3-Bank Charger/Battery Issue

[CaptainJack]

I purchased a three bank charger from Gander about a month ago and been trying to figure this problem out ever since. When I have all three batteries hooked up and fully charged, as soon as I unplug the AC cord; the batteries discharge. It takes about 18-20 hours of charging again to get the batteries fully charged. I cannot unplug the AC or else the batteries again immediately discharge. It gets to the point where my starting battery is not strong enough to start the boat.

I have tested each battery one at a time hooked up to the charger; fully charged, unplug for a half a day ; plug the charger back in to the AC and in as little as a few seconds the fully charged light is on.

I am at a lost as to why all three batteries hooked up; loses charge. When each battery by itself on the charger stays charged.

Anyone seen this before? Thanks.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

I'm just throwing guesses off the top of my head here. I'm guessing it can not be wires hooked up backwards from the charger.

1. Is there some sort of setting on your charger, maybe you have the charger on a gel setting and your charging acid or vice versa?

2. Are one of your batteries completely dead and its sucking the life out of the others?

3. Are the motor and accessories hooked up to the batteries when you're charging? Could something there be hooked up in reverse?

Just guesses and good luck

[BobT]

After charging, try disconnecting the charger from the batteries and see if they discharge. If not, then your charger may be defective.

You could also disconnect the batteries from the system after charging to see if they hold charge. If any batteries are connected in parallel, a bad battery will become a load on a good battery and drain them both.

If you disconnect the batteries as mentioned above, and your charger is okay, then I'd be looking for something else that is still drawing power. Do you have accessories that are still turned on for example?

[pinkfloyd4ever]

any update?