www.iFourWinns.com

I am a new boater and have learned a lot reading the posts on this FW bulletin board. Thanks. I need some advice on electrical problems while on shore power.
While I am hooked up to shore power everything works fine for a few hours then I lose all power to the DC portion of the electronics panel. I know that is not much information but any ideas on what could cause this?

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1999 Vista 328

Clean and tighten all battery connections. That would be a great place to start

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2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

All new batteries installed at purchase 4 weeks ago. Also, I read everyone else talking about having 3 batteries but I have 6. Four "regular" and two deep cycle. Is this normal?

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1999 Vista 328

We need additional information. It sounds like you are not getting a show power connection. The DC batteries are running everything and then drop below the power needed to run components and everything shuts off.

In the circuit breaker pannel do you have 110 Volts on the gauge? Breakers need to be on. (Not on Generator). Refrigerator breakers need to be on or they will continue to run on 12 volt.

Is the main breaker on where the shore power cord connects.

I only have three batteries on my 358, two starting batteries - one for each engine and one house battery. I know there are many boaters that have many more batteries to provide extended usage time.
I am not sure if there are 24 volt systems but that could explain 6 batteries.

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2007 358 Vista

I have AC power from the shore connection because everything still works that are connected to the AC portion of the panel eg..air conditioner, refrigerator, microwave, stove.....

Do you think I should be looking at the battery charger as a possible source of my problem? I am not sure how the shore power works while it is plugged into my boat. Does it run the AC components while charging the batteries that run the DC components?

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1999 Vista 328

The battery charger would be a good start. The shore power runs the battery charger and then all 12 volt runs off batteries. I had to replace the charger on my 02 268. Should be able to check output of charger.

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2007 358 Vista

It wouldn't surprise me if on a 1999 model year that your battery charger may be done or if not it may fail in the near term. Mine failed about 2 years ago and a boating neighbour with a year 2000 model 328 had his fail this year.

It is a little strange however when you say "works fine for a few hours then I lose all power to the DC portion of the electronics panel" because if your house batteries were reasonably charged whether from the battery charger or your engine alternators and your now on shore power but your battery charger did happen to go out, you should still see some voltage in your 12 DV meter (in galley electrical panel). You shouldn't go from being able to run DC stuff to having no DC voltage displayed at all, unless as a previous posted implied (acguy) - check your battery connections. You would think it was a complete break in a connection to lose all DC voltage at once.

On a different note - Welcome to the iFourWinns Forum.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

Thank you for the advice on this issue and thanks for welcoming me to the forum. I will look into the suggestions this weekend.
I think I would be somewhat happy if it was only a battery charger issue considering the multitude of other possibilities.

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1999 Vista 328

If I were you, I'd be more happy if it just turned out to be a battery connection. Good luck.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

Yep, sounds like the onboard battery charger. Hook up a portable battery charger to your house batteries that I assume are in parallel (one clamp to each battery) and see if that gets the juice flowing again. If so, you know if is your onboard charger.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

We replaced our battery charger 2 years ago, the funny thing with ours was the amp went bad which took a week to figure out what was draining our batteries and why the radio would stop playing after a while. Once we figured out it was the amp and changed it out for a new one the battery charger want junk. Our mechanic said that stereo amp's were the hardest on chargers and he has seen many situations like ours.

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Current Boat - '04 328 Vista "Be As You Are"

Previous Boats
'04 268 Vista
'97 238 Vista
'94 210 Marada
'88 175 Sunbird

More information on this problem. DC voltage reading was about 11.5 and everything was working. After a few minutes DC power disappeared. I started both engines trying to check if the alternator would supply power to the DC components and nothing happened. Now I am thinking an alternator problem but I cannot understand why I lose DC power while connected to shore power. The alternator should have nothing to do with that.
What am I missing here? Does this make sense to anyone?
I have a Guest Charge Pro model 2632 battery charger. I cannot find this model number on any website. Maybe this is a discontinued model making me believe that the problem may be there? Battery charging lights and fully charged lights are unlit.
Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

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1999 Vista 328

Take this back to basics, mate.
Have a mutimeter on the battery bank when shore power/ batt charger is off. Record the voltage.
Turn the shore power/ batt charger on & record the voltage.
If it hasn't gone up, your charger may have blown a fuse or is no longer connected to mains power (fallen out?).

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

Welcome aboard.

No reason your batteries should be as low as 11.5 volts. You are losing DC function because your batteries are dead.

I would put my bet on the battery charger being toast. The chargers in my 03 268, and 04 288 had to be replaced.

I agree you need to put a multi meter on the batteries and check voltage when charger is on, and again with engines on to see if voltage goes up.

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2004 - 288 Vista
Twin - 5.0 Volvo Penta GXi DP

I did all of the voltage checks on my batteries. Both house batteries checked out at 12.5. The 3 batteries in a series were battery 1 was 11.5. Battery 2 was 12.5. Battery 3 was 12.5.
My battery charger lights do not illuminate and the batterylink indicator light indicates low voltage. My belief is I have a bad battery charger. Any opinions on which new one I should purchase?

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1999 Vista 328