Do you turn off your DC battery solenoids?

M

mooredriven

New Member
Oct 16, 2006
76
Flower Mound, TX
Boat Info
340 Sundancer, 2003
Engines
8.1 Horizon's
I was talking with a dock mate last weekend and we were discussing the DC solenoid switches. I told him that I turn mine off when I leave for the week. He said he never turns his off.

I'm curious, for those that use their boat most weekends, do you leave your main battery solenoids on?

I thought I read somewhere in the manual, when I first purchased the boat, to turn them off when you leave. I remember something about it impacting the battery charger. I'll likely continue to turn mine off, as I see no benefit to leaving them on during the week.
 
I shut off my main battery switches before I leave the boat at the marina. Sometimes it can be 3 weeks between our visits, and I can't afford to have run down batteries because I forgot and left something on. The bilge pumps on our boat still work when those switches are off, so we're safe there. Not sure what you mean by the "main battery solenoids" though.
 
kpetry said:
I shut off my main battery switches before I leave the boat at the marina. Sometimes it can be 3 weeks between our visits, and I can't afford to have run down batteries because I forgot and left something on. The bilge pumps on our boat still work when those switches are off, so we're safe there. Not sure what you mean by the "main battery solenoids" though.
Click to expand...

+1, the selector switches should be off when not on the boat. The keys are out of the ignition and switches off. Which of these are you considering the solenoid? ALL should be off when not on the boat.
 
The battery switches are the solenoids. They turn on the DC power for the boat (except bilge pumps - which are always on). One or two, depending on how many banks you have.

I kept mine off the first several years I had the boat. I've left them on the last few years. I've not seen any difference either way.

I also leave my AC, fridge, ice maker, AC converter (battery charger), and AC lighting switches on. The ice maker (and sometimes the fridge) gets turned off for the winter, when we don't use it as much. But I leave the AC on year around to keep the humidity down.
 
On most of the summer - as we are there constantly. Now if I am not there for an extended period of time, I will shut them off. AC circuits are hot and AC constantly running in summer.
 
On - 100%.

Back up for refridges in case AC goes out for a while, which it does...
 
kpetry said:
<snip> Sometimes it can be 3 weeks between our visits, and I can't afford to have run down batteries because I forgot and left something on. The bilge pumps on our boat still work when those switches are off, so we're safe there. <snip>
Click to expand...

I always leave the shore power hooked up when not at the boat. Not only does it keep the batteries charged. . but if I spring a minor leak, the bilge pumps will keep running till I get to the boat!

Much rather show up and say "Hey! Why is that bilge pump running?" than saying "Hey! Why did the boat sink?"


- - - -

The owners manual does say to turn the battery switches off when away from the boat. If the boat is plugged in to shore power. . I honestly don't see why you need to do this.

(conversely. . if you don't have shore power. . then you better turn everything off so that the bilge pumps have fresh batteries to work with!).
 
I never turn mine off when away and the shore power is always connected and on.

I have never had a problem....other than that lip fungus but its goin' away.
 
mooredriven said:
I was talking with a dock mate last weekend and we were discussing the DC solenoid switches. I told him that I turn mine off when I leave for the week. He said he never turns his off.

I'm curious, for those that use their boat most weekends, do you leave your main battery solenoids on?

I thought I read somewhere in the manual, when I first purchased the boat, to turn them off when you leave. I remember something about it impacting the battery charger. I'll likely continue to turn mine off, as I see no benefit to leaving them on during the week.
Click to expand...

My mechanic says when you turn them off when your not aboard!! the batteries get a better A/C/ charge
 
I turn them off when not there and keep shore power on. I do not want anything to go wrong when I'm not there (like faulty water pump or holding tank pump coming on or anything else). If you leave them on you need to remember to be sure everything is switched off that you want to be off. I would forget so turning off the mains is best for me.
 
I've always left them on and the boat plugged in....never had a problem.
 
This is a good question, but it sounds like people are on both sides of this one.:huh: I leave mine off, but based on the feedback, if I was only going to be away for couple of days...I guess I now feel comfortable leaving the batteries energized.:thumbsup:

Thanks,
 
I turn mine off when I leave the boat.
I also disconnect the shore power most of the time. I'll leave it plugged in overnight maybe once a week.
I never leave the AC running when I'm away from the boat for more that just a short period of time. I like to be around when that AC pump is pumping raw water through my boat. My luck would be that a hose would break and the pump would be filling my boat with water.
 
dpvandy01 said:
Shore power and batteries ON. But all D/C systems OFF. I never leave the Head System, Stereo Amp, H2O pump or the D/C fridge on while I'm away.
Click to expand...

Good point of clarification. While I'm an "ON-er", as it has come to be called, I do turn off some individual switches. Namely the head, water, and stereo. DC Fridge stays on for me, as backup to AC, as someone else pointed out.
 
Off for me. I don't want to leave lights, or gps, or any accessory on by accident while I am not there. Especially the fresh water system in case it ever springs a leak. It is easy to hit a switch and turn on lights and not notice it during the day. My shore power is connected so if my bilge pumps are needed, the batteries will be re-charged. AC also keeps the beer cold for when I need it!

I turn the main switch off as the last thing I do when snapping my cockpit cover. This also reminds me when I get to the boat to switch which battery I will use upon arrival as I switch every trip.
 
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