www.iFourWinns.com

I do have the group 27 Interstate batteries and again, they are all identical cranking batteries. The dealer is looking into whether it should have shipped with a different type of house battery instead of the third cranking battery. My understanding is also that the charger will handle both cranking and deep cycle without a problem. I'll let you know what they tell me...

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

I had the same question, I seem to recall the answer being they're 3 of the same batteries and that style is appropriate for the situation. As in, batteries of this type aren't dramatically different as in the past (deep cycle vs CCA). That said, the existence of the third one by itself for ships systems is insufficient. I added two 6v (in series) batteries and have had absolutely no battery problems since.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

OK, it is very possible I'm wrong. Maybe FW does specify Interstate batteries. My point wasn't really about the brand of batteries. Just not to get distracted by colors or brands.

I can't seem to get the fourwinns part catalog to work right now, but I pretty sure that the battery chargers we have don't like to mix technologies. Flooded batteries come in at least two flavors, deep cycle and starting. You can mix and match these on the same charger but you shouldn't mix flooded with gel. I think the AGM are "close enough" to mix with flooded but since AGMs cost a bunch, do more research.

Getting back to starting and deep cycle. You can start an engine with a deep cycle battery but you should not deep cycle a starting battery.

All this is really just background to say, don't just put in a parallel house battery without checking what's in there and seeing of the charger will charge it.

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

Or assume all chargers are created equal. FW specs all three as the same. Whether or not this follows 'ancient battery traditions' or not is certainly debatable, but it's what they specify.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

This goes back to the question about how long batteries last on the hook. Every time out this summer, the batteries have lasted shorter amounts of time necessitating the use of the genny. Today was a double whammy - after about 30 minutes the batteries were drained and then when I started the genny there was only a trickle of water. Cleaned out the strainer - which was moderately clogged. Started the genny again and NO WATER!

I don't know what's causing the batteries to drain faster and faster. As for the genny, I'm assuming the intake is clogged with weeds although I don't understand the no water situation. Won't be able to check the intake until tomorrow or Sunday when we anchor at the local swimmin' hole. All comments/suggestions welcome.

I have never fiddled with the battery switch positions. We always hook up to shore power when we get back to the dock. Most of the time I remember to turn the ship's system switch off when I leave.

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2006 348 Vista
"some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield"

Try turning off the fridge as a test to see how the battery lasts. It's the single biggest drain against the system battery. As the summer gets warmer, and as people open the fridge, it works harder to keep it cool. This takes wattage, more than during cooler months.

If it was clogged then it's possible the genset impeller got starved for water. This is bad. While it can plumb itself from a no-water situation, the impeller in the genset really cannot run long without water. Too long and the rubber parts break. Fortunately it's a reasonably cheap and simple repair. It does take some wriggling to get at the impeller but it's not impossible (unlike the outboard side spark plug, oy!). You basically just pop off the forward cover, loosen two bolts to gain access to the impeller and replace it. Probably about an hour's job if you're at least a little handy.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

We're typically getting about 5-7 hours running 2 fridges, stereo, GPS sometimes radar as well on our house battery. You could have a bad cell in your battery not letting it charge completely. Make sure you have water in them if they are the wet type and are not sealed.

Bill got the genny checklist right. I doubt it is the pickup, more likely the impeller. I never touched one before and it only took me 10 minutes to get the old impeller out. Now putting the new one in...........hmmmmm, a bit longer.........that sucker is tight in there!

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2008 Four Winns V358 (T 6.2L Merc Bravo III's with DTS and SeaCore)
2006 Sea Ray 340DA
2006 Sea Ray 320DA
2005 Maxum 3100 SE

Try appliying washing up liquard to the impeller and inside the housing, bend down one or more blades and twist the impeller to get it in. Don't worry about the washing up liquard it will just work through the system.

Sean

2008 358

checked the ships system battery - water levels were OK but the caps had what looked like grease or oil on them.

After reading the owners manual again here is how I understand the batteries functions: each engine has its own battery which provides all the electricity each engine needs. Does this include cranking for starting?

The ships system battery provides electricity for the other stuff -fridges, stereo, GPS, etc. This is the one (I assume) that's draining.

Could not resolve the genset issue - does the cover just pop off or are those allen fittings?

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2006 348 Vista
"some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield"

There should be a genset manual in the same folder that had the owners manual. RTFM worked wonders for me. You'll need it to understand where the impeller goes anyway. I can't recall how the side panel attached but I know it wasn't much effort to remove it. Well, besides wiggling it around the too-close seacock hoses...

Yes, the two engine batteries handle running and cranking; one for each. Nearly everything else is on the ships system battery. There's a battery combiner switch at the helm that lets you join the batteries for starting. This way if one or the other goes dead you can get power from the other one. You hold the combiner button down, crank the engine and release the button once the engine starts. It's unlikely you'll use this anytime soon. More than likely only when a battery gets old and goes bad.

Bear in mind that dead batteries will generally not recharge on just the engine alternator alone. This is true in cars and also boats. You're only going to get a full recharge by reconnecting to shore power (or running the genset for a loooooooong time).

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

read the genset manual as well. it only indicates to remove the cover. i agree regarding the RTFM approach. it does help.

i'm still confused as to the ships system increasingly shorter drain time. Since we do connect to shore power, theoretically this battery should be fully recharged by the time of the next outing (typically 5 to 6 days).

i may have to consider the dual 6V setup you have.

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2006 348 Vista
"some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield"

I'm no battery expert but given the number of accessories on the boat using just one battery for all of them is less than ideal. I wouldn't call it a bad design, per se, but it's certainly going to be a rude surprise to some folks.

Here's a thought, swap one of your other batteries with the ships system battery. Either one. If the wires are long enough (and I think they are) just rearrange them. Making SURE to get it right, of course. They're all the same type so this shouldn't be a problem. And since you can combine the starting batteries you won't be risking much. This will let you see if the ships battery has gone bad, or at least isn't holding an appropriate charge. But if the problem stays with the location of the battery then it's either the charger or something pulling a lot more drain than expected. Just make sure you kill power to as much as possible during your stays away from the boat. I turn all 12v breakers off. The only AC breakers I leave running are for the fridges and the battery charger. That and leave the AC system in HU mode.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Thanx WK will consider your suggestion. I may, however just replace the ship system battery and see what happens.

Here's something else i don't understand. Here's the layout of the control panel (on my boat located on the port stern quarter) that has the ship system switch and windlass switch as well as the battery switches. (I know it would have been easier to take a picture ...)

Isolator
70 70 70
Ship System Strbrd Port
Engine Engine

Battery Charger
50 50 50
Ship System Strbrd Port
Engine Engine

The numbered items look like switches or breakers or fuses that can be pushed or pulled except they can't. What are these things? What function do they perform?

PS what is HU mode?

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2006 348 Vista
"some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield"

formatting went goofy. I'll take a picture.

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2006 348 Vista
"some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield"

What your are referring to are the breakers for the charger 50 50 50- The 70s not too sure of.

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2008 Four Winns V358 (T 6.2L Merc Bravo III's with DTS and SeaCore)
2006 Sea Ray 340DA
2006 Sea Ray 320DA
2005 Maxum 3100 SE