Rinker 310 batteries and engine hatch

laureniac1

When opening the engine hatch I see huge drop to under 11 volts on the starboard battery gauge.  All 3 batteries were replaced this season.  The hatch moves very slow and needs some help to open.  When it is opened using jumper cables it opens easily on its own.  Short, batteries wired wrong (starting vs house).  Wondering if anyone else has had a smillar issue 

LaRea

Try cleaning the 2-wire plug at the bottom of the actuator.  Also, if there's a grease nipple on the actuator, hit it with a grease gun.  

Oh, wait ... you said it opens fine on jumper cables.  Not sure what to make of that.

Handymans342

Bad battery isolator and batteries not being charged correctly. Ask me how I know this?

laureniac1

Ok Handymans342 how do you know this? Also just put a new house battery in today 

kordo

Ok, please explain bad battery isolator and how it affects charging.  Thanks.

Michael T

Check all associated grounds and connections. Also when was the last time the cables were replaced. Even slight internal corrosion can severely restrict amperage.

Stodge

Isolators are usually used when you have a different number of alternators and batteries.  So a boat with 1 motor (and alternator) and 2 batteries would have an isolator that has 1 input and 2 outputs.  It spreads the charge out and acts to keep the load from 1 battery (or battery bank) pulling from another.  

Normally your built in battery charger will have a number of outputs equal to the number of battery banks and be connected directly to the battery banks, sometimes to the battery, sometimes to the output of the isolator.  Might even see some going to battery switches.  

So depending on your configuration, the isolator could affect your battery charging.