Sailboat newbie owner has battery questions

[Stanz]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie hunter 33 owner(2008 version). Get some questions about batteries. I have one starting battery and 3 house batteries, with solar panel.
Questions:
1. which position should I put the switch when I leave the boat for couple days? starting only/ starting+house / house only / off
2.which position should I put the switch when I'm on board with shore power connected? starting only/ starting+house / house only / off
3. when I put switch on house batt only with shore power connected, I found light steaming, is it because I'm using the battery but also charging it at same time?
Really needs some basic explaination about battery using. Thank you all!

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Stanz

Hi all,

I'm a newbie hunter 33 owner(2008 version). Get some questions about batteries. I have one starting battery and 3 house batteries, with solar panel.
Questions:
1. which position should I put the switch when I leave the boat for couple days? starting only/ starting+house / house only / off
2.which position should I put the switch when I'm on board with shore power connected? starting only/ starting+house / house only / off
3. when I put switch on house batt only with shore power connected, I found light steaming, is it because I'm using the battery but also charging it at same time?
Really needs some basic explaination about battery using. Thank you all!

First, have 3 house bank batteries is atypical unless they are all 12 v batteries in parallel. Regardless, no one here knows how they are interconnected or wired through your battery switch - you should verify how everything is wired.

As to the rest:
1. Switch should be off unless you are running anything, e.g., refrigeration.

2. Depends on how charger is wired in - if direct to batteries, the switch position is irrelevant.

3. “Steaming” indicates you are cooking the battery thereby destroying it which indicates a bad battery or improper charge rate or both.