CO detectors sounding alarm

[tomschauer]

I turn off all dc other than bilge pumps. As such, I leave the battery charger powered just in case a leak would develop and require continuous bilge pump operation. I would rather replace batteries than the boat.
Also, as Viper mentioned, even with a diesel boat, I would have at least one CO detector, especially where you sleep. If you are rafted up or even at the marina a neighbor could gas you out.

[405driver]

In my boat, the bilge pumps and the CO detectors are hot wired to the batteries so I cant see any reason why the DC system can't just simply be turned off when we leave the boat. I certainly agree about the CO detectors and being rafted out. Several years ago we lost our marina owner and two of his children to CO from a "raft out' accident. A group of houseboats were tied up together when it happened.

My 405 has five detectors, three brand new ones inside, one on the back deck and one upstairs by the helm. Maybe overkill but when it comes to CO I don't think you can be to careful.

Thanks

[bud37]

Good to see you have this sorted out and thanks for posting the resolution....very helpful to others in the future.......sad to hear about that accident.....

[405driver]

Well...thought I had it sorted out but when going to the boat this morning, the CO alarm was going off again. Again I ventilated the cabin and the alarm stopped. Now, I have no idea.
New detectors, new batteries and the charger is charging as described in Charles literature. The alarms are not the low voltage slow beep, if it were low voltage, why do the alarms stop when the cabin is ventilated?
I'm thinking of turning the alarms off unless either the engines or the generator running. I also think that I will put the air system in "humidity control" and see what happens.

Beats me....

[bud37]

Woops , well you now have new batteries , so that is good. In an earlier post I listed the interferences, check the list and your boat for those things........We had all kinds of alarms at work from glass cleaners that had alcohol in them etc......propane bbq sources etc, cleaners , sniff around the bilges etc.....have a good look around. Do your portable monitors go off as well or just the hard wired boat ones ??...whos to say they are just picking up the normal battery charging.....

[405driver]

The portable monitors are on the outside of the boat. I did bring one into the aft cabin when the alarm was sounding and it didn't go off. Not sure what that means, might be different sensitivity??
As the old set of batteries had acid all over the top of them and in the bottom of the plastic case, I'm beginning to think that although the charger is running pretty close to the listed values in it's operations manual. that it's somehow frying the batteries.
Here's my latest clue that's its somehow the battery system. The sensor in the forward cabin has been consistently going off sometime during the night still sounding the alarm in the morning when I reach the boat. A few nights ago I reasoned that if I removed the floor hatch just in front of the forward cabin the H2 being lighter than air would escape through the hatch before reaching the forward cabin, therefore not setting off the alarm. The next morning, there was no alarm in the forward cabin. The gas went up through the hatch and never made to that part of the boat.....
You're right, the boat could be just very tight and the detector is just picking up H2 from charging. But, if it's the charger then it's going to fry a brand new set of batteries.....like the old set. The date on the old Deka battery was 2013 and it was seriously shot. Most high quality will last longer than three years.....but not if it's being over charged.
Last...my wife is getting suspicious as to where I'm going every morning......

[bud37]

A certain amount of gas is created as a natural part of the charging process,I don't think that can be avoided.... would it be possible to positively vent the compartment where the batteries are ? The only other way to see would be to leave the boat powered down ( fridge off) and no battery charger running and see if you get the same response , then you will know for sure.......perhaps the newer chargers are much better at controlling things.......I can tell you will not just ignore this........

[mjk1040]

I'm thinking your smart charger ain't as smart as it use to be. Turn the charger off for 24 hours and see if the alarms are going off the next morning. It would appear the charger is not stepping down once batteries are at full charge but is continuing to charge thus producing the gas. Start shopping for a new charger. Mike

[Low Flyer]

Thought I was going to find the answer to your problem and mine in this thread but like me, you still don't have a solution.
Started having the same problem about six months ago and have not solved it yet.
Two year old number 1 battery was boiling and hot. I thought it was just low on water so I filled it and let it cool. Next day still hot and boiling so I removed it and replaced it. Then two year old number 2 battery was low on water but not hot so I filled it and left it in place. Three year old number 3 battery (Gen Battery) was slightly low filled it and left it in place.
The next day #2 battery was hot and boiling, #1 battery good and charging, #3 battery good and charging. Replaced #2 battery.
A week later #1 and #2 battery low on water, #3 battery normal. Filled batteries and left on the charger. A week later #1 and #2 battery low again. CO2 alarm going off. Replaced old Charles battery charger with brand new state of the art charger.
A week later #1 and #2 battery low on water, #3 battery normal. Replaced (free) #1 and #2 battery and bought new #3 battery. So now I have a brand new DC storage and charging system.
Two weeks later #1 and #2 battery low on water, #3 battery normal. CO2 alarm going off. Did the all to familiar battery maintenance and turned DC system off.
Two weeks later #1 and #2 batteries low but not as low. Started checking load on "always on" items (bilge pumps, shower pumps, radio memory, CO2 detectors) and found no load (pumps) or small normal loads.
Anyone have any ideas what else could be causing a load/amps that could be draining batteries so that the charger doesn't go into maintenance mode?
I emptied and turned off the refrigerator inside and at the breaker but the light inside still comes on. Doesn't the refrigerator automatically use AC power when it is available? So it should not be using battery power when shore power is connected.

Sorry this is so long but I too would like to find out what is messing up the brand new DC system. Any ideas?

[bud37]

Low flyer....I believe your fridge should be powered down completely if shut off at panel and in fridge itself.....the light being on may be the giveaway......these fridges can present problems.....see if you can get it off for sure then do the same tests as before......I have an idea I may have somewhat of the same thing with the fridge but I can get ours off ( no light)......