voltage reading

[RAD1]

Does anybody know what the readings should be on our batteries. I have the standard dual battery setup in a 2013 242 and I'm getting a reading of 14.2V on starter battery and 12.4V on secondary aux battery. I put in a new secondary deep cycle battery today and the reading is only 12.4. Is this normal for a new battery? What voltage level should it be at before any concern? Shouldn't both batteries be in the 14 range. Any help of comments is appreciated

 

[jetboater4life]

This thread will give you an idea of your battery state. According to the table your battery is less than 80%.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/engi...engine-codes-and-battery-voltage-states.1835/
Have you put a charger on the low battery?
Was the boat running when you measured the 14.2? I've never seen a battery that high when it wasn't connected to some sort of charging device.

 

[RAD1]

This thread will give you an idea of your battery state. According to the table your battery is less than 80%.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/engi...engine-codes-and-battery-voltage-states.1835/
Have you put a charger on the low battery?
Was the boat running when you measured the 14.2? I've never seen a battery that high when it wasn't connected to some sort of charging device.

 

[Bruce]

14 volts is too high unless it is currently being charged. 12.4 is fine for a new battery before charging.

 

[RAD1]

Appreciate the link. The 12.4 reading was a new battery I just installed .The 14 reading was on the starter battery about 1 yr old. Bothe reading were while the boat was running. I dry stack boat and pull batteries over the winter and keep on a tender. Could a new battery be 12.4 immediatly after installing ?

 

[Bruce]

A fully charged battery should be around 12.6 volts. With the engine running it should be over 13.5.

Batteries discharge when sitting so 12.4 is reasonable for a new battery before charging.

I suggest checking again with the engines off.

 

[RAD1]

A fully charged battery should be around 12.6 volts. With the engine running it should be over 13.5.

Batteries discharge when sitting so 12.4 is reasonable for a new battery before charging.

I suggest checking again with the engines off.

 

[RAD1]

Thanks. I'll check when back on boat. Don't the batteries charge while we are running about. I ask that because yesterday I was at 12.4 on newly installed battery. Ran engines with no down time for about 1 hr and voltage reading was the same

 

[Bruce]

What are you using to check the voltage?

How is your second battery wired in?

Our boats do charge the battery while running but we have small stators instead of alternators so it is a slow charge.

 

[RAD1]

Checking voltage on the 2 LCD gauges.

Not sure how 2nd battery wired in. The dual battery setup came with boat so I am assuming it's standard.

 

[Bruce]

Dual batteries is a dealer installed option. You may have a a charge controller that fully charges the starter battery before the house battery.

I am uncertain how accurate the voltage reading at the gauges is.

 

[txav8r]

Depends on how your reading them @RAD1 The battery showing 14+volts is actually reading the charging system, not the battery. 12.4 is a fairly full battery but it could be around 12.6 if fully topped.

Dual batteries is standard equipment on the 242, and you have a DVSR installed. So if they are running, and your at a sufficient level or rpm to excite the stator, your are going to see 14.4v on both batteries. It is very hard to read voltage if you don't have the LCD set to battery voltage, because it shuts off after activation if the engines are not running. And you have to bump the starter to activate the system to look at any of the displays. But it can be done. Anytime you read voltage when running, your reading the charging system, not the battery. Once that 12.4 battery has been cycled and received a charge for awhile, it will probably be up at 12.6. But batteries require maintenance, not just use, and if you deplete one any or if like this one, a newly installed battery, it should be fully charged before entering service. I bought two ACR batteries from Batteries Plus and both were at about 12.3v and needed charging, even though they told me they were fully charged, which I am sure they were...at some point, just not at the point of sale.

Hope this helps and welcome aboard!

 

[David Analog]

A new fully charged battery could be as high as 12.7 volts and 12.8 volts for an AGM.
As mentioned above, those higher readings are the charger, charging system or a residual surface charge that will dissipate. Give an isolated battery an hour or two to dissipate the higher charging voltage in order to get a true static reading.

 

[KXCam22]

With my brand new costco 27DC battery I am at 12.6 resting and 14.1 (I recall) when the engines are running. Cam.

 

[txav8r]

Everything I can find on the 240, is that output peak voltage past the regulator will be 13v. But I could swear I have seen 14.4 on the gauge. Will have to go back and review the 230 @KXCam22 . I am referring to charging system voltage, which is all you can read with the engines running.

 

[RAD1]

Mel, so if the high reading is for the charging system only why the difference in the 2 guage readings when running.

 

[txav8r]

That is hard to answer @RAD1 . And admittedly, I don't know the setup on the 242 as I do a Blue Sea dual battery switch. But you have a DVSR and dual batteries. The DVSR has limits and will combine the batteries when conditions are met that are within tolerances and correct. I can make an assumption that they are not combined, and that your reading the isolated voltage of each battery bank. And that your start battery bank is being charged and showing over 14v as it should. But as I said in my last post, according to my service manual, charging voltage is regulated at 13v. So I think your reading output prior to the regulator. Although, the numbers listed for stator output are higher. Here is what is available on the multi-function displays...

The fact that it shows voltage as the 6th item in the batting order when toggling through the data, and then shows Aux Battery (if installed) as the 19th item, and doesn't say voltage, leads me to draw a few conclusions whether correct or not. But electrically, if the battery is isolated and not hooked to the charging system, it would show battery voltage. If it is hooked to it, it would show battery voltage. As I said, I don't know how your DVSR works exactly, but my ACR would close if it senses a charge of sufficient and correct volts/amps, and that would then show charging voltage on both batteries in my system. I am not sure what it will read from the second battery in my setup, because it isn't wired like yours. It will be interesting to see when I hook up the second battery if it even sees it with a Blue Sea setup. For yours, if while running, you are seeing 13V+ in the 6th position, that is your voltage on your electrical system and what your primary battery is getting right then. The 19th item is your secondary battery and if your reading 12v or close to it, I can tell you it is not being charged at that moment.