4 d battery

[Rick Caccia]

My boat is a 2000 mark 11 hull 1501 Escape. The number 1 battery began to run down after a couple of days of not using the boat. The batt switch to off and dry bilge. Yesterday I pulled the battery. While riding the launch in, a Catalina 40 owner looked at my boat and told me that I should replace both batt with gel cells because he also had 4-d batts std equipment that lasted only about 1 season.He also installed a 27 starting batt. Has anyone had to do this? Where does the #27 install? Maybe just a bad batt,lemon, replace it? Any suggestions because replacing the battery is a hassle and I don't want to do it very often.
Thanks

[Stu Jackson]

Rick

What kind of charger and alternator regulator do you have on board?  How do you use your boat (long trips, weekend only, always plugged in, etc.)?

The main source of battery death is poor charging.

There is a post on this message board about Charles chargers, within the past few weeks, that you may want to read.

Even if you changed to gel cells (and there's no reason either to do so to or not to do so, right now), if your charging system is deficient, you'll kill any and all kinds of replacement batteries.

Batteries, with good charging and good maintenance, should last 4 or more years.

What the guy on the Catalina 40 was really saying was "Do it MY way."  Not always the right way...

Please give us some more input to better be able to help you.

[svsjora]

"The batt switch to off and dry bilge."
Rick,
What do you mean by "dry bilge position" the bilge pump switch as you know is a double throw one. Is it possible that you have left it in the run position instead of automatic? The pump is permanently connected to  one of the batteries, not sure from here which one, so that accidently leaving the switch in manual could be your problem. The bilge works independently of the master switch.

Bob Lancaster

[jentine]

Rick, there are only a few reasons that batteries "run down" in a few days of non-use.  The main causes are a load (something was left on) or the battery has one or more dead cells.  If you can be certain that there was no load on the battery, replace it.  Golf cart batteries are a good choice for folks on a mooring since there is no battery charger out there.  A solar collector with a suitable controller to maintain the charge is also a good idea.
Several days of charging will allow the use of your refrigeration for a weekend with a mimimal solar system.
Jim Kane

[rirvine]

Like a number of things on Catalinas â€" no two boats are alike.  The battery that is permanent connected to the bilge pump is not the same on all boats â€" installer choice it would appear. As others have said on this forum, the key to battery life is charger management â€" a bad charger or a charger that is set to incorrect type of battery will eat batteries like candy. This is why it is critical to have batteries of the same type on a charger and batteries are of the same age â€" when one goes replace both.

A good amp meter placed in the ground circuits of each battery is the best way to understand what is going on with loads that one might not expect or should not be left on when you are leaving the boat.

[Charlie P.]

I have an isolated starting battery (a HD size 24 650 MCA) mounted to the outside of the water heater.  I replaced the engine on/off master switch with a off/1/both/2 switch; where 1 is the starting battery, 2 allows the house bank to start the motor, and both allows the alternator to charge the house 4-D's.  I have a Freedom 15 with 75A charger that is hooked to house #1.  On my to do list is to install two solenoids to the oil pressure switch so that when then engine has started and is running they will open circuits to the house batteries so they will charge off the alternator regardless of how the battery switches are set.  (A battery is always on the alternator - can't start the engine without at least one - so there is never a danger of frying the regulator diodes).  I think driving it off the oil pressure switch is an elegant and relatively inexpensive "combiner" solution.  (Thank Nigel Calder).

[tassber2]

I had poor service with the standart 4D batteries.  They died  after 24 and 30 months.  I replaced them with 4 golf cart batteries wired together for a house bank of 470 amps wired to switch 1 on my selector.  I installed AGM 1000 amp cold cranking starting battery and wired it switch 2 for emergency starting.  I'm on my third season with this set-up and it is still working like new.  I also switched to golf cart batteries on my previous Cat 30 and had great service from them.  I highly recommend a link 10 or something similar to monitor your battery condition.  I use a link 10 on my house bank