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Donald Tyson
Joined: 24 Jul 2023
Posts: 582
Photos: Thistle
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 Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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Alain, both house batteries are 12.08V. The starboard starting battery is 6.1 and is hooked parallel to the port side which is 12.8....13.3-13.4 with the solar on and the Stbd battery turned off.
| alainP wrote: | | What is the resting voltage of the battery (ies) your inverter is connected to? |
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Donald Tyson
Joined: 24 Jul 2023
Posts: 582
Photos: Thistle
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2025 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a bigger sort of guy and I can't see any switches on the charger or the inverter. I've used my camera to peer in to the back sides. Nothing. In the Starboard battery box there are fuses to starting battery charger and also a breaker to the house batteries. There is also a switch to turn on the DC Inverter. The little screen on the Inverter reads 11.9. not enough.
Tomorrow I replace the starting batteries and will re evaluate.
I'll also be getting a new 50 amp adapter to connect my house power to the boat.
I'm about at the end of what I can tolerate. Time for a technician. |
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alainP
Joined: 07 Oct 2016
Posts: 224
City/Region: TUCSON
State or Province: AZ
C-Dory Year: 2011
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: deja la
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 11:35 am Post subject: |
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Don, if your inverter is connected to the house batteries (as it should be) and those batteries read 12.08 V the 11.9 V at the inverter makes sense, the slight voltage difference is the loss in the wiring connecting batteries and inverter.
I agree that hiring someone to sort things out is the right move. Make sure to get a diagram when everything is said and done, |
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Tom Hruby
Joined: 11 Nov 2023
Posts: 146
City/Region: Lacey
State or Province: WA
C-Dory Year: 2024
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: WATT NOW
Photos: WATT NOW
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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First of all: if your battery is fully charged and only reading 12.08 V you need to replace the batteries. A fully charged Lead Acid battery (AGM or Flooded) should be reading 12.6-12.8 V when fully charged, and with no load on it.
Also, if the voltage at your inverter (battery end) is reading less than the battery when it is not in use, the voltage drop is not a result of the wires, but rather a poor connection (most likely corrosion). |
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Donald Tyson
Joined: 24 Jul 2023
Posts: 582
Photos: Thistle
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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While I agree 12.1 or 12.08 is not a proper level. So I assume that those batteries are shot just like the surveyor said that they soon would be (2017)
Yes, this time I'll hire someone, I believe I know the right fellow and that he will let me watch or even help to learn. Thanks Alain.
| alainP wrote: | Don, if your inverter is connected to the house batteries (as it should be) and those batteries read 12.08 V the 11.9 V at the inverter makes sense, the slight voltage difference is the loss in the wiring connecting batteries and inverter.
I agree that hiring someone to sort things out is the right move. Make sure to get a diagram when everything is said and done, |
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Donald Tyson
Joined: 24 Jul 2023
Posts: 582
Photos: Thistle
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Tom, I agree, Yes, I want to replace them all. They're all from 2017. Then if he wants to diagnose further he will know that it's not the batteries. Now that I have seen this I bet it was the batteries all along because everything was fine at Hontoon. 6-7 months can make a diff. As John Highsmith mentioned the fridge...Just to be sure... I'll have the tech run me through the sequence for using the fridge without draining the starting batteries. Replacing the Batteries should also assure that the connections are all good as well.
| Tom Hruby wrote: | First of all: if your battery is fully charged and only reading 12.08 V you need to replace the batteries. A fully charged Lead Acid battery (AGM or Flooded) should be reading 12.6-12.8 V when fully charged, and with no load on it.
Also, if the voltage at your inverter (battery end) is reading less than the battery when it is not in use, the voltage drop is not a result of the wires, but rather a poor connection (most likely corrosion). |
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thataway
Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 21529
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
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| Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Replacing the Batteries should also assure that the connections are all good as well. |
Unfortunately not true. It will only make sure that the new connections to the batterys are "clean". The cable may be corroded inside the jacket. There are multiple points of failure--each time there is a crimp connection and ring terminal. This inclused. fuse blocks, ground and positive distribution blocks, fuses and circuit breaker--in other word every connection on a boat is suspect. At some point boats used in salt water need to be rewired. Doing that can often bring circuits up to date, and often decrease the number of potential points of failures. There are anticorrosion sprays which help to prevent future corrosion.
_________________
Bob Austin
Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
C Pelican; 1992, 22 Cruiser, 2002 thru 2006
Frequent Sea; 2003 C D 25, 2007 thru 2009
KA6PKB
Home port: Pensacola FL |
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