www.iFourWinns.com

Yesterday we spent the better part of the day rafted up with friends. The weather turned bad so I put up the camper canvas and we rode the storm out. Since we had been out for a while I knew the house battery was probably getting low so I turned the generator on an my wife did some things in the cabin. Turned out the storm lasted quite a while so the generator ran for at least a couple of hours. We broke from the group and motored to a quiet cove for dinner and I again ran the generator for at least an hour. I have a meter and noticed my house bat was way down. The weird part in all of this is while the generator was running my house bat did not seem to be charging. I initially showed 13 volts but the meter quickly dropped to 9 volts showing me the house bat was still dead. Any idea why I might not be charging while the generator was running? Yes I did check the breaker switch for the charger and it was on.

_________________

2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

Does your battery charge when you are on shore power? The battery charger doesn't know the difference between shore power and generator power. Maybe the battery charger is broken and you've been charging with the alternators.

Can you see your charger, while running on the generator, mine has a meter.

Did you check all the breakers. There is an AC breaker on the input to the charger and there should be a breaker for each battery bank on the output of the charger.

Did you have the battery switch on? Some boats only charge with the battery switch on.

Maybe the batteries are going bad.

_________________
2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Does anything else work with the generator. There is most likley a breaker on the generator itself, coupld it be tripped? Does your boat have a transfer switch? was that in the correct position?

_________________
Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

Thanks for the suggestions. I need to inspect this problem more closely the next time I am out. The batteries are charging fine on shore power but don't seem to take a charge if the generator is running. I spoke with one of the guys we were rafted up with and he suspects a loose connection. I did have this happen late in the year last year but it's the sort of think you don't notice until the battery runs down and then use the gen to charge. This weekend I plan to remove all of the connections to the battery and inspect them. I think I will try to duplicate the problem under a more controlled circumstance and see if I can narrow the problem down a little more. I'll let you all know what I find if anything. I would think that running the generator for two or more hours would at least put a halfway decent charge in the battery. Next time I'll time it and put my meter on the battery to see what I'm getting.

_________________

2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

i was just out this past weekend......248 vista no genny..my house battery was getting low..when i was going to leave our cove i switched my switch to battery #2. i tried to start the boat..the battery i thought was dead...so i switched back to my house battery which just had enough juice left to start the boat....once i was back at the dock..i thought the battery was toast..but when i checked the connection..it was loose ..just a a little....but enough to effect the battery..i snugged it up and alls well......

_________________
2000 [img][img][/img][/img]248 vista 5.0 gi dp
orillia ontario canada