electrical trouble

carolina-rig-01 · 01-05-09, 02:22 AM

dad and i went to table rock yesterday. when he backed me down the ramp and i went to start the boat (my running lights and graph were both on) all i got was a real fast click click click. finally i turned off my running lights and she turned over and fired right up but my graph shut off, after it was running i could turn the lights and graph on and all worked well. but if the motor was in gear and idiling and i tried to trim up or down it would kill the motor (if the motor was in neutral the trim would work fine). the motor would start up just fine but usually would turn the graph off (which would then turn on just fine. if i was running on pad and hit the trim the motor would cut out until i let off the trim then the motor would pick back up and run great. after a while the trim would work just fine whether in gear or not, running on pad or not. but later in the day my graph froze up and i couldn't even turn it off, so i unhooked it and when i hooked it back up it worked fine.

on a side note the gauge showed my battery charging on 13 volts. the night before i hooked up the charger to top off my batteries and the charging battery showed fully charged in probably less than a minute which i thought was strange but my charger is supposed to tell me if there are any battery problems and the charger showed the battery being fine. also not related but somehow my save phace mask blew out of the boat as well which just capped the day off great.

any theories? it sounds to me like maybe a short but is it wierd that it effects all of these things? could it be a relay, battery or motor related? also all the trouble with the trim was when i was using the pro trim on the steering column, i didn't think to try the trim on the throttle until it was already working again so i don't know if it would have acted up too or not.

whats your thoughts?

Nitro 640 · 01-05-09, 02:45 AM

How old is the battery? I took my boat out, started it ran fine shut off lost trim. Started got trim back shut off, and dead. Had trim down but nothing else. I just switched to my trolling batts and everything worked fine. Found out the starting batt was old and not holding charge.

boater · 01-05-09, 06:57 PM

might start by checking water in batteries

barkelypup · 01-05-09, 09:55 PM

I'm going to concour with boater and Nitro. I had a weak batt. once and it started my motor fine but when I cranked it my lights and sonar would go off from not enough power. Changed the battery and all was fine.

bP

Basscrazie · 01-05-09, 10:57 PM

I had similar stuff happening on mine and charged the battery with a maintainer,all worked fine till friday when the bottom voltage regulator/rectifier smoked and started running on 3 cylinders...
What motor have you got?Check batt voltage and look to make sure your rectifiers aren't starting to show signs of black goo from getting hot or melting..If so unhook the battery.

woody · 01-05-09, 11:13 PM

I agree with the others, I would start by getting your battery checked out.

jasonfish320 · 01-06-09, 10:58 AM

I'm about 99.99% sure that by your description you have atleat one bad batt., I had the same thing happen on my charger...I plugged it in for less than 5 mins. and was reading that the batteries were at 100% which I knew wasn't the case...If you thumb through your troubleshooting guide for your charger it should give you examples....The trim is more than likely a result of a bad battery or relay switch...however usually when a relay switch goes bad, the trim doesn't move at all or will only move up or move down...I'm still going with battery...let us know

woody · 01-06-09, 11:06 AM

So typically whats the life of a marine battery?

carolina-rig-01 · 01-06-09, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonfish320

I'm about 99.99% sure that by your description you have atleat one bad batt., I had the same thing happen on my charger...I plugged it in for less than 5 mins. and was reading that the batteries were at 100% which I knew wasn't the case...If you thumb through your troubleshooting guide for your charger it should give you examples....The trim is more than likely a result of a bad battery or relay switch...however usually when a relay switch goes bad, the trim doesn't move at all or will only move up or move down...I'm still going with battery...let us know

interesting that everyone is thinking it is the battery. the reason i doubted the battery was the problem is once the motor is running it is not running off the battery anymore so how could a bad battery cause the motor to die? not doubting you guys, just confused.

bcklash · 01-06-09, 12:42 PM

Besides the battery , I would also check all connections and terminals. I also believe its the battery. hope you find the problem soon.

woody · 01-06-09, 12:45 PM

A bad battery will make it do all kinds of wierd things.

Nitro 640 · 01-07-09, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolina-rig-01

interesting that everyone is thinking it is the battery. the reason i doubted the battery was the problem is once the motor is running it is not running off the battery anymore so how could a bad battery cause the motor to die? not doubting you guys, just confused.

