Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

[BocaJesse]

I have a Chaparral 350 Signature Cruiser and have had some charging issues but Chaparral has been great about fixing the issues and even doing a bit of rewiring / charger replacement. My question is this: I turn off my house, starboard and port engine batteries every time I leave the boat in my slip yet if I ever forget, the house battery and port/starb batteries all seem to drain down too low to even register within a 12 + hours (or less). I have everything off on my electrical panel except for the battery charger (ironically) but there seems to be enough of a drain from hard wired components (radio battery, bilge pumps, etc.) that seem to drain the batteries relatively quickly. My question is: Is this normal behavior? Have any of you experienced anything similar. I am concerned that docked up at restaurant or anchored in a beach spot without the generator running, my engines would not have the power to turn over. Any ideas?

 

[rbh]

Re: Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

what size batteries do you have, alot of people go with a couple of the large group 27 batteries for house batteries, as well your fridge or any other high draw appliances is not on even though your batteries are off?
rob

 

[BocaJesse]

Re: Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

I believe that they are Interstate 27s (House, Starboard, and Port). I also have a fourth bow thruster battery but that one oddly never has an issue. Chaparral does recommend turning off the battery switches when the engines are not on yet it just seems odd that on shore power the batteries still drain. Perhaps the charging system does not work with the battery switches on but that just seems odd.

 

[flargin]

Re: Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

something is causing a drain. if you believe you have turned off all of the accessories, appliances, etc you batteries should actually hold up longer than 12 hours. if you leave things running, then 12 hours may be normal.

Yes you should turn off your batteries, but there is something wrong.

There is a possibility the batteries are dead or dying... if they are dying (i.e. they have discharged a number of times, they likely are now very weak) then you would not have much 'reserve' left in them, and they would die quickly.

I would get an amp meter and check your circuits for a draw when "turned off". if you have more than 1 amp on anything turned on, you have to research how to isolate.


couple of thoughts.
1. Your motor starting batteries should not die. They should not be attached/combined with the house circuit... since they don't appear to be isolated from the house batteries, you are loosing all your batteries. may point to a wiring problem or a charging problem (install charger wrong and you will have this problem)

2. You might just have weak batteries from too many discharge cycles.

 

[rbh]

Re: Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

Did you make sure your charger is charging? were it is plugged into the 110 outlet do you have power out, is there a breaker 110vac that has to be turned on?
and if your batteries are old or have been drained to many times get them load tested.
rob

 

[Bondo]

Re: Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

My question is: Is this normal behavior?

Nope,... Not at All Normal....
There's a pretty darn Heavy Load, Somewhere, to drain that many batteries, That Quickly...

 

[BocaJesse]

Re: Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

Thanks guys for all of the support - much appreciated! It is odd and I will get a meter to try to read into this drain further. The port and starboard batteries are both NEW as well as I just replaced them in my last service. I haven't yet replaced the house but I am more concerned on why the port / starb batteries that are new are draining.
\
By the way, the charger is a 3 phase charger which charges all three batteries individually and it is working. However it doesn't seem to activate unless the batts are all switched off. The Chaparral service manual says to switch off the batteries when the engines are off or the batteries will drain but it does seem extreme - glad you all agree.

 

[flargin]

Re: Chaparral charging question - 350 Sig Cruiser

By the way, the charger is a 3 phase charger which charges all three batteries individually and it is working. However it doesn't seem to activate unless the batts are all switched off.

I would start there. maybe remove all the wires and see if you still have the leaking power problem.

Be cautious, a few full drains on a new battery = dead battery.