Water in Battery Compartment

[Searay87]

My 87 Sea Ray Sorrento has water accumulating in the battery compartment (see photo). The compartment appears to be about 3 inches deep and right now there's about 1 inch of water sitting there. The batteries are on the starboard side next to the engine. There's a scupper drain (self bailing deck design) in the top left corner of the picture.

I've asked around as to why the battery compartment doesn't drain into the bilge and one person suggested it may be to prevent battery acid from leaking into the bilge? Has anyone ever come across this problem? I could fully enclose the batteries in separate battery boxes but they do sit in shallow trays which could contain small leaks. There's a similar compartment on the port side but it's dry (for now).

I'd like to add a drain into the bilge but I'm leery of drilling a hole for fear of what I might cut into? I can't imagine 3 inches of water sitting there in the long term being a good thing. I can bail it out but that's a pain to after every rain. Help!

http://s1061.photobucket.com/albums/t472/bobgarland1/?action=view&current=IMG00463-20120623-1557.jpg

 

[jdlough]

Re: Water in Battery Compartment

I would not mess with this. I really can't tell from your pic, but generally if you have a self bailing deck, you don't want to add any new ways for water on the deck to bypass the scupper and directly enter the bilge. Could water crashing over your stern in a following sea enter the battery compartment? Does the battery compartment have a sealed deck hatch/cover? Can't tell from your pic.

Batteries sitting in a couple inches of water won't matter at all. IF the water comes up to the level of the terminals, that could cause a short which would prevent your bilge pump from working, and could even prevent you from restarting your motors. That could be a huge issue when simply getting back on plane could keep you from sinking.

I think we need better pics. Instead of photobucket, just use the Insert Image icon (one of those icons near the right, square pic of a tree, I think) to upload your pics directly to your post.

 

[Searay87]

Re: Water in Battery Compartment

Could water crashing over your stern in a following sea enter the battery compartment? It shouldn't as it should drain out through the scuppers.

Does the battery compartment have a sealed deck hatch/cover? It has a cover that sits down in a notch or a groove. Most of the water should drain out the scupper but the compartment isn't sealed which is how I think water is getting in there.

The water can't reach the battery terminals. It will spill over the sides and drain into the engine compartment after the levle reaches about 2-3 inches.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Water in Battery Compartment

btw, battery acid in water is NOT a problem... It doesn't take much acid to dilute the acid into a fairly harmless substance.

 

[jdlough]

Re: Water in Battery Compartment

Yeah, plus I suspect most bilges could use a dose of battery acid cleaner now and then.

Most boats have many draining compartments that don't quite drain all the way. Either the drain pipe has a lip, or the drain in that particular box is 1" above the bottom of the box. Not a whole lot you can do about it.