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Old 15-08-2020, 03:20   #1
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Engine batterie dying too quickly

Hi,

It has been 5 years that I have my boat and I must have replaced my engine batterie 3 times... This looks to me a pretty poor performance and would be keen to hear from some experienced sailor what could be the problem.

Firstly, let me describe little bit my setup and how I operate

I have

- 1 Engine Battery ( Century Marine Pro )
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...060105#start=1

- 2 House Batteries (AGM GIANT)
https://www.aussiebatteries.com.au/b...BoCBIcQAvD_BwE

- A classic switch in between

The AGM are connected with Solar panel and Wind Turbine behind a charge controller.

I never use both house and engine battery at the same time. When starting and running the engine, I switch to engine batteries to start and stay on the engine battery for a while to ensure charging. It is usually at this time that I use the windlass to lift the anchor too. Once I turn off the engine, I switch back to house batteries.

Last time I was on the boat, I started the engine as usual with the engine batteries with no issues. After a a few hours sailing, I tried to start the engine and here, nothing, no power on the engine battery...

Do you see any issues with my way of operating the batteries ? Could the problem be my engine alternator that kills the battery ? Or is 1 or 1.5 year is the standard life of engine batteries on boat?

Cheers,
Chris
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Old 15-08-2020, 03:29   #2
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Engine batterie dying too quickly

I agree, you have a problem. My last pair of engine batteries (24 volt system) were ten years old when I replaced them, and still working, though they struggled on cold mornings.

It sounds like you have power draining from your engine battery when it is not in use. The first place I would look is to see if there is any current flow with the engine off and the boat in whatever state you leave it in when you are not sailing it.

Do you have a voltmeter handy? That would also be helpful to see what voltage is being reached by the batteries when the engine is going and tell you if your alternator is working as it should.

Two easy tests, they will tell you a lot. And if you don’t own the required tools/gauges, they will be a lot cheaper than buying another battery.

Edit: how long do you keep the engine battery on charge when the engine is running? I ask because, at least once every couple of months I think it would be good to let the engine battery charge for an hour or two. Also, some solar regulators have a second circuit to trickle charge the engine battery. That might help you once you find the cause of the main problem.
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Old 15-08-2020, 03:50   #3
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

I would rewire the system,all power sources to the house bank.Engine battery only fed by an Echo charge.You can also add a on/off switch between the engine battery and the engine/starter. As mentioned above,check for leakage. My batteries are on year seven.
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Old 15-08-2020, 03:57   #4
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

Thanks GiLow, appreciated the feedback! I would dream of 10 years life time haha... really need to find what's the issue

I usually run the engine for at least 30 minutes. What was interesting here is that 3 hours before, the engine battery started with no issues.

Also worth mentioning that I have nothing connecting directly to the engine batterie. The negative goes to the engine, the positive to the switch (That I select only while the engine is running, and supposedly charging the engine battery)
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Old 15-08-2020, 04:01   #5
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

Quote:
Originally Posted by kriskro View Post
What was interesting here is that 3 hours before, the engine battery started with no issues.

Depending on the engine, starting it can take a very, very small amount of power, so even a nearly discharged battery will start an engine with apparent ease, but have used up its last remains charge doing so. If the charging system is not working, that used charge will not be replaced and so the next time, be it minutes, hours or days later, it doesn’t work.

There’s no better place to start than with the right tools, otherwise you’ll probably waste hours (and $$$) searching for a problem by trial and error.

Get those voltage and current readings, THEN you’ll know what needs to be done.
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Old 15-08-2020, 04:03   #6
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Engine batterie dying too quickly

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Originally Posted by steamgoat View Post
I would rewire the system,all power sources to the house bank.Engine battery only fed by an Echo charge.You can also add a on/off switch between the engine battery and the engine/starter. As mentioned above,check for leakage. My batteries are on year seven.


This is a good suggestion, but there are many pros and cons to this system. They are a distraction from the main issue.

Right now, the OP needs to find the source of the problem. If, as it seems, the alternator is buggered or the engine power circuit is leaking, this approach will, at best, mask the problem, and at worst, drain the house bank as well.
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Old 15-08-2020, 04:23   #7
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

Thanks,

I will have a look and see if I can find something next time I'm on the boat.
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Old 15-08-2020, 04:37   #8
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

Kriskro, how long do you leave your engine battery between charging (i.e. using the engine)?

If it is say longer than six weeks, the battery is simply self discharging to the point that it is being ruined.
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Old 15-08-2020, 05:02   #9
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

I would say in general about 4 weeks between sailing week ends. It can be longer sometimes.

My solar charge controller is able to load 2 separate batteries. If I don't find drains and if my alternator is still good, I may connect to the engine battery as well so that it loads it once it has finished loading the house battery.

However, I wouldn't have thought it could discharge so much in a few weeks (if there is no drains)
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Old 15-08-2020, 05:05   #10
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

Quote:
Originally Posted by kriskro View Post
It has been 5 years that I have my boat and I must have replaced my engine batterie 3 times... This looks to me a pretty poor performance and would be keen to hear from some experienced sailor what could be the problem.

- 1 Engine Battery ( Century Marine Pro )
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...060105#start=1

I never use both house and engine battery at the same time. When starting and running the engine, I switch to engine batteries to start and stay on the engine battery for a while to ensure charging. It is usually at this time that I use the windlass to lift the anchor too. Once I turn off the engine, I switch back to house batteries.

Do you know for sure whether your engine's alternator is working? Properly?

-Chris
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Old 15-08-2020, 05:11   #11
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

When my engine won't turn over, I start out by cleaning every connection with a wire brush wheel.Usually, that solves the problem.
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Old 15-08-2020, 05:45   #12
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

And when cleaning, don’t ignore the negative wires. Take apart your engine ground and clean.

A nice set-up is to have all charging sources go to the house bank then use an acr leading to the starting battery this will always charge the starting battery whenever the acr reads a need and will stop charging the start battery when full.
Your time between charges could be the problem coupled with the fact that your alt if it’s a stock dumb model will never top off your battery and even with a externally regulated alt 30 minutes every 4+ weeks still may not be enough.

Good luck!
Greg
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Old 15-08-2020, 06:38   #13
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

I'm not so sure about these rules about frequency of engine use and engine battery life.

My boat sat sometimes for months without the engine being run, when I was building the house it was often three or four months between boat visits. And for the two years the batteries were in the boat before I bought her, I don't know if the engine was run more than a few times a year.

And yet, the engine batteries lasted ten years. I only replaced them because I replaced the engine, though they were, as I noted, becoming a bit sluggish on cold mornings.

Sure, prudence says frequent use is good, but I just don't think infrequent use is the battery killer it is reputed to be.

Certainly I think there is another problem at play here, and I'd put equal odds on a buggered alternator vs a power leakage.

Matt
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Old 15-08-2020, 08:12   #14
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

Very infrequent use kills flooded lead acid batteries due to sulfation. The problem is worse with taller batteries and with batteries on the hard. Motion helps avoid the problem by keeping the electrolyte stirred up.

There are a lot of variables so it's hard to predict how quickly or how often it's a problem. Your milage may vary. I've run into the problem on occasion.

AGM's don't have this problem.
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Old 15-08-2020, 08:23   #15
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Re: Engine batterie dying too quickly

Switch everything off and take one of the battery connectors off. If it sparks when you put it on then there is a drain. Repeat with the other battery. Easy way if you do not have something to measure the current on the battery lead. So long as there is no petrol or gas around.
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