Has anyone used an emergency back up battery to start a 27hp diesel in case house batteries go dead? I have heard that there are some batteries that are compact and stay charged for a very long time and can be used for these type of situations. Searched the archives with limited success. I am aware about keeping my starter battery and house battery seperate, but things happen. Thanks Hunter 36
Emergency Back Up Battery
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have you tried opening the dc levers?
Abe: It is doubtful that you would ever have drained all of your batteries to the point that you cannot start your engine (starting & house combined) One helpful tip is to open ALL the decompression levers on your engine and crank it over. Once the engine starts to spin, you can close the levers and the engine should fire right up. My opinion of these starter batteries is that they are just another battery to go dead. If you are making a long passage, it would not be a bad backup.
Abe: It is doubtful that you would ever have drained all of your batteries to the point that you cannot start your engine (starting & house combined) One helpful tip is to open ALL the decompression levers on your engine and crank it over. Once the engine starts to spin, you can close the levers and the engine should fire right up. My opinion of these starter batteries is that they are just another battery to go dead. If you are making a long passage, it would not be a bad backup.
battery jump pack
These units are advertised at all auto places and Sears. When my batteries went dead the tow guy just handed me a battery pack,I hooked it up and the engine started. Cost me many $$$$ to learn this, buy one and keep it on the boat and one in the truck. some have lites and compressors in them. The charge on them can last up to 2 - 3 months. So don't leave home without the pack.
These units are advertised at all auto places and Sears. When my batteries went dead the tow guy just handed me a battery pack,I hooked it up and the engine started. Cost me many $$$$ to learn this, buy one and keep it on the boat and one in the truck. some have lites and compressors in them. The charge on them can last up to 2 - 3 months. So don't leave home without the pack.
Solar
So far it has only happened once where I was out sailing all day and when I went to start the engine the batteries were dead. I had to call boat US to get them to come out and give me a jump, all it cost was $150. After that I increased the size of my house bank and installed a battery monitor to keep track of the battery, but still I always worry about dead batteries. I have been thinking of installing some solar pannels, so if it happened again at least I could anchor out and recharge the batteries.
So far it has only happened once where I was out sailing all day and when I went to start the engine the batteries were dead. I had to call boat US to get them to come out and give me a jump, all it cost was $150. After that I increased the size of my house bank and installed a battery monitor to keep track of the battery, but still I always worry about dead batteries. I have been thinking of installing some solar pannels, so if it happened again at least I could anchor out and recharge the batteries.
Second on the back-up battery boxes...
I too have had problems in the past with dead engine starting batteries and decided that one of the little 'jump-start' battery boxes was a good idea. The one I got also has a light and a cigarette lighter plug so you can use it to power other goodies as well. Haven't needed it to start the boat since I got it, but have loaned it on a couple of occasions to fellow boaters in need of a jump start. All the free beer and food I've received from letting people borrow it (not to mention making friends with marina-mates) was definitely worth the investment! Also, it seems safer (and a bunch easier) than jumper cables and takes up about the same amount of space.
I too have had problems in the past with dead engine starting batteries and decided that one of the little 'jump-start' battery boxes was a good idea. The one I got also has a light and a cigarette lighter plug so you can use it to power other goodies as well. Haven't needed it to start the boat since I got it, but have loaned it on a couple of occasions to fellow boaters in need of a jump start. All the free beer and food I've received from letting people borrow it (not to mention making friends with marina-mates) was definitely worth the investment! Also, it seems safer (and a bunch easier) than jumper cables and takes up about the same amount of space.
Jumpers
I'm not certain where you'd get the idea that the Jump-Start Package could be safer than Jumper Cables - since the package IS a battery & jumper cables? Am I missing something? As with all heavier things aboard, please make certain that the Jump-Start unit is properly secured. Regards, Gord
I'm not certain where you'd get the idea that the Jump-Start Package could be safer than Jumper Cables - since the package IS a battery & jumper cables? Am I missing something? As with all heavier things aboard, please make certain that the Jump-Start unit is properly secured. Regards, Gord
Safety
Using a jumper cable in a marine environment implies you either had to raft up two boats or lift and transport a full size battery (possibly by dingy). The compact portable unit with a handle sounds much safer. My dead battery experience cost $183 to have Boat US motor up and hand me a small battery and cables for 5 minutes. The pack sounds like a good investment as long as you remember to keep it charged. You know, just like you regularly check the air pressure in the spare tire in your trunk ;-)
Using a jumper cable in a marine environment implies you either had to raft up two boats or lift and transport a full size battery (possibly by dingy). The compact portable unit with a handle sounds much safer. My dead battery experience cost $183 to have Boat US motor up and hand me a small battery and cables for 5 minutes. The pack sounds like a good investment as long as you remember to keep it charged. You know, just like you regularly check the air pressure in the spare tire in your trunk ;-)
Steve D hit it on the head
I recently wrote an article about decomp levers for our club's web site. Decomp levers are one of those little-known tricks that every diesel boater should know. I carry a battery pack, also, because I can also use it to power other items. But the one time I needed to start the engine, the decomp levers were the first thing I tried and it did the trick in about 3 seconds.
