Battery charging problem

Jan 11, 2014
12,775
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Hi all
My starter, windlass and bow thruster batteries (regular 12 V) are not getting charged properly.
I have
2x 400w solar
2 Victron mppt
2x 200Ah Dakota lithium
Multiplus inverter charger
DC to DC charger

What’s happening:
When engine running my ENGINE BATTERY ( name shown on my dashboard) goes from 11v to 14.1v. as we drive.
When the engine stops and I am only solar power or shore power the battery level keeps going down to 11.9…
And now I noticed my windlass and bow thruster batteries are also under 12v.
I can’t remotely monitor the charge level of these two batteries so I don’t know if they are getting charged while the engine is running but I doubt it because after 14 h of engine working the bow thruster died on me….

NOTE: the victron DC to DC charger is missing the remote HL switch and on the Victron app it says it is Off….. I am trying to find a replacement switch of course but regardless, the DC to DC has nothing to do with charging the windlass, starter and bow thruster batteries, right?

Any ideas of what to look for?
It is difficult to give you a definitive answer without knowing how the system is wired. It is quite possible that the DC-DC charger is intended to charge the windlass and thruster batteries as this allows for smaller wires to carry the charging current.

The Victron app should allow you to turn the DC-DC charger back on.
 
May 17, 2025
3
alberg 29 Monterrey
If you're still having issues I'd head to the victron forums - not only are they far more experienced (you having this on a boat is irrelevant, half the people here didn't even even understand you have lithium batteries!), but this isnt actually a "boat" issue in so much as a solar/gear issue!

I'm not tracking well ad I'm super beat but I'd start at unplugging everything and just watching how your mppt is acting with sun to your batteries for a day (am i correct in that you have two? Check they are set up exactly the same you can copy the settings across if you link it all which you should do anyway too).

That is either the problem or absolutely not it, and those parts are all good. Thats important to isolate!

Unplug everything else and just run those 3 (and the BMV which you really ought to have in this setup if you dont).

Add in the multiplex next and see what happens. Then add loads one at a time. Take notes and readings.

Lastly any converters.

Offhand if it's not a bad mppt setting I'd say you got a bad Dakota. The loads and what they are are mostly irrelevant, you got a bad Dakota or board in it, or.one part of your setup needs serious attention.