Texas Fishing Forum

Battery Question

Posted By: kiamichisooner

Battery Question - 03/27/16 01:38 PM

Okay guys here is what I got. I have been through 3 cranking batteries in the last month. Something on my boat is obviously draining my battery. Here is my set-up. I have an HDS 12 and HDS 9 in the console as well as an HDS 12 in the bow. I also have dual power poles. I just recently (last month) bought the 12 and moved my 9 to the console. Could the graphs and the aerator on automatic run the cranking battery down throughout the day. The only thing I have added over the last few years is the extra graph which again was last month. I have never had this problem until I put the extra graph on.

I am completely incompetent when it comes to this type of stuff. What are some trouble spots I need to look for?

Thanks
Posted By: David Burton

Re: Battery Question - 03/27/16 02:09 PM

Try putting the 12" graph you are not using in power save mode so only one is running at a time. If that fixes it, then consider upping the size group of you battery, or just do that going forward!
Posted By: Jarrett Latta

Re: Battery Question - 03/27/16 04:52 PM

3 graphs pull more than you think. Combine it with aerators it will definitely lose power. Upgrade your cranking battery and make sure it's charged before each trip
Posted By: propman

Re: Battery Question - 03/27/16 05:33 PM

I have put an extra starting, graph, accessories, etc. battery in the boat to use if the attached battery loses power to start. Just change to connectors if necessary. I also make sure and charge all my batteries, daily, including the starting ones after every trip. Not enough driving time with the big motor to recharge them to peak performance.
Posted By: D Miner

Re: Battery Question - 03/27/16 05:33 PM

Make sure your battery charger is good. Lead-acid batteries lose capacity if they sit around in an uncharged state.
Posted By: kiamichisooner

Re: Battery Question - 03/27/16 07:33 PM

The last two batteries are brand new. The boat sleeps inside and is hooked to a charger year round. Again this problem just started happening when I installed the new graph.
Posted By: kiamichisooner

Re: Battery Question - 03/27/16 07:35 PM

Originally Posted By: propman
I have put an extra starting, graph, accessories, etc. battery in the boat to use if the attached battery loses power to start. Just change to connectors if necessary. I also make sure and charge all my batteries, daily, including the starting ones after every trip. Not enough driving time with the big motor to recharge them to peak performance.


I think this is what I'm going to start doing. I don't have room where my crank battery is. How would you suggest I store it? Like do you think I need to wrap the battery or store it in an old box in one of my compartments?
Posted By: Lowly Net Boy

Re: Battery Question - 03/28/16 01:49 AM

Look into Deka Batteries they make a special cranking battery designed for cranking and multi units attached to it
Posted By: _Scooter_

Re: Battery Question - 03/28/16 05:50 AM

yeah a dual purpose starting and deep cycle battery will work much better than trying to use that starting battery to run devices
Posted By: JimmyP

Re: Battery Question - 03/28/16 06:24 AM

What size is the starter battery? Make sure you have a good 31 series battery.The 24 and 27 series won't have near the reserve capacity that a 31 has. With that much drain you might look into a jump system that can be run off your trolling motor batteries also. That's a lot of draw off a single battery. Also how big is your charger and how long does it run between trips? It needs at least overnight and maybe longer on a low amp charger.
Posted By: Flippin-Out

Re: Battery Question - 03/28/16 06:28 AM

You never said what size (or capacity) battery you are using. With the electronics load I have (similar to yours) I use a Group 31 dual purpose battery. Gone are the days uf using low capacity Group 27 batteries if you want to survive those loads. Group 31 is typically the largest practical physical size available for boating. As noted, you need to put units you aren't looking at in low-power mode. This can easily cut their power consumption by more than 50%. Wake-up is almost instantaneous for HDS, so there's no aggravation with using this approach to save power. An HDS 12 can draw more power than an aerator pump, BTW.

New batteries are not best simply because they are new. One with insufficient capacity will fail, and replacing it will just get round 2 of the same. For starters, if you are using flooded cell lead acid technology (typical) you need a good hydrometer. This will allow you to insure that your charger is doing what it is supposed to in the first place. Here's an example of a good one:

Battery Hydrometer

To use it properly, let the charger run a couple of days. Then, unplug it overnight to let the battery rest at least 12 hours. Measuring the specific gravity after this rest gives the most accurate result. The hydrometer will have a chart of what to expect, or you can look at the detailed battery specs from the manufacturer. If the battery isn't at the proper specific gravity, you have a bad battery or a bad charger.

I know you said you keep the boat garaged with charger running. But, sometimes boats have unrealized loads that contribute to battery drain. Example: Navico radio wired to be energized anytime main +12V is present, even if you aren't listening to anything. I've encountered a number of boats that had things wired and consuming power when the owner was not aware. This can be checked easily using a small current ammeter (a function of most DVM tools) if you have a friend with a bit of electrical knowledge.
Posted By: Lucky Al

Re: Battery Question - 03/28/16 07:00 AM

Do you have a master battery perko type switch? If you leave the master power on, the starting battery will run down from the gps antennas(s)continuously drawing power. At least that's the way it works on my boat.
Posted By: Curtbass