I recently wrote an article about decomp levers for our club's web site. Decomp levers are one of those little-known tricks that every diesel boater should know. I carry a battery pack, also, because I can also use it to power other items. But the one time I needed to start the engine, the decomp levers were the first thing I tried and it did the trick in about 3 seconds.
Has anyone tried to start a diesel w/one of these?
Has anyone tried to start a diesel engine with one of these battery packs? It would be interesting to know if they would even work. The starter motor on a 2GM draws between 60-100 amps.
Has anyone tried to start a diesel engine with one of these battery packs? It would be interesting to know if they would even work. The starter motor on a 2GM draws between 60-100 amps.
Steve, I never have...
...so I can't comment on that aspect of them, but many of them are rated in excess of 400 amps. The one I carry is rated at 1000 amps. But I have never tried.
...so I can't comment on that aspect of them, but many of them are rated in excess of 400 amps. The one I carry is rated at 1000 amps. But I have never tried.
Yup, started with a jump starter
We were on a chartered Catalina 36 a couple of years ago. It had plenty of battery, but no starting circuitry due to some type of wiring failure. A portable jump starter was used to energize the starter directly (bypassing the starting circuit) and it fired right up. Since then, I've kept one in our own boat "just in case." Gary Kunkel Catalina 30 "Folie a Deux" Channel Islands Harbor, CA
We were on a chartered Catalina 36 a couple of years ago. It had plenty of battery, but no starting circuitry due to some type of wiring failure. A portable jump starter was used to energize the starter directly (bypassing the starting circuit) and it fired right up. Since then, I've kept one in our own boat "just in case." Gary Kunkel Catalina 30 "Folie a Deux" Channel Islands Harbor, CA
Ive only had to use mine
once but, it fired my U25 right off. like others I have loaned it out more than Ive used it. well worth the 49.99 I paid at WalMart.
once but, it fired my U25 right off. like others I have loaned it out more than Ive used it. well worth the 49.99 I paid at WalMart.
Victor has it right...
The reason I think the 'jump start box' is safer is because then I don't have to raft-up with the other boat and hope that nothing happens (read: powerboat wake) that would pull the clamps off one of the batteries and maybe short together. I'm a firm believer that Murphy is an optimist, so it would likely be the other boats battery that the clamps came off of and shorted, frying my batteries in the process! As to the question of sufficient capacity of one of those units to start a small diesel, I do know from experience that it will easily start a 460 big block Ford motor whose starter draws around 400 amps.
The reason I think the 'jump start box' is safer is because then I don't have to raft-up with the other boat and hope that nothing happens (read: powerboat wake) that would pull the clamps off one of the batteries and maybe short together. I'm a firm believer that Murphy is an optimist, so it would likely be the other boats battery that the clamps came off of and shorted, frying my batteries in the process! As to the question of sufficient capacity of one of those units to start a small diesel, I do know from experience that it will easily start a 460 big block Ford motor whose starter draws around 400 amps.
A popular configuration
A lot of electricians are recommending a large house bank, plus a dedicated starting battery just for the purposes you mention. These starting batteries are kept charged through either a combiner, dedicated alternator, or the method I use which is an Echo Charger. The Echo Charger works by a low amperage charge from the house to the engine battery, keeping the later topped off. The Echo Charger only charges the engine battery when enough voltage is present in the house bank (13+ volts) so that there is no danger of running the house bank dead through a short in the starting battery. This technique also allows the starting battery to be of a different technology from the house. My boat has 2 AGMs for the house bank and a simple sealed lead-acid battery for the starting. After two years, I haven't had any issues. Good luck, Les Murray s/v Ceilidh '86 C-36 #560
A lot of electricians are recommending a large house bank, plus a dedicated starting battery just for the purposes you mention. These starting batteries are kept charged through either a combiner, dedicated alternator, or the method I use which is an Echo Charger. The Echo Charger works by a low amperage charge from the house to the engine battery, keeping the later topped off. The Echo Charger only charges the engine battery when enough voltage is present in the house bank (13+ volts) so that there is no danger of running the house bank dead through a short in the starting battery. This technique also allows the starting battery to be of a different technology from the house. My boat has 2 AGMs for the house bank and a simple sealed lead-acid battery for the starting. After two years, I haven't had any issues. Good luck, Les Murray s/v Ceilidh '86 C-36 #560
Try Making Your Installed Banks Work
I'm sure not clear on the concept of buying yet something else, when the best way to make the system work is the way Les described it. Do an energy budget, carefully monitor your batteries, make sure the connections are clean, and go from there. Sure, stuff is going to happen, and I surely can't say with certainty that one will NEVER have dead batteries after you've designed and installed a proper system based on how you use your boat, but for the cost of this added thing, you could buy and add another battery to your house bank and have a dedicated starting battery, or you could buy a battery monitor and make sure your batteries are working as they should. It seems to me that buying one of these things is like saying Gee, I need a backup engine in my car in case it doesn't start. I just don't follow the logic or the cost benefit ratio of buying yet another piece of equipment, unless you're repeatedly around folks whose batteries die regularly and you can be the Good Samaritan.
