Number of batteries in 1998 3500 express

[Jpendejo]

We have a total of 12 batteries in our 1998 Tiara. It has a hydraulic lift swim platform, bow thruster and all the other standards the 1998 were provided with.
Does anyone else have this many batteries?

[Sans Peur]

WOW! That is a bunch of batteries. What size are they? Seems like someone went to a bunch of smaller batteries instead of a few larger ones. I have a 2000 41 Open with Cat 3208's and it has Four 4D batteries in there. They are plenty to run everything on, although I am always on the generator and never just using house battery power.

Are they wired parallel to each other or are some of them dedicated to select equipment? Mine are in two separate circuits with two batteries on each.

[Sallypops]

I have four for a 1999 Open one each per engine for starting and two deep cycle for house. I'm with you on why twelve batteries?

[TIARA44]

I have 11 - 6 engine & 5 house, all group 31's 2005 44' Sovran.

[Sans Peur]

I have 11 - 6 engine & 5 house, all group 31's 2005 44' Sovran.

It sounds like they went with a bunch of smaller batteries instead of larger ones. I don't know if that would be better or not. It may provide more overall amp hour capacity but the maintenance would be terrible. If one goes bad It will suck the others down with it and makes it harder to identify which one would be the culprit.

[tcates1225]

98 3500 open, 5 total. 2 house, 2 engine, one for the generator.

[ReelMagic]

2003 38 Open... 6 group 31 GEL batteries. 3 for the house and 3 are used for starting engines/generator

[Dave Young]

My 2004 3500 Open with 370 Cummins had, and still has, 5 group 31's.  Three for the house and two for the engine bank.  She wouldn't crank over without using the combiner solenoid either.  

By using a battery tester, I found that even though the starting batteries showed a voltage reading of 13.2, their cranking amp capacity was only 30% of their new rating.  They were 6 years old.  So, I replaced them all and went with two AGM 31's for the engine bank and three Oasis FireFly 31's for the house.  I couldn't be happier!  I installed two new alternators, left the Charles regulator in place to control the port side and put in a new Balmar external regulator for the house along with Balmar's SG200 battery monitor down in the DC panel.   She wings over beautifully and those house batteries let us anchor out all we want.

[tedmonson]

I just purchased a 1998 31 Open, and have 5 batteries but I have not been able to find the generator Battery, can someone tell me where it's hidden, the generator just clicks when you try to start it..

[Sans Peur]

Old thread.

I have since sold my 41 and now have a 50 Open. Neither boat has a dedicated battery to the generator. The 41 pulled from the stbd engine bank and the 50 pulls off the port bank.

To add to the original question of this thread, my 50 has 12 batteries. 4 each on port and stbd as engine cranking batteries and 4 mid as house. Somehow the mid and port bank combine and power the house. Still trying to figure that one out but just haven't set in the engine room long enough to trace all the wiring.