Voltage problem...I think...Maybe...

[clay-wallace]

I decided the other afternoon to run to the lake for a few hours, and I hadn't charged the batteries in a few days. The boat started and ran fine but I left all of my HDS units on when I got to my first spot, at least two of which run off of the cranking battery. When I got ready to leave about an hour and a half later the battery was d..e..a..d..Dead. I finally got the cranking battery swapped over with one of the trolling motor batteries and was able to get the boat started but I was getting a low voltage alarm intermittently and eventually lost about half power and had to idle the rest of the way in. I was afraid I had burnt up a coil because I had read somewhere that running with low voltage for very long could do that (which may or may not even be true). So when I got back home I swapped the batteries back around and plugged the charger up. I went back out yesterday to see if there were any lasting problems, and the boat started and ran fine, except for the fact that anytime I hit the trim for more then about a second the voltage would sag and the low voltage alarm would beep until I stopped trimming the motor. I never turned my Lowrances on because I didn't feel like going thru the head ache again. I fished for several hours and the only time I had any sign of trouble was when I would trim up or down. The voltage would go down to about 10 and then when I would stop trimming it would go up to around 11. So my question is this, do you think my battery is just biting the dust or is there a deeper issue here???

[clay-wallace]

Oh by the way its a 2010 Triton with a 2010 250 ProXs

[howieranger]

The indications are that the cranking battery has lost capacity and needs to be replaced.. A bad battery can show full charge on a charger but when a load is applied (trim motor) the voltage drops too low..what voltage were you showing while running? Did it go above 13 volts to 14.2 indicating the charging system was working?

[ED Fish]

I would take battery to auto parts store and have a load test done.But if I had to guess it is the cranking battery.

[nightcaller]

Go for a Sears Diehard Platinum 31m - it's the best I could find....has a three year non pro rated warranty, AGM technology, more than enough amps for the Opti Pro XS and warranty service anywhere...real happy with mine.

[Z518 Comanche]

I would take battery to auto parts store and have a load test done.But if I had to guess it is the cranking battery.

+1

[matt35633]

The sears platinum is the good, but wow that thing is heavy,

[clay-wallace]

So is that the battery I should go with? I'm open to any and all suggestions

[EuropeanAM]

Clay:

Here's my suggestions:

1. LOAD TEST CURRENT BATTERY. See the following post for battery recommendations (I like the PM-1 as an excellent choice):

Mercury - 3 Liter High Performance

2. Check battery CABLE connections. Must be CLEAN, Engine cable installed FIRST, remaining lugs Largest to Smallest, and finish off connections with a Stainless LOCKNUT (do NOT use wing-nuts).

3. Monitor battery voltage AT THE BATTERY, at idle. If voltage does not reach or exceed 13.1 VDC within 5 minutes, alternator testing is suggested (test voltage at large red-wire output lead on alternator and report results).

4. ALWAYS start each outing with a FULLY charged battery.

[clay-wallace]

Never occurred to me that the order I put the cables on the battery could make a difference, there's no telling what order I put them in, Ill check tomorrow (gotta go in to work in a bit). I know the in-dash voltage gauge never got above 12 the other day running or idling, but I will swap the battery cables around and test with a multimeter and then get back with ya. Thanks again

[EuropeanAM]

Be glad to assist once you've done that.

[clay-wallace]

Well heres an update....
First I had the battery on charge for bout 12 hrs while I was at work, when I got off I decided I was going to take it to autozone to get load tested. So I carried the battery up there and all the girl did was hook it up to her little meter and tell me that it read fully charged. I thought they could tell me more info then that, CCA and that type of stuff, am I wrong or was this chick just clueless??

Second I put the battery on the boat and went to the river and ran about 4 mins to my first spot using only the in dash HDS so I could see my map, and once I got there I cut it back off. The boat ran fine. But the in dash volt meter still only read about 11.

Third....I meant to do a little more testing on the battery but I started slaying the fish...prolly 100 in the 4 hrs and I never left that one point. I mean I was catching several doubles and even had my first triple...god bless the Alabama rig. And 75% of these were keepers with the biggest being around 6. But needless to say the battery testing took a back seat. But with all that being said when I got ready to leave after no power having been drawn from the battery for several hours the motor turned over a little slowly but did start. I took my multimeter and tested the voltage at the motor leads and it was 12.6, but the meter in the dash still said 11. When running my voltage alarm came in everytime I used my trim and if I ran the trim for more then a second the motor would start to die

Does any of that help?????Cuz I need help

[Ranger519VS]

You need to go back and read Don's post. The way it sounds your motor's charging system isn't working. Check voltage at the battery with the engine idling. If the voltage doesn't rise then check the voltage at the red connection on the alternator. Then report results.

[clay-wallace]

Its a crappy rainy day in New Johnsonville and I wasn't able to get on the water today, so I will do the testing at the alternator the next time the sun decides to come out. Where is the fusable link at, under the cowling I assume? To be honest ive not had the cowling off since I bought it, I was afraid it would jinx me

[Triton19x2]

U can put the motor on the hose in the yard and check it there as well

[clay-wallace]

Well yea I know, but I figure ill go to the lake tomorrow anyways

[clay-wallace]

Well yea I know, but I figure ill go to the lake tomorrow anyways

[clay-wallace]

UPDATE

Looks like it is the 100 amp fuse....I've got about 24 volts coming off alternator and only 11 on battery side of fuse...Big shout out to Don and the others foe the advice, sure glad I didn't go spend a couple hundred on a battery. Do I need to put the exact same type fuse in or can I just get the closest thing auto zone has?
Again, thanks guys

[bassinvol]

24 volts coming off the alternator??? That is entirely to high to be coming off the alternator. Should be between 13-14 volts max. If it is that high, sounds like you have a voltage regulator issue. You will probably wind up frying your PCM too.

[Ranger519VS]

Actually 20+ volts at the red terminal is normal if the fuseable link is blown. Need a new fuseable link.