Charging problems 2008 captiva 276

dbeall1914

I am having non charging problems with my boat. The last time I took it out even after it was plugged into the battery maintainer the voltage was at 12.0 the slowly went down to 11.4. I am not sure where to begin.

skennelly

How old are the batteries?  Have them tested or get new ones.  Check alternator as well.

dbeall1914

Brand new

essomanin

It may be the alternate to be carica ! Or the defective battery

Take a test, put more and less on the battery, turn on the boat and watch if they load if everything works, it is the batteries otherwise the alternator

LaRea

If the alternator isn't working, the engine load would pull the battery voltage from 12 down to around 11.4.  Does the voltage drop when you start the engine, and then go back to 12 when you turn the engine off?  

What if you start the engine with the battery charger still running?  Does the voltage stay at 12?  

taza

Have you resolved the problem

dbeall1914

As of now I am traveling and trying to figure out what parts I might need. So before I replaced batteries I was running on 1 battery and when we stopped for lunch the boat would not turn over. So I turned the switch to both and fired it up and went away so while driving I went back to just the 1 battery and drove for 15 miles and the voltage stayed around 11.4. I took the boat home and replaced the batteries. plugged into the trickle charger it only gets to 12.1volts. So that tells me its charging but not to familier with the dual batteries what else is on these boats that could cause charging problems? I cannot find a schematic.

LaRea

I'm going to assume your boat has a shore power system, a built-in charger, and a battery isolator.  If not, ignore this post! 

The isolator has three terminals.  The input is connected to the charger and the engine's alternator.  The two output terminals connect to the batteries.  

If the isolator is faulty, the batteries will get little or no charging current from the alternator.  When you run the engine, it draws current from the battery.  With no current from the alternator, the engine will drain the battery as you drive.  That's why you couldn't start the engine after stopping for lunch.  

The isolator might look something like this.  

dbeall1914

Thank you I believe this is what I will replace 1st. And then do some testing.