Electrical Issue

[Master-Spud]

So need some advice, having some battery issues and I can't decide if it's the battery switch or the ACR or what the issue is.

Boat has a an board charger that is connected to both batteries, always plugged in when at home. Boat is equipped with dual batteries (one starter, one house running the stereo equipment) also has a dual battery switch and an ACR.

Now the issue, was on the water and the starting battery is dead, think that's weird, reads low voltage on the helm, flip the switch to combine and off I go, good voltage on the helm gauges. So i get to shore and decide to pull the house battery out of the boat cause maybe my on-board charger wasn't working. Throw it on a different charge, reads 100%... hmmm weird... grab the other battery from the boat thinking maybe I'm crazy and grabbed the wrong battery, throw it on the charge... reads 100%. Reconnect only the starter battery, throw the battery switch to the normal position, low voltage on the helm! For fun put the switch to combined (no house battery connected at all) and voltage jumps up to normal?!? WTF!!!

So now I'm confused, been basically having to run with the switch to combined or I'm unable to run the boat but it all really doesn't make sense to me.

Is the switch toast? seems like a pretty rugged part and not much to it but it's the only thing that makes sense to me, unless I'm missing something.

 

[Julian]

I would take that house battery in for a test. It not only runs your stereo, but also the Connext screen. My guess is that there is something wrong with the house battery. One way to test this would be to swap them....can the house battery start the engines? If not...there ya go.

 

[justason]

you may have a loose plate in the battery giving you an intermittent shorting. rough up the battery while its on the charger and see what the indicator reads ?

 

[Ronnie]

I'd do what @Julian recommended as I think it's the battery not the switch or ACR.

A few months ago I helped replace the stock battery in a friend's car. On the home charger the battery looked good and the meter read 100% at just over 13 volts but it would not start the car. When i took the battery in to a local auto parts store their test showed that although the voltage was fine it was only putting out about 10% of the cold cranking Amps that it should have.

 

[Master-Spud]

Then why would it read full voltage and everything work fine with only that battery connected by just switching the switch from on to combined?

"On" position, low voltage single battery connected... Full voltage with switch to "combined" (even though not combining with another battery) that's the part that makes no sense to me

 

[Master-Spud]

@Julian I have a 2014 no connext screen here. Also it's the 212x only came with a single battery, I added the dual switch, acr and extra battery. The house battery truly only connects to the amps. But still doesn't explain the switch issue with only the starter battery connected.

 

[Julian]

Are you sure your voltage meters are working correctly and are connected well? How are they wired?

 

[Bruce]

I think you should take the starter battery to an automotive store and have it load tested. My guess is that the battery has issues that allow the battery to have sufficient voltage to show fully charged but fails as the amperage (load) increases.

 

[Master-Spud]

Just what is reading off the multigauges at the helm... Factory voltage read out

 

[Master-Spud]

Yeah I'll probably pull them both out today and have them tested. But have only had them 2 years and have been maintained by the on board charger. But never know and easy fix if that's it.

 

[Master-Spud]

Guess I should mention, when I switch to combined with only a single battery connected it not only reads good voltage, but has no problem starting the engines or running anything. Without it on combined the blower fan barely runs.

 

[Bruce]

Guess I should mention, when I switch to combined with only a single battery connected it not only reads good voltage, but has no problem starting the engines or running anything. Without it on combined the blower fan barely runs.

This makes me think the switch could be the problem.

 

[Julian]

Sounds like a loose wire on the back of the switch. I doubt the switch has anything wrong...they are really simple.

Do you have the multiple switches, or just one Perko switch? I'm trying to imagine the wiring layout....

 

[Master-Spud]

Yes also going to pull the switch apart today and try tightening connections and see if maybe just a bad wire in there or something.

Thanks for all the advice

 

[Julian]

Yes also going to pull the switch apart today and try tightening connections and see if maybe just a bad wire in there or something.

Thanks for all the advice

Which switch type is it? Bluesea or a BEP cluster?

 

[Master-Spud]

Bluesea

 

[Master-Spud]

So pulled the switch, tightened all connections... still no go, opened up the switch, yep pretty basic, put it back together and still having no luck. Same issues... Thought maybe a bad ground on the house battery? so when you combine it uses the other wiring's path to ground? does that even make sense? lol But all grounds go to a common bus bar for both, checked all connections and all tight... I'm starting to run out of ideas and getting frustrated since it seems like it should be something simple.

 

[Ronnie]

Has a bad battery been ruled out by having it load tested or switching it out with the other battery?

 

[2nazt]

Are the symptoms the same regardless if you are on 1 or 2 and only work on combine? If batteries test good at auto store. That switch could be worn/corroded in position 1 internally if it is not doing it on position 2. How are you wired? Have pictures diagram?

 

[Master-Spud]

So found my issue... My stereo installer had in fact hooked up one run of accessories to the house battery (blower, bilge) no sure why I didn't notice it before. Switched it over to the starter battery and everything is fine. (how I'd rather it since don't want the Bilge pump not to run because I drained the stereo battery) bought a battery tester and house battery is in fact toast. So guess new battery and a little bit of rewire and I'll be golden. Thanks again for the help and suggestions.