Help!!! With Heart Interface

[nelsonsmoody]

Hello all and a happy new year.
>>
This pass weekend I checked on my boat since it is wintered in the water. My batteries were dead. Some how the electric cord came loose from the main at the dock. I had a couple of Air Dryer Dehumidifiers from WESTMARINE and they ran the batteries down. My Heart Interface 1800 shows that the charge rate is red (led light) charging over 30 amps for more than 6 days. Batteries are maintaining power not over heating but I know that under normal conditions this is not supposed to happen. Am I damaging my batteries? Or is there something that I could do to bring the Heart Interface to normal working condition.

[sailingdog]

The Heart interface may need to be reset. Often electronics can have some issues if they're powered down incorrectly or operated at lower than normal voltages. If you read the manual for it, I'm willing to be they have a reset or reset/re-calibration procedure for it.

However, I'd also recommend you check your batteries, especially if they're wet cells. The batteries could have sulphated and shorted out a cell... The electrolyte levels could also be low. If they are wet cells, top off the cells with distilled water and get a hydrometer and check the specific gravity of the electrolyte.

If the batteries are being charged at 30 amps for six days... there is something wrong. Especially if you say the batteries are "maintaining" power and not overheating. What could be happening is that the 12 VDC equipment is running primarily off the charger, and the batteries aren't really holding any real charge....just enough to allow the charger to power the loads you've got on the DC side.

[nelsonsmoody]

Good idea, but the manual does not refer to any reset buttons.
Should I disconnect the power cord and run the batteries down to see if that reset it?
>>
thanks, sailingdog

[nelsonsmoody]

Hi Rick
Yes I do have a remote power switch and remote panel.

[nelsonsmoody]

OK! I'm going to do that this Sat. am. if is not to late.
Rick,
My charge rate reads:
off 0-10 amps
green 10-20 amps
yellow 20-30 amps
red over 30 amps
flashing equalization charge

my red led light is on all the time.
I hope my shut down and restarting will fix it.
many thanks
nelson

[nelsonsmoody]

Rick, a few photos

[xort]

Buy a good hygrometer, not the cheapie from the hardware store. Test the battery condition. They may be in trouble. You can look into battery desulfators to attempt to bring back a sulfated battery.

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/autoniknaks/pulsetech.html

[HoffaLives]

my link 2000 sometimes goes squirrely and i have to reset it, but usually voltage readings go off, not current. my money is on ruined battery; nothing worse than sucking one dry and having it sit.