Battery Question

glynnalanglynnalan Member Posts: 36 ✭
in Electrical Discussions

last weekend I beached up running the radio.  5 hours later batteries dead.  switched to both...nothing.  and the generator would crank over either.

after getting a tow to my slip I plugged into shore power and it fired up both engine + generator.

I have 3 batteries 1 crank and 2 deep cycle. 

questions: when I beach up should I flip of AC power to make sure nothings draining?  Do both refrigerators run if AC power is on from batteries?  Should I replace all 3 batteries?  Do all 3 charge when hooked to shore power? Which battery does what?  Picture attached; is the back one for the generator and the 2 on the side for house and start?  

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Comments

  • HamdogHamdog Member Posts: 247 ✭✭
    A few questions. Looks like the 2 end batteries are connected. Is the middle battery your starter battery and is not connected to the other two?
    "Wetted" Bliss 2005 Rinker 342 - Black Hull - Twin Mercruiser 350 Mags - BIII's
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  • glynnalanglynnalan Member Posts: 36 ✭
    the back battery is not connected to the battery switch.  just the starter and 1 deep cycle.  not sure which one starts the generator either?
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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You have a 2008 Rinker EC 280. That would be a single engine. I would wire the batteries so that one battery would start the engine or the generator. I would wire the other two batteries together as a house system with the +ve lead going to the +ve terminal of the first battery with a +ve (red) cable running back to the +ve terminal of the second battery. I would run the -ve lead to the -ve terminal of the second battery and run a -ve (black) cable back to the -ve terminal of the first house battery. This would cause both batteries to act as one doubling your reserve minutes. I would have them connected to the battery isolator switch so that the starting battery was isolated from the two house batteries but so that they could be connected (paralleled) in case you ever needed to use all three. There should be diagrams and extensive discussion of this topic in the archives. MT
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  • Robs_232Robs_232 Member Posts: 212 ✭✭✭

     I actually just added a second battery, switch, and Automatic Charging Relay (ACR) to my 2004 232 BR as described in prior posts on here like MT mentioned. I was terrified that when anchored and stereo with amp are on, and any lights on depending on time of day, that the engine might not start. I installed a Blue Sea Systems 9002e switch and Blue Sea 7610 ACR and will hook up optional start isolation circuit and LED indicator. This might be overkill for my situation but feel better now with the 4th and long weekend. There are some great discussions and diagrams on here about this subject and Blue Sea Systems (and similar products) have great wiring diagrams for your particular situation. I have researched other options but like this system the most. Have a fun and a safe 4th to all would hate to have dead batteries and wreck the fun on these days aboard.

    Rob

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  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,026 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The starting battery is supposed to start the engine and the genset. The DC is for your house. The question I have is which battery is the starting battery and which is the DC? It looks like the one with the green top is the starting battery. If so, that battery is connected to the added DC. The two DC batteries need to be connected together. One thing that I ran into on my 280 is the previous owner had pressed the reset buttons in the battery panel, so the batteries weren't charging. I found this out the hard way...
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
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  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,026 ✭✭✭✭✭
    On my 280, the house battery is the one towards the front of the boat, where the green top battery is located on your boat. The starting battery is towards the back of the boat, where your middle battery is located. If you could verify what types of batteries are in which position, that might help us troubleshoot it for you.
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
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  • glynnalanglynnalan Member Posts: 36 ✭
    Thanks for response @MT are you saying I should wire the 2 DC batteries together, and just leave starting battery solo?  so when I switch to position #1 its just starter battery, and position #2 is both DC batteries in tandem?
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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes. You can get switches that will give you the settings of OFF - 1 - All - 2  That is what I would recommend. I believe you can get a high quality switch of this type for "normal" amperage loads (sabout 250 amps) for around $70.00 MT
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