Hi All: I discovered a potential anomaly on my boat today. First, the facts.... 1996 Hunter 376 No apparent electrical work or changes ever made 2 battery banks - Starting, and House Bank (2 batteries in parrallel) Battery switches are 2 position - ON and OFF removed old Battery charger and have not yet replaced it Definitions: Power leads to Charger are Black, Green and White. These are the leads that provide power to the Charger Battery leads from the charger. There are 3. 2 Red (one to each battery switch) and a Black (ground) The Problem: When ALL switches are off (AC Main, DC Main, and ALL other circuit breakers) I am getting 27 volts from the Battery leads from the charger( actually where the charger would be if it in the boat) and ground. The Shore Power cable is connected, but the MAIN is off, as indicated above. The Power Leads TO the charger read ZERO Volts, and 115V when the Charger breaker is put ON. I cannot figure out where the 27 Volts are coming from. ANy ideas ?? Thanks....... Jeff
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Doug T.
Battery leads
What side of the battery switches are the charger leads going to? Before or after the switch? I bet they are wired to the hot sides of the switches. The battery switches aren't wired to control the charging current to the battery banks.
What side of the battery switches are the charger leads going to? Before or after the switch? I bet they are wired to the hot sides of the switches. The battery switches aren't wired to control the charging current to the battery banks.
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Gene
Two batteries in series
27 volts is what you get from two batteries in series. You dont' have things hooked up the way you think they are. Chances are your two house batteries are in series instead of in parallel. Disconnect one of the house batteries to prove it. When I say disconnect, I mean totally - no wires connected. Watch the 27 volts go away.
27 volts is what you get from two batteries in series. You dont' have things hooked up the way you think they are. Chances are your two house batteries are in series instead of in parallel. Disconnect one of the house batteries to prove it. When I say disconnect, I mean totally - no wires connected. Watch the 27 volts go away.
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Don Alexander
Batt Connections Reversed???
Jeff, I have a 376 and can confirm your description of the wiring. If you are getting 27 volts BETWEEN the two red positive leads then it seems likely that either your engine battery or your house battery is connected the wrong way round. The engine would probably survive this but your electronics on the domestic side would definitely not tolerate reversed polarity. May I suggest you check each lead to ground. i.e. from red to the common black and see if one is reading reversed. If the domestic side reads 27v then it may be that your domestic batteries are in series rather than parallel. Maybe your meter is duff! Check this by measuring directly across one battery at the lead posts. When you fix it please let us know what the cause was. Regards, Don.
Jeff, I have a 376 and can confirm your description of the wiring. If you are getting 27 volts BETWEEN the two red positive leads then it seems likely that either your engine battery or your house battery is connected the wrong way round. The engine would probably survive this but your electronics on the domestic side would definitely not tolerate reversed polarity. May I suggest you check each lead to ground. i.e. from red to the common black and see if one is reading reversed. If the domestic side reads 27v then it may be that your domestic batteries are in series rather than parallel. Maybe your meter is duff! Check this by measuring directly across one battery at the lead posts. When you fix it please let us know what the cause was. Regards, Don.
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Jeff Bacon
Response to responses
Hi All: Thanks for the input ! Any info is more than I have now. First, the batteries are definitly hooked in parrallel. That's the first thing I checked when I saw the 27 volts. Also, the DC systems are working perfectly (radio, lights, etc) Second, I will check the accuracy of the meter this weekend. An obvious oversight that I should have done today. Also, the voltage was read between the red positive lead and the common ground. Actually, I was expecting NO voltage in this area with ALL switches off, but, after furthur thought, I guess there has to be power here in order for the charger to sense the voltage of the batteries, even when the charger is turned off. Right ?? Thanks agian ! ........ Jeff
Hi All: Thanks for the input ! Any info is more than I have now. First, the batteries are definitly hooked in parrallel. That's the first thing I checked when I saw the 27 volts. Also, the DC systems are working perfectly (radio, lights, etc) Second, I will check the accuracy of the meter this weekend. An obvious oversight that I should have done today. Also, the voltage was read between the red positive lead and the common ground. Actually, I was expecting NO voltage in this area with ALL switches off, but, after furthur thought, I guess there has to be power here in order for the charger to sense the voltage of the batteries, even when the charger is turned off. Right ?? Thanks agian ! ........ Jeff
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Doug T.
Question
You say: "...the voltage was read between the red positive lead and the common ground..." Aren't there two independent red positive leads from the charger, one to each of the battery switches? Do you get 27 volts on each of them?
You say: "...the voltage was read between the red positive lead and the common ground..." Aren't there two independent red positive leads from the charger, one to each of the battery switches? Do you get 27 volts on each of them?
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Jeff Bacon
Response to Question
Doug: Absolutley right. There are 2 red leads, and I have 27 volts at each one. The more I think about this the more it sounds like 2 batteries hooked up in parrallel as previously suggested. However, I have triple checked that, and they are in series. But, Mr Spok once said " Once you eliminate the impossible, the answer is clear, no matter how improbable it may be" . Translation --- I will check a 4th time series vs parrallel Thanks for the help....... Jeff
Doug: Absolutley right. There are 2 red leads, and I have 27 volts at each one. The more I think about this the more it sounds like 2 batteries hooked up in parrallel as previously suggested. However, I have triple checked that, and they are in series. But, Mr Spok once said " Once you eliminate the impossible, the answer is clear, no matter how improbable it may be" . Translation --- I will check a 4th time series vs parrallel Thanks for the help....... Jeff
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Gene
Still in series
Well, like you just said. They're in series, instead of parallel. That's your problem. 13.5 + 13.5 = 27
Well, like you just said. They're in series, instead of parallel. That's your problem. 13.5 + 13.5 = 27
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Rich
Solar Panel
Jeff, Do you have the deck mounted solar panel? There is a fuse for it in the battery switch panel that goes to your starter battery. Pull out the fuse and see if you're still getting voltage.
Jeff, Do you have the deck mounted solar panel? There is a fuse for it in the battery switch panel that goes to your starter battery. Pull out the fuse and see if you're still getting voltage.
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