3200SCR Battery & Electrical Questions

[Jbuccilli]

I just bought this 1998 3200 One battery won’t charge and the other keeps dying. I looked everywhere but I haven’t been able to locate the fuse box that controls the fuse to the battery charger. Can you help me. Thanks

[mmwjr]

Welcome aboard.

Have you looked at the date on the batteries? They may be old and needing replacement. The battery charger only works on shore power and the breaker for it is on the AC power panel.

[Jbuccilli]

Sorry such a newly
Should my battery charger light be on? Maybe my fuse in the charger unit is bad.

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by Jbuccilli

Sorry such a newly
Should my battery charger light be on? Maybe my fuse in the charger unit is bad.

What charger do you have? Do you have shore power connected with the main and charger breakers on?

[Jbuccilli]

I think my charger is a guest. I am hooked up to shore power and my battery charger switch is on. Tomorrow I’m going to look to see if the fuse is blown in the charger

[mmwjr]

I would start by using a voltmeter and measure the chargers output with it disconnected from the batteries. If no voltage check to verify it’s getting 120VAC with the meter.

[Jbuccilli]

Thanks for the help!

[Jbuccilli]

The battery charger would show 12 amps when the battery switch was on the both position. In the off position or 1 or 2 the battery charger showed zero. It’s telling me wired wrong. I’m going to see if the batteries charge.

[mmwjr]

The charger should be wired directly to the batteries and not though the switch. When you put it in both you’re connecting the chargers bank 1 to bank 2 and the charger won’t like that hence the current reading. The zero reading means either that the one battery doesn’t need a charge or won’t take a charge.

You can take the batteries to an auto store and have them load test them to see if they are good.

[Jbuccilli]

Can I expect that the battery charger will now charge both batteries? The engines Will only crank in the both position. the radio will come on the 1 position but will not crank. In 2 nothing.

[mmwjr]

The charger can charge both batteries with the switch off, 1 or 2. What operates in a given battery switch position has nothing to do with the charger. Non the alternator will charge what battery is selected when the engine is running.

[Trey5684]

Like mmwjr said, but don't confuse battery "master" switches with "battery charger" circuit

[Jbuccilli]

That’s what I thought. But for some reason my batteries will not charge in position 1,2,or off. If I leave it on both will I be doing any damage?

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by Jbuccilli

That’s what I thought. But for some reason my batteries will not charge in position 1,2,or off. If I leave it on both will I be doing any damage?

You need to trace the wires from the charger to see how it’s wired. Seems like it’s going to the battery switch which is not correct. Also look at the charger to see if it has two banks and verify their working, putting out voltage with the wires disconnected. I wonder if one bank died and the PO wired it to the both position. If this is the case I would get a new charger and wire it correctly.

[Jbuccilli]

That sounds correct. I also believe that it is wired incorrectly. The previous owner must’ve done that. I will check the wiring. Thanks for all your help.