I have a CB-31 with group 31 AGM batteries installed in 2019. Should I be surprised that my thruster battery apparently won't hold a charge, while my house bank and engine batteries still seem fine? Could it be that thruster usage exhausts the single battery faster than the 4-battery house bank and the only-occasionally-used single starting battery?
Thruster battery
- Thread starter Jlow49
- Start date
watson1987
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2021
- Messages
- 428
- Fluid Motion Model
- R-31 S
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT3119L718
- Vessel Name
- Clifford
- MMSI Number
- 368265640
I don't know for sure, but it is logical to assume that repeated high current draw (from the thruster) would decrease the battery's life expectancy. It generates a lot of heat and heat typically breaks things down faster at both the mechanical and chemical level in the battery.
What I can say for certain is the OEM Universal Batteries that come with the boat have a less-than-stellar record. There are numerous posts on the forum about the premature death of these batteries, some in less than 2 years. I got 4 years on my R31 before they died. My recommendation is to replace all your batteries soon, as I suspect they will all fail in short order, even if you are only seeing an issue on your thruster right now.
What I can say for certain is the OEM Universal Batteries that come with the boat have a less-than-stellar record. There are numerous posts on the forum about the premature death of these batteries, some in less than 2 years. I got 4 years on my R31 before they died. My recommendation is to replace all your batteries soon, as I suspect they will all fail in short order, even if you are only seeing an issue on your thruster right now.