Steve
Guru
Yesterday morning I got a call from the people I rent my slip, in front of their condo, from. They told me the boat was "beeping", never something you want to hear about your boat! So I drove over hoping at best maybe the batteries on the CO detector needed changing at worst she was sitting on the bottom.
She was still afloat! when I opened the door I got a strong, strange odor(not propane) and the propane alarm and the CO/smoke alarm were beeping. I opened the doors to vent, the propane cylinder valve was closed.
I opened the engine compt. hatch and battery box and found both batteries bubbling away, lots of moisture ( Electrolite) condensing on the box lid inside and all over the batteries and bottom of the box. I checked the Link monitor it showed the batt.s on float charge at 12.5 V. I turned off the charger, it is a magnum 2012 inverter/charger and the voltage on the Link monitor dropped to 10 then 6 V right away. I disconnected the cables from the battery and having comitments yesterday and today won't be able to check more till tomorrow. I haven't been out in the boat since last years trip, 11 months.
The battteries have been on float charge the entire time. the batteries are two 8D Interstate "Workaholic" I don't have the specs here but do on the boat they are I believe 230 AHR and 1400 cca, conventional flooded lead acid. They were installed new Feb 2010 I havent had any problem with them before. They serve as house and starting battery for the single Cummins 6BT 5.9. At dock I leave the fridge on shore power.
So I don't know what caused the problem to begin with, a fault with the charger? A problem with the batteries? I checked them last about 10 days ago water levels were fine. I was at the boat last about 5 days ago didn't check the batts but all was fine no strange odors. Maybe just left unsed too long on float charge?
Any suggestions? Comments welcome?
She was still afloat! when I opened the door I got a strong, strange odor(not propane) and the propane alarm and the CO/smoke alarm were beeping. I opened the doors to vent, the propane cylinder valve was closed.
I opened the engine compt. hatch and battery box and found both batteries bubbling away, lots of moisture ( Electrolite) condensing on the box lid inside and all over the batteries and bottom of the box. I checked the Link monitor it showed the batt.s on float charge at 12.5 V. I turned off the charger, it is a magnum 2012 inverter/charger and the voltage on the Link monitor dropped to 10 then 6 V right away. I disconnected the cables from the battery and having comitments yesterday and today won't be able to check more till tomorrow. I haven't been out in the boat since last years trip, 11 months.
The battteries have been on float charge the entire time. the batteries are two 8D Interstate "Workaholic" I don't have the specs here but do on the boat they are I believe 230 AHR and 1400 cca, conventional flooded lead acid. They were installed new Feb 2010 I havent had any problem with them before. They serve as house and starting battery for the single Cummins 6BT 5.9. At dock I leave the fridge on shore power.
So I don't know what caused the problem to begin with, a fault with the charger? A problem with the batteries? I checked them last about 10 days ago water levels were fine. I was at the boat last about 5 days ago didn't check the batts but all was fine no strange odors. Maybe just left unsed too long on float charge?
Any suggestions? Comments welcome?