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Post by tc33obx on Dec 3, 2020 14:15:30 GMT -5
Interesting in my 4460, I'm pretty sure my Genset was started via the house battery. My 4460 was an IPS500 Diesel boat, and when I bought it it had 1 battery for each engine/ips unit and then one 8-D house battery. I updated the engine setup to 2 Group 37s per engine/IPS since I was seeing IPS steering warnings when running on one. Then the follow year a new house. Ran that way for a while, but I never threw the battery switches off unless the boat was on the hard. When at the slip she was always plugged in, with the charger on charging all 5 batteries.
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Post by hawker63 on Dec 3, 2020 20:18:58 GMT -5
I also leave plugged in and charger on, problem was I lost the 110 and that killed all 3 batteries. The ultimate culprit was there’s a jumper between the breaker and the 110v buss in the distribution panel. This jumper melted (probably loose connection), so it was an extended period when there was no 110v so the galley refrigerator defaulted to 24v, which killed all batteries. Turning off the engine batteries just assures me that they will alway be available to start the engines, even if the house battery gets killed again.
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Post by tc33obx on Dec 4, 2020 9:45:15 GMT -5
On the handles, I was looking at what could be done with them back in the day and from my view extensions wouldn't really work due to the limited space in the bilge. They potentially could if they bent at the handles. I came up with an idea to install a chain on each of them to open them when they are closed and to put a small bar down in the engine room I could use to push them down to close them. However, as mentioned above I never ended up installing that. I just used my foot to open and close them. The other ends of the chains could be mounted to the gene support and even the bar could be mounted there with the right holder so everything is available when necessary.
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Post by gofast24 on Dec 4, 2020 12:13:10 GMT -5
I also leave plugged in and charger on, problem was I lost the 110 and that killed all 3 batteries. The ultimate culprit was there’s a jumper between the breaker and the 110v buss in the distribution panel. This jumper melted (probably loose connection), so it was an extended period when there was no 110v so the galley refrigerator defaulted to 24v, which killed all batteries. Turning off the engine batteries just assures me that they will alway be available to start the engines, even if the house battery gets killed again. Interesting, how do you get 24VDC from one 12 VDC house or starting battery? 24 VDC for the diesel starting battery? And everything else on 12 VDC? |
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Post by gofast24 on Dec 4, 2020 12:14:55 GMT -5
OK, so are we on sea cocks or batteries? Guess I might be adding to the mix up? Sorry!
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Post by tc33obx on Dec 4, 2020 12:45:11 GMT -5
LOL, I think the whole thread started about the Seacocks but transitioned to batteries and plugging the boat in while gone part of the way through.
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Post by hawker63 on Dec 5, 2020 8:18:17 GMT -5
Sorry, fridge is 110/12volt. Plus of course there are other things on the boat that keep using small amounts of power when the 110v is off.
I had thought that the starting batteries were only connected to the engines, but obviously not as they died just like the house battery when the 110v to the boat was off for an extended period. . I believe things like the bilge pumps, CO detectors, fire detector is all wired ahead of the shut offs on the panel in the engine compartment.
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Post by hawker63 on Dec 5, 2020 8:23:15 GMT -5
I think it transitioned when I explained my shutdown routine and the question was why I close seacocks and why I shut off my batteries.
Seacocks - eliminate any risk of water intrusion or sea animals getting into water system
Flush the A/C with fresh water to clean any buildup that occurs
Clean all 4 strainers (hence even if I reopened the seacocks after cleaning, I still have to open/close seacocks when. I leave the boat for extended periods
Turn the starting batteries off so if I lose shore power, I’ll only drain the house battery.
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Post by lg260ss on Dec 5, 2020 8:38:12 GMT -5
I may not have been clear. We are on shore power and we keep the battery chargers on all the time and leave house batteries on. I started turning off the engine batteries because I ran into an issue where I lost shore power and the galley fridge went to 12vdc which killed the house and starting batteries which meant I couldn’t start the boat or the generator to recharge the batteries. This way, nothing should kill my starting batteries, even if I have a power outage and drain the house battery. If you leave your boat for weeks at a time, why do you leave the fridge on at all? I always shut my fridges off when leaving the boat every week. |
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Post by gofast24 on Dec 5, 2020 11:58:33 GMT -5
I may not have been clear. We are on shore power and we keep the battery chargers on all the time and leave house batteries on. I started turning off the engine batteries because I ran into an issue where I lost shore power and the galley fridge went to 12vdc which killed the house and starting batteries which meant I couldn’t start the boat or the generator to recharge the batteries. This way, nothing should kill my starting batteries, even if I have a power outage and drain the house battery. If you leave your boat for weeks at a time, why do you leave the fridge on at all? I always shut my fridges off when leaving the boat every week. We, well my son, has a lot of stuff in fridge/freezer all boating season (Late March thru mid/late Nov here in GA) . Now is time to empty our fridge/freezer and turn it off for winter. Hawker, thanks for correcting the 12 V vs. 24 VDC loads, you had me thinking too much  . Still wondering why/how your propulsion starting batteries discharged on house loads? Should be a "back flow" eliminator to prevent ever discharging your starting batteries on "house loads"? Can imagine your at sea/on the hook and when tryin to start engines to get home the batteries are toast! Did your gen set starting battery also die? That also should be isolated from "house" loads? |
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Post by hawker63 on Dec 6, 2020 8:10:44 GMT -5
The mechanic said the engines draw some current all the time, but I didn’t think that would be enough to kill the starting batteries. I agree, I was surprised that all my batteries were dead. House battery not surprised, and no modifications were done to the electrical system so my speculation is either my starting batteries leaked back to feed something house battery should be running, or the draw at the engines killed them (which surprised me unless the batteries are in bad condition which I didn’t check). Really just trying to make sure I never come back to a dead boat again (probably overkill.. lol).
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Post by gofast24 on Dec 6, 2020 11:48:23 GMT -5
A few milliamps (my car uses about 80 mA when off, i have measured it several times, it powers the ECM and keep the receiver for the remote key FOB functioning) . Your engine starting batteries should not be providing power to your house system, get that resolved and also may be you just have bad starting batteries? How old are they and get a battery load/condition meter to check them. Also, if you disconnect starting batterys and all load to them for about 24 hurs measure the voltage directly at the battery terminals. Should be at least 12.6/12.8 VDC, if not bad battery's, replace them! Think about AGM batteries if you have flooded/wet cells now. We changed out all 5 batteries about 5 years ago, all preforming fine but always on shore power chargers and ifon the hook, installed a helm panel Blue Seas digital voltmeter that when house battery gets down to about 12.4 VDC either start gen set or turn stereo system off! Good luck and let us know what you find out!
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. Still wondering why/how your propulsion starting batteries discharged on house loads? Should be a "back flow" eliminator to prevent ever discharging your starting batteries on "house loads"? Can imagine your at sea/on the hook and when tryin to start engines to get home the batteries are toast! Did your gen set starting battery also die? That also should be isolated from "house" loads?