Battery question
 

Hi, We have a battery on our Shabah that is only 1 year old. Unfortunately before we had the boat shrink-wrapped, we forgot to remove the battery, so it sat all winter long, and discharged. Went out on the boat today for the 2nd time this season. Battery was dead, so I jumped it with a charger that we keep on board. Drove it a while to get the battery charged, but it cut out on us in the middle of a drivve, and ultimately had to jump it 4 times to make it back to the dock and the mooring. Is the battery kaput ?

Re: Battery question
 

First of all: It is not right for a one-year-old battery to discharge so badly over winter that it will not readily take a charge again when spring rolls around. I never remove the battery in our lawn-mower and all I have to do it put it on the charger for a few minutes or so and it's good to go all summer long.

I suspect something else is amiss. Such as...

I don't know about the battery, for sure, but I'm pretty darn certain your alternator is dead. Even if your battery won't take a charge, the alternator will supply more than enough power to run the engine.

There are many ways to troubleshoot this. One of the easiest is with a multimeter. Set it to measure 12VDC. Start engine. Check voltage across battery. It should measure between 13.5 and 15 VDC. Nominally it'll be around 14VDC or a bit higher. If it's not: You're alternator isn't putting anything out.

You really don't even need the multimeter, I think. Doesn't your boat have a voltmeter on the dashboard? What does it read when the engine's running?

Secondly: Take the battery into any reputable battery place. They'll test it for free. There are two tests: A load test and a hydrometer test. If they really want to make sure, they'll do both.

Jim

Re: Battery question
 

Semi is absolutely correct your alt should run you boat not the battery I supect the reason the battery died over winter unless you live way up here where winter was like 8months this year the alt was not fully maintaining that battery all along. Did you replace the battery because of asimilar prob last year? sounds like alt. for sure to me. Pull the olat most parts shops can test it for you for free around here they do anyway.

Re: Battery question
 

jchemotti,

A discharged battery can freeze. If it froze, it is probably screwed. Like SEMIJim said, a trip to the battery shop is in order.

As for the alternator issue, unlike a generator, an alternator requires some battery power to function. Without some power, it will not charge anything.

After looking at your location, I would be surprised that your battery would make it through the winter (assuming outside) without discharging and freezing.

Shabah 198SE

Re: Battery question
 

Glad you got her fixed

Re: Battery question
 

After several false starts, we did get it to the marina - you were right, it was the alternator.
We need a course in all things mechanical...:shakehead:

Thanks for your help!

Re: Battery question
 

Thanks for the update and glad it was finally diagnosed. Now everything will be wonderful in no time :)

Except... well... boat, right? They're rarely 100%. At least not for very long. We finally went sailing Wednesday. Perfect, utterly perfect sailing weather. But... the wind kicked-up unexpectedly, I didn't handle my part of a gybe right, and bent something. Not badly, but it'll need to be addressed for peace of mind. Then, coming back, the throttle stuck. Got it unstuck, but that could've been very, very bad had it happened at the Wrong Time. Now I have to get in there and figure out why that happened to make sure it doesn't happen again.

She's a boat. This is what boats do ;)

I've oft seen Nigel Calder's Boatowner's Mechanical & Electrical Manual: How to Maintain, Repair, and Improve Your Boat's Essential Systems recommended.

You're welcome.

Jim

Re: Battery question
 

Will have to find it at the library ! Thanks for the info. :wink_thumbup: