[Rhodes22-list] Dead Battery (Again)

[Herb Parsons]

You didn't mention whether or not you have a switch to turn off power 
from your battery to your motor. If not, I would install one.

I'd suspect that between sub-freezing winter temps and no use, that's 
what's causing your motor only batter to not hold a charge. Put it on 
your solar panel charger, even if you don't put in the above mentioned 
switch, and let it charge during the winter.

Personally, I would not leave an unattended non-marine battery charger 
on my boat. If you decide to hook up a battery charger, I'd strongly 
recommend you bit the bullet, and get a decent marine battery charger, 
and install it.

Leland wrote:
> I seem to ask the same question around this time every year and I hate to
> beat a dead horse, but I am about ready to start beating my dead battery.
>
> I have two batteries and two solar panels.  
>
> The cabin battery is for everything but the motor and has both solar panels
> attached to it.  For three years it has been fully charged, although it is
> rare that it operates much aside from my depth/fish finder.
>
> The motor battery is only for the motor and is hard-wired to the motor--it
> gets charged by the motor.  All three years it has lost its charge during
> the winter.  It is also connected to the cabin battery.  Last year there was
> a charge coming from the cabin battery to the motor battery, but I suspect
> that it is too low to keep the motor battery charged.
>
> I haven't checked the batteries' charges yet nor have I cleaned/checked the
> connections, but I certainly will.
>
> I own a trickle charger that connects to a 110 outlet and I own an AC/DC
> convertor.
>
> I think my new marina only has 220 electrical and I haven't yet purchased an
> expensive 220 cord nor have I had a need to do so.
>
> 1.  Should I re-run the solar panels so that one charges the motor battery
> and one charges the cabin battery?  I assume there is no danger with the
> motor battery being hard-wired to the motor.  I don't want to do this if one
> solar panel won't be strong enough to keep the motor battery charged or if I
> will risk not being able to keep the cabin battery charged with only one
> solar panel connected to it instead of two.
>
> 2.  Should I break down and buy a 220 cord and use my AC/DC converter and
> trickle charger to charge the motor battery?  Any dangers to the trickle
> charger, converter, or battery?
>
> 3.  Should I buy one of those rechargeable jumping battery panels to start
> the motor when the battery is dead?  I was thinking about getting one for my
> motorcycle anyway.  I hate it when I want to go for a ride or a sail and
> have to wait for the trickle charger to do its thing.
>
> 4.  Any other recommendations?
>
> Thanks for your advice.  Just want to make sure the electrical juice is
> worth the economic squeeze.
>
> Lee
> 1986 Rhodes22  At Ease
> Kent Island, MD
>   

-- 
Herb Parsons