R-29 Battery Charging

[Dave2016R29]

I have a 2016 R-29S with air conditioning. Seems like I've always had some minor electrical and battery issues, but lately the batteries don't seem to charge properly. For example, while underway the engine battery shows 14.2v on the Garmin display, which is as it should be while charging. However, the unit battery (house) never reaches high voltage, and in fact starts to slowly decline over time while cruising. 11.8v - 11.7v - 11.6v, as low as 11.2v. In discussion with the yard where I have the boat serviced, they removed the ACRs and put in a manual switch to combine all three battery banks, presumably so that all banks would charge. However, I still have the same issue. House does not seem to charge while under way. Is it true that I should see 14+v on the house battery meter while charging from the engine?

A related issue with the generator is that it does not seem to charge the batteries. If I combine all three of my battery banks, then I get 12.1v for all three battery banks. If I start the generator, with the AC main 1 on and the inverter in charge mode, then I still get 12.1v on all of the batteries. Should I get higher voltage from the charge from the generator? When I had the boat on shore power recently, all of the battery bank readings immediately went to 12.8v, and then were fully charged when I returned to the boat a day later. Shouldn't the same be true while on the generator?

A couple of other things I am not sure about. My AC main 1 and AC main 2 "test" button never seems to do anything. Should the breaker pop when that button is pushed? My AC 1 meter only shows any voltage when the inverter is in charge mode? Is this correct? Or should it show power when the inverter is off? Maybe all AC main 1 power goes through the inverter?

I know all of this is a but jumbled, but any insight would be appreciated.

Rock Lobster

 

[Brian John]

If all three batteries and tied to the alternator through a manual switch, the voltage on all batteries should be the same or close to the same.

While at the dock, with the manual switches open/off, measure the voltage at the house battery + and -, then measure the voltage at the starting battery + and - . Then, with the switches closed, I would measure the voltage between the house battery + and the starting and thruster battery + If they are not tied through the manual switches, you will see a difference of voltage of a few volts. This will be the measured difference between your start battery subtracting your house battery.

Another test would be to connect your multimeter to the house battery and start the engine. You should see a rise in voltage at all battery systems. This may require you to give the engine some throttle. If there is a rise in voltage at the start battery and not the house battery, there is a connection missing.

Lastly, with the house battery switch open/off, measure voltage across the two terminals of the switch, "0" (zero Volts means the switch is functional; any voltage can mean a defective switch. I would expect around 11 Volts DC.

It seems to me that something is missing between the two battery systems.

 

[Dave2016R29]

If all three batteries and tied to the alternator through a manual switch, the voltage on all batteries should be the same or close to the same.

While at the dock, with the manual switches open/off, measure the voltage at the house battery + and -, then measure the voltage at the starting battery + and - . Then, with the switches closed, I would measure the voltage between the house battery + and the starting and thruster battery + If they are not tied through the manual switches, you will see a difference of voltage of a few volts. This will be the measured difference between your start battery subtracting your house battery.

Another test would be to connect your multimeter to the house battery and start the engine. You should see a rise in voltage at all battery systems. This may require you to give the engine some throttle. If there is a rise in voltage at the start battery and not the house battery, there is a connection missing.

Lastly, with the house battery switch open/off, measure voltage across the two terminals of the switch, "0" (zero Volts means the switch is functional; any voltage can mean a defective switch. I would expect around 11 Volts DC.

It seems to me that something is missing between the two battery systems.

Thanks! I'll try some experimenting.