Helix 10 turning off

[CancerKiller]

I posted on the Sea Clear thread and didn't want to steal that guy's thunder so doing a separate post

Have a Gen 1 Helix 10, not networked, just stand alone. It's directly connected to a 1 year old Duracell AGM group 31. Sometimes, but it seems like when I have just charged my battery fully, my Helix cuts out when I start my motor. It did this before my AGM battery too. Not sure why that's happening, but I can turn down the brightness of the graph and it won't turn off when starting the motor. What could be the cause of this? It's weird because it seems to happen much more when I first get on the water than later in the day after using all my electronics. It's almost as if it's shutting off because of a power surge, not a lack of power. It's weird.

[mwh624]

Most likely one of the following:
- Too small gauge wire for the length of run.
- Bad/loose connections at the joints
- Weak Battery

I'm guessing a loose connection and the reason you see it less later in the day is the wiring/connectors have warmed up and expanded resulting in a better connection.

[ezfishn]

I think your answer may be in the other post. With one graph wired direct to the battery, it sounds like a battery problem or engine related. Turning the brightness down reduces the load on the battery which would allow more cranking power. Sometimes on colder mornings and first time starts it will take more power to crank the engine which reduces power to the other electronics.

[CancerKiller]

I've got the nuts tightened down by wrench. But will check it again. Maybe pull all connections and scrub with wire brush. I have several things on that battery. Battery is showing almost 13v.

[Tone357]

Why not put a tester on it at the time it happens. I would even test the battery after your charger says it's topped off. If it's doing it on two batteries, I would be looking at the charger as the culprit with it being a common denominator.

[CancerKiller]

Thanks all, will try all these ideas.

[Dogfish_Jones]

Mine were doing that also. Every time I started my main engine they cut off. I have dual Helix 12 at the console. Then they just went off and did not come back on. I check my wiring which was fine then when I checked my fuse box the 3 amp fuse was melted.
I ask our electrical engineer at work about it, he ran the numbers of amps and wiring and said yep that 3 amp fuse will blow every now and then and told me that I could go as high I think with a 10 amp fuse without any problems. I played it safe and put in a 5 amp fuse and not had another problem.

[CancerKiller]

I'm wired direct to the battery, not through the fuse box.

[ThomasD]

OP you said it did the same with a previous battery. If so I would look at the cables and connections from the battery to the starter and ground. Loose or corroded connections will cause the starter to draw enough power causing a voltage drop high enough to cut off your bird especially on a cold motor.

[CancerKiller]

Hmmm, went out today and didn't do it 1 time. this is a weird deal. Run pumps, graph, etc all day and only does it early. Usually doesn't do it later in day when battery is run down.