a tester which will check the capacity and charge level. My mate who used to work for Lucas has a tester which you set to the type and size of the battery and tests against those parameters, assessing the viability of the battery even though it probably isn't at full charge.

Rob.

 

[Russ the Diver]

Thanks you to all your comments
I will find out if the batteries will charge and hold a charge, get a sparky to go over the boat and make sure all is connected correctly.
Will post back with results
Russ

 

[Spi D]

If your batteries are properly charged they will keep well and withstand frezzing. If disconnected they will not discharge - all provided they are in good condition in the first place.

What really takes the life out of them is deep discharges. DeepCycle and other special designs cope far better, but standard starting batteries don't survive in the longer run. Also make sure your charging system is up to the job - the alternator on the engine(s) are OK for keeping batteries charged but not for rebuilding after severe discharge.