Battery issue?

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Golfman25

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Got to the boat today. Went to start starboard engine. One turn, then dead. Battery has been on the charger since last time. Started up fine when paralled with port engine.

Not sure how old battery is. Several years. Sound like replacement time? Or something else?
 
If it's not an over charging issue, then it IS replacement time.
 
It is replacement time or something else. While it's pretty likely that a battery that's "several years old" is in need of replacement, having it tested would be the sensible thing to do. It could be a wiring problem and you would feel pretty silly spending a hundred dollars or more on a replacement battery and finding that the problem was something else.
 
you don't say if you checked the acid level, connections etc.
 
What Bruce said. Check everything before you just assume it's a bad battery and buy a new one.
 
Several years old would point to the battery but check the wiring, make sure the terminal is tight and clean/no corroded. If lead acid, how is the water level, when was it last checked.

If terminals are tight and clean, and the water level is good then replace it.. Since it started find on parallel then the starter is ok
 
quote:
Originally posted by Golfman25

Click to expand...


A shade tree mechanic's load test may identify a bad battery. Make sure the battery is fully charged using a volt meter across the terminals (12.7 volts). Pull the coil wire and ground it to the block. With the digital volt meter connected to the battery, have a helper crank the engine and watch the meter if it drops to about 9.5 that's a bad battery. If it drops to about 10.5 but does not bounce back up to about 11.0 after the the starter is disengaged, that's bad too. A good battery should bounce back to 12 v or better when the stater is pulled off it.
 
quote:
Originally posted by bomikes48

quote:
Originally posted by Golfman25

Click to expand...


A shade tree mechanic's load test may identify a bad battery. Make sure the battery is fully charged using a volt meter across the terminals (12.7 volts). Pull the coil wire and ground it to the block. With the digital volt meter connected to the battery, have a helper crank the engine and watch the meter if it drops to about 9.5 that's a bad battery. If it drops to about 10.5 but does not bounce back up to about 11.0 after the the starter is disengaged, that's bad too. A good battery should bounce back to 12 v or better when the stater is pulled off it.

Click to expand...
 
Battery is the sealed maintenance free type, so no levels to check. I'll give a quick check of the connections before I pull it -- I think they will be ok. It just sucks that I have to replace the battery again at the end of the season -- seems like I am doing it every few years. Thanks all.
 
I think sealed lead acid batteries are the worst battery for marine use. You can not replenish fluid levels. They are basically throw away disposable battery's.
If your going to use lead acid at least get a battery you can maintain the fluid levels in.
Bill
 
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