Henry-
If you use the
VHF for any transmission, it's going to draw down the batteries fairly quickly, since they're at least 25 Watts of transmission power, and somewhat inefficient, so you're probably looking at 2.25 or 2.5 amps per hour for transmit.
You're also missing the parasitic discharge that wet-cells go through, just sitting there...
It could be from overcharging, but I seriously doubt it. What PWM charge controller are you using, and is it a three-stage charge controller. If it isn't a three stage charge controller, you need to get one that supports bulk, absorption and float phases at a minimum. If it was overcharging, it would probably be boiling off electrolyte. Have you checked the electrolyte specific gravity and levels in the cells on a regular basis??
Are there any other parasitic loads on the batteries that may not have been accounted for???
__________________
Sailingdog
Telstar 28
New England
You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)
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