Excessive current on one battery bank

Sep 27, 2006
39
Pearson 36-2 Alameda
Here we go again. Always something.
I have two house battery banks. Each bank consists of 2, 6v batteries in series. Both banks are identical. I noticed that with the engine running and all breakers off, one bank draws 2 amps. The second bank was drawing 60 amps! to the point where the post gets warm.
With engine off I believe I was still drawing 10 amps.
Any suggestions on what I should be looking for?
It’s important to note no wiring changes have been made. The problem just arose on its own.
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capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,958
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Sounds like you have a bad cell in battery bank 2.
 
May 17, 2004
5,755
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
What are the banks, particularly the high draw bank, connected to? Are they strictly in parallel, being shared by the same loads?
 
Sep 27, 2006
39
Pearson 36-2 Alameda
Or a bad shunt/ shunt connection on one side of the monitor.
Thx Don. I think if it was a bad shunt, it would just show a bad reading. However, the battery terminal on that bank gets warm telling me it’s actually drawing excessive current.
 
Apr 22, 2011
952
Hunter 27 Pecan Grove, Oriental, NC
The first thing I would check are the battery #2 connections. Take every cable off their studs and visually inspect.