Is it my charger?

I bought a new boat. The starting battery has been getting worse all the time. I charge it and it would go to 90% then 80% the other day it only went to 72% and the charger shut off and was flashing Bad telling me the battery was bad. I took it back to the dealer, he said he would have to test it, he said it just needed charged and that my charger was bad. I keep 5 batteries charged with this charger and never had a problem till this battery. Talked to him today, he said the battery was 100% and he would check it tomorrow to see if it held a charge. I did that for 2 days and it went back down to 10% not holding a charge. Any ideas or suggestions? I bought a new battery from him with the understanding that if the original was bad I would get my money back...

Is this a brand new boat? What motor? Does the battery go down just from sitting or does it go down while you are running the motor?

i would isolate the battery and use a different charger on it..........then test it....

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Originally Posted by chucktx

i would isolate the battery and use a different charger on it..........then test it....

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Originally Posted by Barnacle Bill

Is this a brand new boat? What motor? Does the battery go down just from sitting or does it go down while you are running the motor?

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It's a new 2009/30hp Merc 4 stroke. I took it out of the boat and charged it twice. It went back down both times just sitting there.

get a hydrometer and test each cell, may have a bad cell(s)

Sealed battery.

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Originally Posted by Crappie 1

It's a new 2009/30hp Merc 4 stroke. I took it out of the boat and charged it twice. It went back down both times just sitting there.

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Its a bad battery. A load test at your local auto parts store would confirm this.

Yep.. Bad battery.

Wannabe...

Well, I did that too, and it tested ok, they said it needed charging. I'm waiting for a call from the dealer. Both times it tested 10 amps and it should be at least 12 or more...

Would that battery be an optima? I ask because i've had a couple of them go bad on me.

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Originally Posted by Crappie 1

Well, I did that too, and it tested ok, they said it needed charging. I'm waiting for a call from the dealer. Both times it tested 10 amps and it should be at least 12 or more...

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I had a couple of batteries like that. I had them tested 3 times at 3 different places, they all said the tested okay. They never did hold a charge. I replaced them and everything has been good ever since.

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Originally Posted by chaunc

Would that battery be an optima? I ask because i've had a couple of them go bad on me.

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I know your right there. I had a buddy used then for trollers, told him don't do it. He only fished 1/2 days till he got rid of them. Sorry but they're junk, made right here in my hometown. #1 most returned battery and that's all I'll say. You can see pallets of them outside their store/distribution center. In the plant they "hot charge" them, figure that one out.

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Originally Posted by chaunc

Would that battery be an optima? I ask because i've had a couple of them go bad on me.

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No chaunc, it's a Deca-Decka?

Well, the dealer said that his battery man told him that the battery had been run stone dead at one time. That;s why it took 3 days to charge it up. I never ran any battery stone dead. If it was dead, it had to have been at the dealers. Anyway I bought a new one, and now I have the old one. Looks like the dealer and the battery guy made out good-me-I'm out $85 I'm going after it this morning. Thanks for the reply...

I have a question for you, do you have GPS? If so I suggest you put a switch in or disconnect your battery after each use. GPS stays active even if the units turned off. Just saying

I always un-plug everything when I get in from fishing... The battery checks 100%, so now I have 2 batteries. A brand new one & a little older one...