Shore power?

[96TL]

Has anyone ever installed shore power on a Parker? I think I may have to soon.

I was out fishing last night, and while searching for bunker (pogies), my Raymarine fishfinder shut down. I killed the motor, and attempted to start it back up, and it was totally dead. This was on battery #1. Good thing battery #2 was strong enough to get me going again. I know my Water Witch bilge monitor and electronic water sensors (x2) are drawing a little juice, but I didn’t think it was enough to actually kill the battery. They are wired up to battery #1.

Maybe I haven’t been using battery #1 the past few trips, and it wasn’t able to charge back up? The bilge monitor draws 0.035 amps, and the sensors draw 0.004 (x2), for a total of .043 amps. I have two group 24 Interstate deep cycle batteries (wet cell).

I was out fishing Monday night also, and we had the livewell, radio, and anchor light going for a few hours at rest. The run back was short, so the battery might not have had enough time to charge back up. I don’t remember which battery I was on though!

I’m not really sure how I should handle this. My boat is at the dock, battery #1 is totally dead. Should I just hook it up to a battery charger for a few hours? Should I consider adding shore power maybe? Is it costly?

Thanks guys!

 

[joshdad]

This is a good time to read the chapter on batteries in one of the many good books that address 12V electrical systems.

How old is your battery?

I would start off by checking for corrosion on your battery cables and if present cleaning off the corrosion.

If you can check the fluid levels in your batteries you should do so. If there is insufficient electrolyte, add an appropriate amount of distilled water so that the plates are covered. The fluid should not reach the very top of the cells.

Next check the the voltage across the terminals with a digital meter and jot it down. Also check the specific gravity of the electrolyte with a tester that can be purchased in an auto parts store (should be less than $10).

Once you've got clean cables and adequate volume of electrolyte in the battery hookup a self regulating battery charger using the deep cycle setting and charge an appropriate amount of time. If your charger puts out 5 amps per hour you may need to leave it charging overnight. Make sure that while it is charging you have adequate ventilation in the battery box to prevent hydrogen from accumulating and make sure that the charger is "intelligent" enough to reduce its output as the battery takes on charge.

At the end of the charging, disconnect the charger and recheck the voltage and specific gravity. At the time you disconnect the charger your battery should read in excess of 13V. After a few hours the voltage may drop down to somewhere around 12.8 (I am writing this off the top of my head and I don't remember the exact voltage numbers but you can check this out in a reference book to be sure. )

If you have a good battery your specific gravity and voltages should be ok at this point but if the voltage keeps drifing down hour by hour you have a sick battery. There are ways to resurrect some sick batteries but that is "beyond the scope" of this reply. Wealthy people deal with a sick battery by buying a new one but if you don't care for a new battery properly by charging it properly and maintaining electrolyte levels then the new one will become sick like its predecessor.

In any case I suggest you keep a digital meter near your boat and check your voltages before you leave the dock until it is clear that your system is working properly.

If your battery checks out as ok, you should at least consider the possibility that your alternator is not putting out sufficient current to charge your batteries. You can get some information about the status of your alternator by checking your system voltage while the engine is running. With the engine running the system voltage should be somewhere around 13.5V.

I am sure that there are more knowlegable people responding to your question so it is likely that you'll get the info you need if you keep reading.

good luck

 

[96TL]

The batteries are only 1 year old, as is the rest of the boat. The terminals do not have any corrosion on them. They have been greased and re-greased since day 1. I'll check it with a meter tonight. I added some distilled water to the batteries at the beginning of the season, but I didn't have a tester. I just made sure the plates were covered, and added a little extra. I can see the alternator output on my guages, and I believe is was 13.8v in the beginning, and I think I was in the 14v range by the end of my run.

I have a feeling I may have been favoring the other battery the past few trips, causing this battery to not charge. My bilge monitor and sensors draw a little current, maybe it was enough to bring it down low after a few weeks. I'm going to re-charge it like you said, and look into installing an onboard charger.

Thanks for the reply.

Dom

 

[96TL]

I did some testing tonight. The dead battery is not even the one that power my bilge monitor and sensors. So it's not a drain issue. I think I have just been favoring one over the other and not letting it charge. I am still considering adding an onboard charger just for peace of mind. Thanks for your help.

 

[joshdad]

Dom,

Check out this device. It allows you to charge both batteries even though you are only running with one in the active system.

http://bluesea.com/category/2/products/7610

 

[dcunniff]

there are other choices as mentioned aleady, and this comes up every once in awhile.

I had shorepower added about 5 years ago. The shorepower, circuit breaker panel, and dual batter charger. Last year I added a galvanic isolator to protect the boat when someone else nearby has a stray current problem.

Some people also use portable chargers as they are less costly. Depends on whether you just charge or do more. I leave my refrigerator on a lot of the summer now that I have shore power, for example.

Dana

 

[BlueSky]

I have a simple sysem that has kept my batteries strong for years. I cut a 2" piece of plastic molding (1/4"x1"), drilled a hole in one end, wrote 1 on one side and 2 on the other and hang it on a small plastic hook next to the battery switch. Each time I use the boat I note which battery that was used last trip and use the other.

I never run on Both and I usually replace batteries after 3 years even if they are still good.

 

[Porkchunker]

Group 24 batteries may be a bit small for a boat with all the electronics and live well.

My 2510 with twin F-115s came with 2 group 27 batteries. Occasionally, I'd run the "house" (starboard side) down too far and had to go to "both" to restart. After they died, I swapped them out with 2 group 31 batteries. Had to replace the trays (thread is in the projects forum). Since that time, everything has been A-OK...as long as I keep the terminals clean. Corrosion will keep you from fully recharging a battery faster than about anything I can think of.

 

[Megabyte]

I'm one of those people that others warn you about. :evil:

After trying every battery scheme in the world for years, I now run my switch on "Both" when I go out.
My thought is this... I like to drain both at the same time and at the same rate.
I also like to charge them together...

In an 'emergency' (which has not happened yet), I have a portable jump-start battery.
Failing that, I have tow insurance.

Knock on wood... I have never had a battery related problem on the water or at the dock.
FWIW... I run a pair of AGM batteries on my boat and service the terminals regularly.

 

[windy]

Installed shorepower on my 28 last year. There is a panel under the port side step that you can remove,cut a hole and install a 30 amp male plug. I then ran marine grade 3 conductor wire under the gunnel to the battery compartment. Installed a Guest waterproof 3 bank charger,[have 3 batteries]. Plugged in a shorepower cord and now always have fully charged batteries.