electrical issues (battery?)

boatman37

So our batteries were bought new in August 2018 when we bought the boat. 1 house and 1 start. So I knew I would need to replace them before too long. Boat stays plugged into shore power with charger running unless we are out cruising.
So tonight it seemed to take a little longer than usual to start like it was cranking slower but with the key on beep it was hard to tell. So went out and anchored. Used the Lenco trim tabs going out. These have the red lights going up and down the sides to tell how far up or down they are. When I anchored and shut the boat off the lights for them stayed on even with the key off. Went to pull the anchor with boat running and about 1/2 way up I heard the windlass contactor start clicking and the windlass stopped. Tried a few times then nothing. No clicking or anything. Pulled the anchor by hand and we head in. BTW-I run the boat with the battery switch on 1 but at anchor I switch it to 2. So back at the dock I put the battery switch on All and windlass works fine. Realize the left side trim tab will not move and no clicking or humming or anything but the right side one works fine.
Battery? Or something else?
I didn't have a volt meter with me to check anything but the volt gauge at the helm was just below 14 so it was charging.

Ian

My recent issues ended up being 3 bad group 34’s AGM’s - tested real bad. The 31 house tested fine - actually used it to jump start the engines.

mattie

@boatman37
5th year on those batts. So you are doing something right.
3-5 years expectancy for Marine/RV batteries.

boatman37

lol. I bring them into my office in the winter and have them on a maintenance charger all winter, rotating them out every couple of weeks.

I don't have a problem replacing them, just don't want to buy new ones 3 weeks before pulling it for the winter

mattie

Same here. My house batt is diminishing. I can tap it out pretty quick with the stereo now.
‘Gonna load test it when season is done….likely get a new 31 in the spring.

Cableguy Greg

Chances are they are bad. My AGM’s on the house side were new in 2018. This year they had been holding charge, but discharging faster than usual. Granted I have 2 refrigerators, so that doesn’t help. Last weekend we took the boat to Chicago and as soon as we dropped the hook, I shut of the engine. The batteries dropped to 10 volts within 15 minutes. That meant no fridges, no radio, no anchor alarm. They say 4-5 years on house batteries and this proved to be right. 

Cableguy Greg

boatman37 said:

I don't have a problem replacing them, just don't want to buy new ones 3 weeks before pulling it for the winter

I did find a group 31 DC battery at Rural King for $98. I get it not wanting to replace them with a few weeks to go. I figured one boat buck wasn’t bad for the one or two more times that we might go out. 

boatman37

Do you guys think this might be causing my trim tab on the one side not working?