Re: Battery Question - 03/28/16 04:59 PM

I was having the same issue. I mounted rocker switches in battery compartment for 1. Depthfinder/Graphs/Ethernet power 2. Talons/power poles. The Shallowater anchors & Ethernet draw milliamperes constantly when not in use. Big graphs draw more than you'd think when in use.
A Perko power switch does the same. I rigged mine this way because it cost less & when getting boat ready to launch I would have to open lid to turn on a power switch anyway. Just flip the rockers on & go. I ran separate power wires to my new graphs( isolated power supply) to eliminate interference. Just put the positive lead thru the rocker switch. You can mount that switch at console if you want. I just put mine together in one place.
I run group 27 & it solved the issue. When that battery needs replaced I'll prolly upgrade to 29
Posted By: Flippin-Out

Re: Battery Question - 03/31/16 06:48 PM

Originally Posted By: Curtbass
I was having the same issue. I mounted rocker switches in battery compartment for 1. Depthfinder/Graphs/Ethernet power 2. Talons/power poles. The Shallowater anchors & Ethernet draw milliamperes constantly when not in use. Big graphs draw more than you'd think when in use.
A Perko power switch does the same. I rigged mine this way because it cost less & when getting boat ready to launch I would have to open lid to turn on a power switch anyway. Just flip the rockers on & go. I ran separate power wires to my new graphs( isolated power supply) to eliminate interference. Just put the positive lead thru the rocker switch. You can mount that switch at console if you want. I just put mine together in one place.
I run group 27 & it solved the issue. When that battery needs replaced I'll prolly upgrade to 29


No common toggle or rocker switch will support the amperage required by a single power pole, much less two of them. This is why J.L. Marine recommends a battery cut-off type switch. I'm going to guess Talons need just as much power. I hope you put a fuse on that isolated power lead for the electronics. (Having individual fuses for each electronic load doesn't protect the power wire feeding all of the individual units.)
Posted By: DedShort

Re: Battery Question - 03/31/16 07:31 PM

I was having this issue with a group 31 that Inrterstate insisted was still perfect (under warranty). I bought a $50 jump pack at Walmart that is about the size of a paperback book. It is rechargeable and has started the boat 7 or 8 times now. I replaced the interstate battery with an Optima and am no longer having issues, but you can bet that jump pack will stay charged and in a zip-lock bag in the boat from now on. I know that the Interstate is faulty, but hooking it to a tester after it has been charging is not the same as it needing to work all day on the water.
Posted By: DedShort

Re: Battery Question - 03/31/16 07:32 PM

I was having this issue with a group 31 that Inrterstate insisted was still perfect (under warranty). I bought a $50 jump pack at Walmart that is about the size of a paperback book. It is rechargeable and has started the boat 7 or 8 times now. I replaced the interstate battery with an Optima and am no longer having issues, but you can bet that jump pack will stay charged and in a zip-lock bag in the boat from now on. I know that the Interstate is faulty, but hooking it to a tester after it has been charging is not the same as it needing to work all day on the water.
Posted By: Cast

Re: Battery Question - 03/31/16 09:22 PM

I had an Interstate that I had lost all confidence in. The guys at the shop looked me in the eye and told me it checked good. Long time shop, I believed them. I told the shop manager I had lost confidence through repeated failures and please just put a new one in. She did. She would not take my money. Weeks later I checked in and she told me Interetate replaced the battery. I told her my truck was fixed. Win. Win. Win. I'm an Interstate man.
Posted By: Flippin-Out

Re: Battery Question - 04/01/16 02:03 AM

I've had bad luck with all of the Interstates I've tried in recent years. Before anyone questions my habits, yes, I'm a stickler for proper maintenance and charging. That didn't help the interstates I had....
Posted By: bradnitro175

Re: Battery Question - 04/01/16 02:51 AM

flame
are you unhooking the graphs in storage. The "poles" and graphs can draw power when your not using them
Posted By: WillieKetchum

Re: Battery Question - 04/01/16 03:07 AM

I have two 12s and running the aerator on auto all day without running much (less than 5 mins after you reach your original starting spot) will definitely run down your cranking battery. Fortunately I have room to add a 5th battery and wired it parallel with my cranking battery. ZERO problems since then. I realize you don't have room to do that but maybe this will help someone else out.
Posted By: Flippin-Out

Re: Battery Question - 04/01/16 03:22 AM

Originally Posted By: WillieKetchum
I have two 12s and running the aerator on auto all day without running much (less than 5 mins after you reach your original starting spot) will definitely run down your cranking battery. Fortunately I have room to add a 5th battery and wired it parallel with my cranking battery. ZERO problems since then. I realize you don't have room to do that but maybe this will help someone else out.


You should install a battery switch so that you can run from ONE battery while keeping the other battery isolated - in pristine reserve for when you need it. By hard-wiring them in parallel, if one of the two begins to fail, it WILL drag the other battery down, consuming its energy. Then, at the end of the day when you want to go in, you'll have TWO batteries that neither of which will crank your outboard. Using a battery switch and selecting #2 before attempting a start will guarantee a fresh battery for the start-up. If you do this, NEVER switch between batteries while the engine is running. (Outboard manufacturers don't like this.)

Over time, one of the two will begin to fail. With an isolation switch, the other battery will still be in good enough condition to just replace the one battery. If the bad battery has had enough time, it will make sure you need TWO new batteries....

This is sound engineering advice - not 3rd party hearsay.
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