Most boats are horribly underpowered electrically and many people just have a fear of electrical systems. There are answers out there, as Les noted.
I'm sure not clear on the concept of buying yet something else, when the best way to make the system work is the way Les described it. Do an energy budget, carefully monitor your batteries, make sure the connections are clean, and go from there. Sure, stuff is going to happen, and I surely can't say with certainty that one will NEVER have dead batteries after you've designed and installed a proper system based on how you use your boat, but for the cost of this added thing, you could buy and add another battery to your house bank and have a dedicated starting battery, or you could buy a battery monitor and make sure your batteries are working as they should. It seems to me that buying one of these things is like saying Gee, I need a backup engine in my car in case it doesn't start. I just don't follow the logic or the cost benefit ratio of buying yet another piece of equipment, unless you're repeatedly around folks whose batteries die regularly and you can be the Good Samaritan.
Most boats are horribly underpowered electrically and many people just have a fear of electrical systems. There are answers out there, as Les noted.
Stu, we agree again.
We don't even have an engine start battery. One large bank of golf carts. That's it. The compression releases are our 'spare battery'. Yanmar calls 'em 'low battery start levers'. Even so, we have never gotten discharged enough to have to use them.
We don't even have an engine start battery. One large bank of golf carts. That's it. The compression releases are our 'spare battery'. Yanmar calls 'em 'low battery start levers'. Even so, we have never gotten discharged enough to have to use them.
jumpers
I carry jumper cables, and have had occasion to use them. My house bank is comprised of 3 4D batteries in parallel, but my starter battery is a single group 27. The two banks are isolated from each other unless the alternator is charging. The starter battery gave up the ghost one morning at anchor after having worked fine the day before. I jumped it with the house bank, and then sailed to the nearest chandlery.
I carry jumper cables, and have had occasion to use them. My house bank is comprised of 3 4D batteries in parallel, but my starter battery is a single group 27. The two banks are isolated from each other unless the alternator is charging. The starter battery gave up the ghost one morning at anchor after having worked fine the day before. I jumped it with the house bank, and then sailed to the nearest chandlery.
John's Jumper Cables
John Maybe I am just missing something, but do you mean that your boat's wiring system doesn't have a simple switch so that your house bank can start the engine if the starter fails? Stu
John Maybe I am just missing something, but do you mean that your boat's wiring system doesn't have a simple switch so that your house bank can start the engine if the starter fails? Stu
I stated earlier...
...that I never had to use the jumper pack that I carry. But I have let another boat, in company, use it. That would have ruined our day, also. So the pack is not always for one's self, but to help others out also. And you know that there is always another person out there that's not as well-equipped as you are. Another reason to use it is for those unpredictable times when the engine has been shut off so that you could sail and the starter doesn't want to work when you try to kick it over later on. I'll bet you all have had that "dead spot" happen to your Yanmars at one time or the other. Actually, that was the only time that I used the decomp lever. My batteries were carrying a charge at the time. For the $50 that they sell for now, it's worth it to keep one on board.
...that I never had to use the jumper pack that I carry. But I have let another boat, in company, use it. That would have ruined our day, also. So the pack is not always for one's self, but to help others out also. And you know that there is always another person out there that's not as well-equipped as you are. Another reason to use it is for those unpredictable times when the engine has been shut off so that you could sail and the starter doesn't want to work when you try to kick it over later on. I'll bet you all have had that "dead spot" happen to your Yanmars at one time or the other. Actually, that was the only time that I used the decomp lever. My batteries were carrying a charge at the time. For the $50 that they sell for now, it's worth it to keep one on board.
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