Thread: Is my Dual bank charger killing my TM batteries?????

What ever chargers where put in Rangers up until 2002 when I got tired of the people who own them and changed jobs where the one's I heard about every spring running down the batteries. Kinda like being at work around here lately, "Can I as a question, My response , well this is what I've seen over the 25 years of working on boats every day, Question asker.....that can't be, I know it's something totally different than what you think......me , well that's what I've seen , and why did you ask if you already knew the answer? Think I'll go play some golf.

Ok Update

I drove the 85 miles to the dealer in early July. They did not even look at it they just replaced the batteries and the charger. Used the boat 10 times since. A couple of those I trolled for hours, some I did not troll at all. Well today one of the batteries is dead again. I used the boat last night and no problems. I went fishing today but did not recharge as I did not use the TM very much last night and when I went to use it today it had hardly any power. I did not leave anything on over night. So when I hooked it just now it says one of the batteries is dead.....starting to really wear on me. Its a 24v 80lb I-pilot, no other electronics effected. Too far tot he Lund dealer to keep running back and forth. Makes me think something else is going on.

ANy advice would be helpful

Check your wiring at the battery connnectors for any extra wires. Also pull the cover where your trolling motor plugs in. Same thing check to see if they have anything tied to that wiring. You have to have something pulling a pretty good load to run them down like that. Also when you get them charged up if you don't find anything else disconnect the trolling motor and see if they still pull down. Something could be haywire in your troller letting it draw power when it is supposed to be off.

Are you disconecting the trolling motor when not in use? I always disconnect mine before charging any way too much in electronics for some voltage surge - spike to damage something

I also have a Lund (1725 Explorer Sport). It came with two Interstate batteries and no on board charger. I installed a two bank Pro Sport from BPS right after I bought the boat. I keep the charger plugged in anytime I'm not on the water, all year long. The boat is garaged. I probably should replace the batteries as I can finally tell they are not lasting as long as they used to, but they are still working. This month those batteries have been in my boat five years. I always unplug my trolling motor upon taking the boat out of the water and plug it back in before launching. I also use Interstate batteries on my travel trailer and have got long life out of them as well. I did replace my motor battery this year with a battery from Academy. The battery that I replaced was not an Interstate.

Originally Posted by DLM10

Are you disconecting the trolling motor when not in use? I always disconnect mine before charging any way too much in electronics for some voltage surge - spike to damage something

X2. You do unplug your trolling motor when it's not in use don't you? I have a MinnKota V2 and the manual states to unplug it, as it will draw power all the time it is plugged in.

Well I took the battery out and put jumper cables on it and turned my diesel tractor on and ran it a 1/2 hour. Put it back in and now its charging.....no red dead light on the 2 bank charger. I have not been unplugging the TM but I will now. I feel I shouldn't have to on a boat like this $$$ but I will do it if it keeps it working. I do want the dealer to sort this out....something is drawing them down. Strange that its been the #2 battery that started this on both occasions. I thought when hooked up for 24v the power was pulled equally.

Where's your "jumper" wire? Is it a cable at the batteries or the Ranger style thats in the plug? Undo them before charging and see if that helps. If it's in the plug, when you unplug your motor it will let your charger do it's thing. I know of a couple other guys who have had what sounds like similar problems. My understanding is some on-board chargers reset themselves when hooked together on one batt, My buddy got pretty steamed about undoing the cable, but his charger works like it's supposed to this way.