[Rhodes22-list] Battery

[The Rhodes 22 Email List]

Thanks Brooks. This may be a dumb question but I assumed that neither the outboard motor not the boat has an alternator. Is that correct? Isn't all the power from the solar panel charging the battery?

John Waldhausen

> On Mar 2, 2015, at 2:21 PM, The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi John,
> 
> Some suggestions and info:
> 
> You can easily do some simple checks yourself. One thing to always be aware
> of is that a battery is potentially a very destructive piece of equipment.
> Nigel Calder, a major boat guru, likes to give a demo in his electrical
> classes to make a lasting impression - he shorts the terminals of a battery
> in a very controlled environment. The room usually has to empty for a while
> - sulphuric acid from exploded battery is hard on the lungs. There is
> sometimes fire. So all you have to do is drop a wrench the wrong way and
> boom. That said, it's not rocket science and there are lots of videos
> showing how to check and wire things the right way. There is no danger of
> getting shocked as with house electricity. And, a small wire across the
> terminals will just melt - it's bigger conductors that are the danger. Just
> treat it with respect. 
> 
> Now, your concerns: 
> First, although many batteries today are sealed and never require addition
> of water, some still do. Is there a way to add water to batteries? Some have
> easy to unscrew or pull out caps and you can see right into the cells.
> During charging, they may boil off some of the water. It's important to add
> water in this case. 
> 
> Second, do get a volt meter - great to have anyway. Can get a pretty nice
> multi-meter for $25. Then, find out what type batteries you have and google
> to get info on what voltage should be. If you check when sun is shining, you
> may see like 14 volts because the solar panels are charging them. Actually,
> if you DON'T see close to 14 volts in bright sun, there may be a problem
> with the panels or their connection to battery. At night, should still see
> 12.8 or a bit higher on most batteries fully charged. These are rough
> numbers, not gospel. 
> 
> Third, if voltages are too low,  you might, as some suggested, buy a decent
> charger - worth paying for something that won't over charge and boil the
> battery. It may be that a good overnight charge will restore the batteries
> just fine. In that case, I'd check to see why solar panels didn't keep them
> up. The Rhodes 22 shouldn't have any big battery demands - starting the
> engine is so quick that if it has an alternator, it should put back in
> everything starting took out in a minute or two. Then there's your depth
> meter, and other very low power devices. So mainly, you just need to keep
> batteries from self discharging. In summer they discharge a lot faster than
> in winter. 
> 
> Lastly, buy a simple book or do some research online - it's not rocket
> science - just, like everything else, a little intimidating if you're
> starting from scratch. Wonderful videos out there. A lot more fun than the
> evening news.
> 
> Brooks
> Cambridge, MD
> '86/2006 R22 "Changes"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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