Voltage when starting/and trimming 250 PRO XS

[hoytkimbershimano]

Usually I have my Smartcraft set to temp right from the start, but given my recent electrical power loss issue, I'm going to monitor voltage.

Does anyone else watch their voltage while cranking their engine?

What would be a typical voltage low while cranking or adjust tilt/trim?

Do you see your voltage change when changing the tilt/trim while the engine is RUNNING?

Thanks!

[EuropeanAM]

Preferably, the voltage should remain at a minimum of 11.5VDC even while cranking/trimming.

Somewhere around 11.1 VDC, weird things start to occur.

[hoytkimbershimano]

This is taking me back to suspecting the battery again...

When I was having the power failure on the water, I noticed my voltage dropping when I would trim the motor down while it was idling. Dropping from a little over 14 to something in the 12's.

Does the engine crank, but not fire, if the man overboard tether is pulled?

Thanks.

[wiredog]

Yes it does!! Wiredog

[EuropeanAM]

Yes, if the lanyard cord is pulled, the starter will still function (but the engine will NOT start).

Same can also occur during excessively low voltage occurances. I've seen many cases where there was adequate "AMPERAGE" to spin the starter, but INADEQUATE voltage to hold the contacts of the Main Power Relay closed.

Have you removed the BATTERY GROUND CABLE CONNECTION from the block (down below the starter), cleaned it, and properly reconnected it yet? If not- that's another place you might want to be looking (it can really mess with voltage, loss of power, and voltage anomolies while trimming). I've run across a few where the bolt was pulled down to the correct torque.... but due to excessive thread-lock paste, never "clamped" the cable to the block securely.

[hoytkimbershimano]

Thanks Don. I will check into it. Does my little smartcraft gauge recall the voltage when power is lost?

Went out today after checking everything on the boat side and cleaning and reconnecting. Everything looked good.

Voltage was 12.9 before I cranked the motor. While cranking I had my smartcraft to voltage and saw it blip below 11. My motor fires almost immediately though. I DID GET THAT CHIRP AFTER STARTING. I got the chirp all of last year too. What is weird is that I only get that chirp if I have been charging my batteries before going out.

Voltage went to 14.2 or so and stayed stable. While running, my voltage does go from 14ish to 12ish when I trim.

Ranger will probably replace my keypad and power module. I am going to get that Sears battery.

It cut out on me today once. I think it is my key pad /ignition. Not the motor.

Don, will a engine computer report show these shutdowns and if they were shutdown due an ignition signal?

I will check that engine ground though. That might explain why it only happens with the engine running.

Tim.

[EuropeanAM]

Unfortunately, Smartcraft is powered by the PCM on the engine. If the PCM shuts down due to low voltage (or a keypad malfunction), there's nothing there (much like pulling the power cord on your PC).

It is possible that some information on these events may be in the PCM's Freeze Frame (Fault) Data. A Printout would be benefitial.... EVEN if there are no "low voltage" faults listed (there may be other useful information in the "data").