House batteries switch not turning DC panel on?
- Thread starter Lusitano
- Start date
I assume this is a new or "new to you" boat
Please explain exactly what you mean. Your question isn't clear.
Is it a off/one/both/two style switch ?
Did it always work this way or is it a new problem ?
After this "problem" is solved...
I would suggest you inspect the wiring on your boat, so you can fully understand how it is wired. That not only allows you to deal with any problems in the future, but may even go as far as finding serious wiring defects from a previous owner.
Did the previous owner make an updated wiring diagram ? The boat manufacturer will have the original diagram in the owner's manual, but t has likely changed since then. Still a good start though.
Please explain exactly what you mean. Your question isn't clear.
Is it a off/one/both/two style switch ?
Did it always work this way or is it a new problem ?
After this "problem" is solved...
I would suggest you inspect the wiring on your boat, so you can fully understand how it is wired. That not only allows you to deal with any problems in the future, but may even go as far as finding serious wiring defects from a previous owner.
Did the previous owner make an updated wiring diagram ? The boat manufacturer will have the original diagram in the owner's manual, but t has likely changed since then. Still a good start though.
The boat has a start battery switch and a house battery switch (2 deep cycle batteries ) and in between a parallel yellow switch.
When I turn the house battery switch on it should turn on the dc panel but it doesn't (no power) so i thought it was the 2 agm batteries which i tested but the reading was 12.7 volts ?!?!
But when i turn the start battery on w/yellow parallel switch on it powers the dc panel could it be that the batteries are no good even though they show 12.7 volts?
You should trace out the wires and switches and draw a schematic diagram. Then you would understand how it's wired, and people (we) could help diagnose it.
I’m going to bring the batteries to autozone to be properly tested. It's a new boat and the previous owner wasn't very helpful with the questioning
The boat has a start battery switch and a house battery switch (2 deep cycle batteries ) and in between a parallel yellow switch.
When I turn the house battery switch on it should turn on the dc panel but it doesn't (no power) so i thought it was the 2 agm batteries which i tested but the reading was 12.7 volts ?!?!
But when i turn the start battery on w/yellow parallel switch on it powers the dc panel could it be that the batteries are no good even though they show 12.7 volts?
No need to remove the house batteries yet.
Turn off the start battery switch. Place the house battery switch to "both" or "all" then measure voltage from negative bar to the common side of the switch. It should be the same as the battery voltage.
And yes, a dead battery will measure 12v with no load on it. But much less if you put load on it as in turning on the stereo, radio, cabin lights.
How many volts you see when you put load on it?
If it drops substantially, new batteries are needed.
Turn off the start battery switch. Place the house battery switch to "both" or "all" then measure voltage from negative bar to the common side of the switch. It should be the same as the battery voltage.
And yes, a dead battery will measure 12v with no load on it. But much less if you put load on it as in turning on the stereo, radio, cabin lights.
How many volts you see when you put load on it?
If it drops substantially, new batteries are needed.
Sounds like the battery banks are wired opposite what the labels indicate.
it seems like your mystery is most easily solved by 1. learning how everything is wired and 2. Checking voltage readings throughout the run
If you’re getting 12.7 volts at the batteries and no power at all at the panel then it’s not likely to be the batteries. The 12.7 volt reading at rest doesn’t necessarily mean they’re healthy but they should be able to at least give some power to the panel. Seems more likely that there is something funny going on with the wiring. Tracing the wires and making a schematic will be the way to troubleshoot that.
It’s also not really necessary to carry the batteries to Autozone to troubleshoot this. If you want to make sure the house battery isn’t the issue just swap it with the engine battery temporarily to see what’s causing the trouble.
Thank you. Will try that tomorrow.
Another issue i noticed is the chartplotter shuts off every time i start the engine on the way back to the mooring. I’ve check for loose wires or bad connection but no luck.
Here are the basic boat wiring diagrams. Which one do you have? Most likely the one in #3, 4 & 5
Your chartplotter drops out from low voltage when you start your engine. if the two banks are wired and switched properly, that shouldn't happen.
Your chartplotter drops out from low voltage when you start your engine. if the two banks are wired and switched properly, that shouldn't happen.
It sounds like the yellow switch connects both the start and house banks together and you are running the panel off the start battery.
If there is a fuse at the house bank, check it.
Trace the wires, see where they go and draw out the system.
Don't bother, they will use a capacitance test which doesn't tell you much about the batteries. The best test of battery capacity and health is a 20 hour discharge test.
You need to develop a schematic of the wiring on your boat, then the solution will be obvious.
Simple test: disconnect one pole( main conductor) from the start bank battery. Do you still have 12.7 Volts? Are your shore power and solar chargers disconnected?
We still don't know what kind of switches you have. Right now, I'm assuming that you have ON-OFF switches for both the start battery and house bank with an emergency switch to combine both banks. This was shown as the 3rd option in Stu's post. (Others are perhaps assuming you have the ubiquitous 1+2+B switch).
I think your wiring is questionable if the chartplotter drops out. But the voltage seems fine. There is absolutely no sense in taking the batteries out for testing until you have understood the wiring. You will probably find the reason yourself once you understand the wiring. But until you do that (make a wiring diagram), nobody can make any sense out of your problem.
I think your wiring is questionable if the chartplotter drops out. But the voltage seems fine. There is absolutely no sense in taking the batteries out for testing until you have understood the wiring. You will probably find the reason yourself once you understand the wiring. But until you do that (make a wiring diagram), nobody can make any sense out of your problem.
