Mark42
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2003
- Messages
- 9,334
When I bought the Bayliner in 2005, it had some electrical tape on the battery cable near the outboard. Looked like the previous owner pinched the cable somehow and put electrical tape on it. It was one of those things that tell you to check it out, but I never got to it, and boat has been working fine. Until yesterday. Launched the boat, turned the key and it sounded like a dead battery. I was rather annoyed, seeing as the evening before the battery was on the charger and showed full charge. So I pull the boat out, bring it home and buy a fresh battery. But the new battery acted like the old battery. Hmmmm. I put jumper cables from battery to solenoid and turn the key, motor fires right up. Tried a few times, worked great. Took off the jumper, and motor barely turns.
So I pull off the cable, cut back the insulation where the tape is and about 2/3 of the core is corroded away. Shot, kaput, out of action. Ended up cutting back about 18" until fresh copper was found. Seeing as I'm on vacation, I'm going to get an end terminal, and reattach the cable (its long enough) . Plus will keep the jumpers in the boat as a backup. But the battery is fine.
Dont let any break in the jacket of the cable go. The core can be rotting and leave you stranded. And don't assume that those half-assed fixes by previous owners are actually good. Take the time to fix them right.
So I pull off the cable, cut back the insulation where the tape is and about 2/3 of the core is corroded away. Shot, kaput, out of action. Ended up cutting back about 18" until fresh copper was found. Seeing as I'm on vacation, I'm going to get an end terminal, and reattach the cable (its long enough) . Plus will keep the jumpers in the boat as a backup. But the battery is fine.
Dont let any break in the jacket of the cable go. The core can be rotting and leave you stranded. And don't assume that those half-assed fixes by previous owners are actually good. Take the time to fix them right.