It could be a short but then it should blow a fuse. If your motor is not starting with lights on and graph it and they both run off your starting batt. I would go with a bad batt. Batteries are a had thing to know if bad because they will show 13v but within a start of the motor can drop to only 10v. I would try one of your trolling batts and see if everything works. If so you will know it's the starting batt. If not, well your going to have a lot more work ahead.

Good luck!

Brute · 01-08-09, 04:18 PM

I would double check your electrical connections including the grounds.
I have worked on a lot of old cars and most electrical problems stem from bad connections.

Brute

01-05-09, 02:22 AM	#1
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	electrical trouble dad and i went to table rock yesterday. when he backed me down the ramp and i went to start the boat (my running lights and graph were both on) all i got was a real fast click click click. finally i turned off my running lights and she turned over and fired right up but my graph shut off, after it was running i could turn the lights and graph on and all worked well. but if the motor was in gear and idiling and i tried to trim up or down it would kill the motor (if the motor was in neutral the trim would work fine). the motor would start up just fine but usually would turn the graph off (which would then turn on just fine. if i was running on pad and hit the trim the motor would cut out until i let off the trim then the motor would pick back up and run great. after a while the trim would work just fine whether in gear or not, running on pad or not. but later in the day my graph froze up and i couldn't even turn it off, so i unhooked it and when i hooked it back up it worked fine. on a side note the gauge showed my battery charging on 13 volts. the night before i hooked up the charger to top off my batteries and the charging battery showed fully charged in probably less than a minute which i thought was strange but my charger is supposed to tell me if there are any battery problems and the charger showed the battery being fine. also not related but somehow my save phace mask blew out of the boat as well which just capped the day off great. any theories? it sounds to me like maybe a short but is it wierd that it effects all of these things? could it be a relay, battery or motor related? also all the trouble with the trim was when i was using the pro trim on the steering column, i didn't think to try the trim on the throttle until it was already working again so i don't know if it would have acted up too or not. whats your thoughts? __________________ You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.

01-06-09, 10:58 AM	#7
jasonfish320 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: MAINEIAC Posts: 585	I'm about 99.99% sure that by your description you have atleat one bad batt., I had the same thing happen on my charger...I plugged it in for less than 5 mins. and was reading that the batteries were at 100% which I knew wasn't the case...If you thumb through your troubleshooting guide for your charger it should give you examples....The trim is more than likely a result of a bad battery or relay switch...however usually when a relay switch goes bad, the trim doesn't move at all or will only move up or move down...I'm still going with battery...let us know __________________ "If at first you don't succeed; have another beer"

01-06-09, 12:42 PM	#10
bcklash BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Elliston, Va. Posts: 4,372	Besides the battery , I would also check all connections and terminals. I also believe its the battery. hope you find the problem soon. __________________ The soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. keep us free:

01-05-09, 02:45 AM	#2
Nitro 640 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Caledonia, MI Posts: 253	How old is the battery? I took my boat out, started it ran fine shut off lost trim. Started got trim back shut off, and dead. Had trim down but nothing else. I just switched to my trolling batts and everything worked fine. Found out the starting batt was old and not holding charge.

01-05-09, 06:57 PM	#3
boater BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: O'Fallon Missouri Posts: 283	might start by checking water in batteries

01-05-09, 09:55 PM	#4
barkelypup BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: I'm a Hillbilly in Kentucky Posts: 223	I'm going to concour with boater and Nitro. I had a weak batt. once and it started my motor fine but when I cranked it my lights and sonar would go off from not enough power. Changed the battery and all was fine. bP

01-05-09, 10:57 PM	#5
Basscrazie BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: magnolia,tx Posts: 398	I had similar stuff happening on mine and charged the battery with a maintainer,all worked fine till friday when the bottom voltage regulator/rectifier smoked and started running on 3 cylinders... What motor have you got?Check batt voltage and look to make sure your rectifiers aren't starting to show signs of black goo from getting hot or melting..If so unhook the battery.

01-05-09, 11:13 PM	#6
woody BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jonesville, Indiana Posts: 3,597	I agree with the others, I would start by getting your battery checked out.

01-06-09, 11:06 AM	#8
woody BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jonesville, Indiana Posts: 3,597	So typically whats the life of a marine battery?

01-06-09, 12:45 PM	#11
woody BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jonesville, Indiana Posts: 3,597	A bad battery will make it do all kinds of wierd things.

01-08-09, 04:18 PM	#13
Brute BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Clearwater, Fl Posts: 38	I would double check your electrical connections including the grounds. I have worked on a lot of old cars and most electrical problems stem from bad connections. Brute

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