Dead Batteries!!

[Sweet "T"]

Coming into last weekend, I had about 22 hrs. on "Sweet T" without a problem. So, here's the timeline on the weekend....... Saturday at 4:00 we uncovered her and went to head out on the lake. Dead battery. No problem, I'll just switch to the other one! Dead!! Real dead. I usually run the switch to "1+2" setting when I'm cruising around. When I float, I switch to a single battery so I have a fresh one to start me up.That's how I came in the weekend before on the #1 battery. At 4;15 I got the charger on the #1 battery. I'm getting impatient! Not as bad as Terry, she wants to get going! At 4:50, I try her, and she fires right up. I put the battery switch to "1+2" and run her with pace for about 30 - 35 minutes and come back and park it for 2 hrs. or so. At 7:45, we head out for a night cruise with a gang of people, and a paddle!! As we start, everything is fine with the volt meter. It reads around 13 or better. We run around for 15 minutes, and head to the middle of the lake. As I'm getting there, all of a sudden my dash lights are dim and the volt meter is reading 10. I shut all the lights off, and no difference on the gauge. I get to the middle and shut her off. I switch to #2, figuring I'll run this one dead with all the lights on, and start it with #1. We floated out there for about an hour or so. Go to start it, and she fires right up on the same battery! Back home and put her to bed. Sunday at 1:30, I go to start her and the #2 battery is dead. No problem, I'll switch to #1 cuz I didn't even use it last night. Dead!! My dealer is coming out tomorrow with 2 new batteries and testing equipment for all things electrical. Anyone ever had this issue? It seems strange that both batteries die, no matter where the switch is. Sorry this was so long, I just wanted to paint the picture. Thanks as always!!!

 

[TomS]

That's a lot to follow without being there, but it sounds like just one of the two batteries has an issue, I'd guess #1. The standard dual battery switch setup only connects them in parallel, there is no isolation provided. All of the house and engine circuits still run off of either 1, 2, or 1+2 as Bennington's system by design does not separate "starting" from "house" batteries.

When you connect a "bad" battery (1?) in parallel with a "good" battery (1+2), they will equalize, so it is possible the bad one killed the good one enough that both ended up being drained. Just a guess.

 

[jfluhr18]

What TomS said. I was told that running the batteries on 1+2 only equalize the two batteries. Also, by running your boat for a half hour does not charge the batteries enough to make a difference. They do not charge like they would in a car if you run it for a while. The only way to charge the batteries properly is on a battery charger. At least that is what I've been told

 

[Sweet "T"]

Just to update the battery situation...... So the dealer came out to the lake and addressed the problem. They said the problem was two fold. First, the battery switch was installed incorrectly at the factory. So with that, the tech that rigged the batteries at the dealership didn't wire them to the switch correctly. Bottom line is that the #2 battery was not online at all! Strictly running on one battery. Simple fix, and all is well in the world of Sweet "T"!!!!