Dead battery scare

[LongLine]

Last year I had a battery drain issue but finally figured out that my radio had a scan memory & took battery juice between outings that killed the battery. My remedy was to instal a couple special switches to make sure it & the fishfinder which also has a memory & sucks juice even when turned off, were completely dead. Mounted them so it was easy to remember: Left-Off (as in "left off the list") and Right-On (as in hippy lingo from years long gone) Also added to my mental checklist - turn off all electricals when done fishing.

So I take my brother salmon fishing last Tues & we did pretty good. When we retrieved the boat, I thought I had everything off but then noticed that the surface temp probe was on. Ok easy fix - hit the two position switch. We go out again on Wed & upon retrieval, the floor curtosity lights were on - Ok easy fix - hit the two position switch. So I go to uncover the boat this morning (Saturday) at 5:00am for the last day of our fishing derby and notice the dashboard light is on. DUH...3 positon switch...center position is Off. :facepalm:

So I get to the launch ahead of big Bro & launch; pump the bulb a couple times; cross my fingers & turn the key. It turned over rather slow but I was really relieved when it fired up. I never would have lived it down if it had died.

Tom B.
(LongLine)

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Dead battery scare

Yea I had a water ground in a a switch last lear before I was about to afford a dock cover and my boat sits on a slip ( pontoon ) and the cure was to install a perko switch, and several times I have hit the start and nothing then reach around and turn the perko on . :facepalm:
Its just so much easer to have one switch to kill all of it.

 

[kmarine]

Re: Dead battery scare

I recomend highly the perko switch and a back up battery. I recomend monthly charging as the batteries do dicsharge from sitting. A marine automatic charger is also a great asset.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Dead battery scare

+1 on the Perko, it kills all the power to the whole boat, no questions or rhymes to remember, you turn it on when you are ready to go and off when you are done and you can tie your house batery to the starting battery just in case either on goes dead.

http://www.iboats.com/Perko-Medium-...36439399--session_id.789463398--view_id.39362

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Dead battery scare

+2 on the master battery switch...just keep the bolge pump wired direct to the battery. Also keep a jump-box on hand. They're getting pretty cheap now and don't take up much space.

 

[Davem3]

Re: Dead battery scare

+3 on the perko, leave the bilges live all the time, one on the main battery, and the backup on the house battery

+2 on the master battery switch...just keep the bolge pump wired direct to the battery. Also keep a jump-box on hand. They're getting pretty cheap now and don't take up much space.

what is a bolge pump, please?

and i am sorry , Fireman, it was way to easy.............

 

[NYBo]

Re: Dead battery scare

and i am sorry , Fireman, it was way to easy.............

And that was too easy also!

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Dead battery scare

All good advice, I recommend you get an onboard charger. When you leave the boat at the dock or if you trailer just plug it in when you leave. It keeps the batteries fully charged and mine says go fish when fully charged, thats a bonus,lol

 

[metalwizard]

Re: Dead battery scare

I am an electrician by trade, and have done a TON of Solar work too. Just wondering, has anyone ever thoght about a small solar panel and charge controller to keep your batteries topped off when they sit??

I have a little travel trailer and I have 4x120 watt panels on the roof, 4x 6 volt deep cycles and a charge controller (plus inverter) I have not had to plug it in in the last 3 years.. as long as you keep water in your batteries!

Plus when we camp I have the quietest generator in the group..

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Dead battery scare

Customer used to replace his battery EVERY year, from NON-use.

Since he installed his solar charger he hasn't bought a battery, 5 years so far.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Dead battery scare

I am an electrician by trade, and have done a TON of Solar work too. Just wondering, has anyone ever thoght about a small solar panel and charge controller to keep your batteries topped off when they sit??

I have a little travel trailer and I have 4x120 watt panels on the roof, 4x 6 volt deep cycles and a charge controller (plus inverter) I have not had to plug it in in the last 3 years.. as long as you keep water in your batteries!

Plus when we camp I have the quietest generator in the group..

I have one in my spare car that I never drive. It has worked great. Just haven't found one that I like for the boat yet. Mine will probably get mounted on the hardtop if I decide to add it. Alot of moored boats use them because of no shore power. .

 

[bashr52]

Re: Dead battery scare

I had a problem last year with a cheap-o walmart battery. Long story short, we ended up stranded along shore out in the bay. Coast guard put out a call to local fishing boats and luckily someone in a big 35 footer came by and towed us in. we were in no real danger at all (except for the waves hitting the boat), but it was frustrating seeing people just look and drive by while we were waving a distress flag and blowing a signal whistle (not to mention a real pain as the fishing was good, and frustrating to be helpless)!

I dropped the money for a good AGM battery for this season, and now have a kill switch (although it was just a bad battery that stranded us, not really a draw on the system).

I also invested in a small 3amp max solar panel. I am a bit concerned about leaving it plugged in all the time though, since wont putting a constant supply to the battery without a draw hurt it? It is either on or off, it has no provision for dumping unused/un-needed voltage elsewhere.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Dead battery scare

To the op, most radios have a seperate wire for the memory, its usually a blue wre if i remember correctly. Remove that and no worries if that was the real issue. I can't see that draining the batteries as it takes very little juice for the memory on the stereo. You may have other issues.

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Dead battery scare

It won't hurt at all to leave such a small solar panel connected all the time. The rule of thumb is that if the charge current is less than 10% of the battery capacity in Ah then no charge controller is needed.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Dead battery scare

I am an electrician by trade, and have done a TON of Solar work too. Just wondering, has anyone ever thoght about a small solar panel and charge controller to keep your batteries topped off when they sit??

I have a little travel trailer and I have 4x120 watt panels on the roof, 4x 6 volt deep cycles and a charge controller (plus inverter) I have not had to plug it in in the last 3 years.. as long as you keep water in your batteries!

Plus when we camp I have the quietest generator in the group..

Yep I had one on a previous boat and it was great, always had them charging, never had an issue, didnt realize how costly the units are but I'd buy another if I didnt have the perko installed already.

 

[mk4713]

Re: Dead battery scare

Solar chargers are pretty inexpinsive... I spent $60 on mine. Then I threw a shutoff for the hotside of the battery. I hate electrical trouble. Deep cycle batteries are very expensive so I protect mine.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Dead battery scare

what *What* is a bolge pump, please?

and i *And I* am sorry , Fireman, it was way to *too* easy.............

Hey...no problem...I been treated worse...by better !

Spelling Nazis aside, I really need to proofread. Unless, of course, I invent a bolge pump....oohhhh....a bolge pump.....