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  1. #1
    Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    Question Is This Just A Bad Battery?

    I plug my Noco (10amp/bank)in after each time I go fishing. It’s usually green within 2 hours on both banks, and I plug it in the night before I go fishing and unplug it when I leave for the ramp.

    Last night, the last time I checked, both lights were green. I get to the ramp this morning and my trim is really slow...hmmm. I put her in the water and Nada! I carry a lithium ion little jumper with me so I jumped it and the motor started fine.

    My voltmeter read around 14 when I was under throttle but after a 15 min run around the lake I turned the boat off and tried to crank her back up, nada.

    Needless to say I fished within sight of the ramp and jumped it again to leave. On the run back to the ramp my boat (‘06 Triton SP185, ‘06 Etec 90) kept doing weird stuff. The tach kept jumping around, the 4 lights and beeps that happen when you turn the key on kept going off like I just turned the key on.

    I got home and the volt meter read 10.24volts. Yeah that’s bad!

    I’m really hoping the battery is just bad and nothing else. Last week the battery was fine when I used the boat. We did get into the 30’s twice this week which is odd for Florida, but I saw no gradual decline in the battery, just dead.

    Im headed to get another battery, just wondering if you guys have had a bad battery cause your gauges to go wacky?

    Thanks for any opinions. Chris.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

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    #2
    Put a known good battery with a volt meter and see if the boat is charging. You can try to charge the old one up and see if it will hold. By changing the battery you can clean the connections also. Cj
    2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.

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    #3
    Sounds like the cold weather killed it. I've had it happen to truck batteries before

  4. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #4
    The boat is charging. I came home, cleaned the connections and plugged in the Noco before I did anything else. It only went to 13.6 but it was back in the 10.4 range within the hour. I’m putting a new one in now, I’ll have to measure parasitic draw since I can’t accept the fact the battery just took a dump.

    The dayes are 2/15 on the batteries and idk how they were taken care of before I got the boat in June so this isn’t a real surprise.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  5. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #5
    Shorted cell. New battery time.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
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  6. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #6
    If it will stop storming I can go out and install my new battery! I’m thinking I’ll switch the Tm battery over to be the starting battery and use the brand new one as the Tm battery...they’re the exact same Everstart Maxx29. Figure I’ll give the Tm a little more juice and if the other one craps out soon I’ll have new batteries.

    If you guys don’t have one of those little jump starters in your truck I would highly recommend getting one. It saved me yesterday; and I’m pretty meticulous with the way I keep my stuff. Walmart simply swapped the battery for a new one No receipt, nothing! The sticker said 2/15 on it and the lady said go get a new one. Not sure if it’s holiday help or what? I was rather shocked to say the least but my new battery says 11/18 on it now so I can’t complain one bit.

    Ok, I’m editing this since the battery is now in and everything magically works perfect again! Thanks for easing my OCD mind guys.

    One more question, on my TM battery there are 2 leads, the charger and the Trolling motor ends. On the positive side is a small rectangular box. Is that a breaker of some sort? I have to believe it is so before I cut it’s tiny little body off and put an eyelet on the lead I wanted to make sure.

    If you guys say let it be, I will. Thanks again
    Last edited by Casslaw; 12-09-2018 at 12:22 PM.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

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    #7
    That little box is probably a current limiter for the T/M. Use it.

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    #8
    You MUST IMMEDIATELY charge a deep-cycle battery after using it. Same thing for other lead-acid batteries which get discharged and sit unused.From what you wrote, you don't do this.You also need to charge an idle battery every 2 to 3 weeks to keep it from sulfating.

  9. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #9
    I DO charge immediately after using the boat. I get home and plug in the onboard charger before I even start unloading. The lights on my Noco turn green after about 2 hours, the cranking battery usually after 15 min or so.

    Then I take the boat to my mom’s old house where she stays covered for the week. I pick the boat up Friday night and plug the charger back in and it stays plugged in until I leave for the ramp Saturday, Sunday, or both.

    I’ve used it at least once a week since I got it in June and installed the Noco onboard charger almost immediately. So I know the batteries have been cared for correctly since June, just not sure how they were treated from 2/15, when new, til I got the boat in June.

    Im guessing the recent cold snap did the one in and I’ll be replacing the other one very soon. Won’t wait for it to happen again.

    I left the TM wiring alone, just wasn’t sure what the little metal relay looking thing was.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  10. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #10
    Shorted cell is a mechanical failure within the battery.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
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  11. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #11
    The new battery is in and everything works great again. I was responding to skid00skid00 who said I was charging incorrectly. As I understand it I am charging them the best way, am I incorrect?

    CatFan, is there any rhyme or reason to a shorted cell? Usually my batteries show signs of being weak before crapping the bed but this one didn’t and I used the boat last Sunday without issue. Thanks, Chris
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  12. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Casslaw View Post

    CatFan, is there any rhyme or reason to a shorted cell? Usually my batteries show signs of being weak before crapping the bed but this one didn’t and I used the boat last Sunday without issue. Thanks, Chris
    Not always. Impact, high specific gravity, over heating from charging, and just plain bad luck can cause it. Bouncing down the lake in a bass boat isn’t an easy ride for a battery.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
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  13. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #13
    Thank you sir
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by CatFan View Post
    Not always. Impact, high specific gravity, over heating from charging, and just plain bad luck can cause it. Bouncing down the lake in a bass boat isn’t an easy ride for a battery.
    Agree...

    and would add that a shorted cell can sometimes be seen in dismantled batteries that had been well maintained and delivered their full life cycles. The plates and their supports at the normal end of a long life become quite weak structurally and sections can break forming an electrical bridge failing one battery cell that was otherwise strong the day before.

    The hint is that a charged battery with a shorted cell suddenly offers a voltage that is ~ 5/6 of the normal full battery voltage.

    A poorly maintained battery slowly sulfates and exhibits near normal fully charged voltages and quickly reaches green light on charger, but placed into use has little capacity and soon requires recharging.
    Last edited by Lou r Pitcher; 12-09-2018 at 11:18 PM.

  15. Better Lucky Than Good! Casslaw's Avatar
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    #15
    The battery I took out would only charge to approx 13.4 volts and dropped into the 10.4 range within an hour of being removed. I’m glad it was “just” the battery and I’m glad everything is working perfect again...my ocd takes over sometimes and I look for problems that aren’t there. I get all doom and gloom when I get to the ramp and hear...click!

    Thanks again everyone.
    2006 Triton SP-185, 2006 Evinrude Etec 90, PowerTech NRS3, Garmin Echomap Plus 73CV & 93SV

  16. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Casslaw View Post
    The battery I took out would only charge to approx 13.4 volts and dropped into the 10.4 range within an hour of being removed. I’m glad it was “just” the battery and I’m glad everything is working perfect again...my ocd takes over sometimes and I look for problems that aren’t there. I get all doom and gloom when I get to the ramp and hear...click!

    Thanks again everyone.
    As Lou mentioned above, when you have a shorted cell, you have just the output of 5 cells instead of six. Cells typically produce 2.11V each giving you about 12.66V open circuit at full charge. With a shorted cell, you get 5/6 of that or about 10.55V.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

  17. Member Hez's Avatar
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    #17
    Glad you got it worked out Cass. Clicking at the ramp is no fun.

    Wishin' I was fishin'...


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