28TE Repair issue??

[Mike Monte]

Hello:
I own a 2001 28TE that purchased in '02 as a new/used "demo boat" (14 hrs. on the engine) from a local dealer. Essentially it was new.
I winter the boat at the dealer's boatyard with the dealer doing all work on the engine/transmission. I do the water systems, etc.
My issue:
Last October (two weeks before it was hauled for the winter) my batteries went dead for some reason. I had the dealer replace the batteries and battery charger as things were old...

This May I topped off the battery water, the boat was launched, and the dealer commissioned the engine/transmission. All was fine.

Early July a "pungent smell" in my boat became apparent. I thought that it was the bilge or waste system so I cleaned everything..... I even brought the boat to the dealer and he spent an hour checking everything....we could not find the answer. I was about to give the dealer the order to change the septic lines to see if it helped...then...I opened one of the battery boxes and found that the odor was coming from the batteries.....a kind of pungent sulfur(y) smell.

I checked the water in the batteries and they were almost dry with the strong odor present.

I topped of the battery water (the larger battery took two gallons) and that battery was warm to the touch. I put the battery charger on and went home.

A day later I went to my boat and both batteries were dead....

I went to the dealer's boatyard and got another battery to start my boat to bring it to his dock.

The next day I talked to the dealer and he said that it seems that his boatyard had installed the wrong battery charger in the fall ("Tournament 300 Triple" to be exact) and that he would "eat the cost" of replacing it which was fair enough for me.

I called the unit's manufacturer and the tech told me that the particular unit is meant to charge three batteries, not two.

All of the above said, I have received an invoice for

(as listed on the workorder labor page):
- check battery charging output .345 volts
- install 1230P charger
- replace battery

(as listed on the workorder parts page):
- 4D Ultra Power Battery: $350.28
- 31 Ultra Power battery: $169.83
- upcharge for larger battery charger: $75.00

Since I already paid for them to install a new batter charger in the fall AND they installed the wrong unit, should I have to pay for the correct unit to be installed??
also
Since they installed the wrong battery charger that "ruined the batteries" that they installed new in the fall....should I now have to pay for the new batteries and the labor to install??

I feel that I am being taken advantage of..... I am not made of money.... I pay my bills as soon as I get them.....

This is troubling me....

I have purposely left the name of the boatyard out of this post. Should I post it?

Your thoughts??

Mike Monte
acpliveaudio@hotmail.com

[Mike Monte]

Hello again:
my post continued......
I just found the invoices from last fall:
labor to install two new batteries: $225.00
labor to remove old charger and install new one: $262.50

Mike Monte

[Serenity]

Mike, in my opinion if the yard installed the wrong equipment and it failed because of their "negligence", they should pick up the cost of repair. Secondly, is it possible the billing individual was not aware of the original problem and billed you off of the work order. Thirdly, if you had a 3 bank charger, it might have been easier to install a third battery. I have a Charles 30 amp battery charger which I believe is capable of charging three batteries but is only wired for 2. Is it possible they wired the batteries to the charger wrong?
A guy in my marina had an Albin 28, and when he came back the next day, his batteries exploded due to a faulty charger. The boat was totaled due to the acid from the batteries. Everything in the engine room and cabin was destroyed, from cables to upholstery.

I would talk to the owner of the yard.

Good luck

[Jack]

I agree with Max. If they know they made a mistake they should pay for it all. I would start with a friendly chat. If that doesn't work, a call or letter from an attorney should get their attention. The cost of the job to them is far less than the price for you. They're idiots if they want litigation or a damaged reputation rather than do the right thing.

[catalina_mike]

Several chargers have charging switches that need to be set for the correct battery installed. AGM's charge at a different voltage then lead acid. Setting this wrong will cook the batteries.

[Norseman]

The yard needs to pay for everything, new batteries, new charger, labor, etc, AND they should buy you dinner and drinks for being incompetent, damaging your equipment and endangering you and your family...

[coolchange]

The yard needs to pay for everything, new batteries, new charger, labor, etc, AND they should buy you dinner and drinks for being incompetent, damaging your equipment and endangering you and your family...

I second the above...you paid for expert assistance and work...and got ________________ (not that). However, customer service has become such a joke and the value of a long term customer (and their referrals) has gotten so far away from reality that I would not be surprised if you were not told to pay the bill and shut up. Hope I am wrong...and love it when small business owners do the right thing and take care of their customers.

Keep us posted

[Deb]

I work on the trade you are on the wrong yard they are totally responsible I have a 2000 albin very easy to do anything to it talk to the yard owner