Dual batteries may be necessary

[stewart]

Sound's like your battery was already on it's way out.

Good time for the dual battery upgrade.

  I through one of those portable chargers in the boat on long weekends used it on two other boats but have never used it on mine. It's nice to have when someone ask's you for a jump.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, sounds like the battery was going.

[Sunsetter95]

Start with the easy part. Just pull the battery and have it load tested. If it tests OK then proceed with the alt.. If the battery is old, I would bet on a bad battery.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the belt is good and tight, I agree, start with the battery load test (is the water level up in the batt?). Auto Zone, Checker, etc... should be able load test it. They will probably want to put a charge on it first (maybe).

If you take the alt off, make a note of the wire connections on the alt. I dought the wires are bad. When you are checking the belt, check the battery connections (they need to be clean and tight), check the connections on the alt, and at the starter. The alt main wire usually goes to the battery cable there. Just check all of the connections... clean and tight.

Personally, if I even question the battery, I replace it.

[josh_tn]

Thanks guys. I'm going out today to check it out. I have a buddy going with me that has a new marine battery that he is going to bring along. I will check the voltage while it is running with mine first and if the voltage is still low I will put his new battery on and then check the voltage again. That way I will at least eliminate the battery being the problem.

(Thanks Doug, the water level in the battery completely slipped my mind. I'll check that out before I go.)

I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks again for all the help.

[whiteVLX]

Thanks guys. I'm going out today to check it out. I have a buddy going with me that has a new marine battery that he is going to bring along. I will check the voltage while it is running with mine first and if the voltage is still low I will put his new battery on and then check the voltage again. That way I will at least eliminate the battery being the problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sounds like a great idea, certainly saves money on a new battery just to find out the old one was ok.

[Victor]

Here is the link fro Academy Sports and Outdoors.

http://www.academy.com

They have stores in Madisonville and Nashville, Tennessee.

Exide Select Orbital Marine Battery $98.83 Every Day

Style # ORB34DC-36

SKU 0105-00150-0049

Marine Starting and Deep Cycle maintenance free 12v battery

Recommended for all high performance gas engines

950 marine cranking amps

[josh_tn]

Well here's the verdict on the alternator:

That is with my original battery. Seems like the alt is OK.

I am going to replace the battery now and get another pretty soon when the relay I ordered comes in to set up a dual battery configuration.

There is still something strange going on with the volt gauges though. Both the PP guage and the analog voltage gauge on the dash read around 11.5-12 volts. When running the boat with the stereo on about halfway and the heater on, the low battery light comes on and it starts beeping. Could a bad battery be causing that? Hopefully when I replace the battery, that problem will go away too but the fact that my meter reads 13.69 volts and both other gauges seem to read significantly lower seems odd especially when the low battery light comes on and beeps.

[josh_tn]

Here is the link fro Academy Sports and Outdoors.

http://www.academy.com

They have stores in Madisonville and Nashville, Tennessee.

Exide Select Orbital Marine Battery    $98.83  Every Day 

Style # ORB34DC-36

SKU 0105-00150-0049

Marine Starting and Deep Cycle maintenance free 12v battery

Recommended for all high performance gas engines

950 marine cranking amps

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Seems like these batteries are a pretty good deal compared to $150 for the Optimas. Does anyone else have any experience with these batteries? I've heard nothing but positive about the Optimas so I was leaning that direction but for the price, if these batteries are just as good, it would definitely be a better deal.

[Sunsetter95]

Well here's the verdict on the alternator:

That is with my original battery. Seems like the alt is OK. 

I am going to replace the battery now and get another pretty soon when the relay I ordered comes in to set up a dual battery configuration.

There is still something strange going on with the volt gauges though. Both the PP guage and the analog voltage gauge on the dash read around 11.5-12 volts. When running the boat with the stereo on about halfway and the heater on, the low battery light comes on and it starts beeping. Could a bad battery be causing that? Hopefully when I replace the battery, that problem will go away too but the fact that my meter reads 13.69 volts and both other gauges seem to read significantly lower seems odd especially when the low battery light comes on and beeps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was that voltage check with the Fluke at the battery posts?

I'm thinking (dangerous I know )

Why does the Fluke show good and the dash show bad..........?

Something is odd about that.

Try tracing the wires that feed to the dash and look for a corroded connection.

[josh_tn]

Yeah, that measurement was taken at the battery posts. It seems really odd to me too. I will try and trace the cables next time I'm out(hopefully tomorrow depending on the weather)

[Sunsetter95]

So if the volts are good at the battery, it is getting charged. And if the Fluke said that even with a load on it with the engine running, you still have the 13+ volts.

I would still have the battery tested like we said before. Or, add your second one. I have 2 amps we run all of the time without any trouble. I know if the rpm's are low, when the sub hits, I see the volt gauge dip when it is cranked up, but that is it. I do have 2 batteries.

It seems that the connection that feeds the dash may be poor. Give the wires a good look that go up to the dash. If the dash volt supply is weak, that may cause your symptoms that you described (as far as the gauge volts are concerned).