My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

[cwilli]

I left my fishfinder on for a week and I haven't been back to the boat yet but will go tomorrow and am expecting to find a dead battery. I purchased a Schumacher XC103 battery charger with engine start assist and plan on trying to jump start the battery on board. I also purchased a 100' 14 gauge extension cord to plug in the charger to the house. I'm new to boats. Is this a crazy plan since it's floating in the water? My next question is: How do I know if my engine has the capability to recharge the battery after I jumpstart? The boat is a 2007 Sweetwater Tuscany 2080 pontoon with a 60 HP Yahama 4 stroke outboard.

Thanks,

cwilli

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

well no it isnt at all, a lot of people charge while on board . Take a 6 pack to and relax while it charges

 

[steelespike]

Re: My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

No problem charging with the boat in the water,just use common sense.
You can measure the voltage at the battery with the motor at about 1500 rpm.
Should be about 14 volts.

 

[Ldavidgrover]

Re: My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

Never jumpstart a four stroke motor. There is way to much electrical parts ( ECM) on there that you could cause voltage sure and fry something. Sit back and relax

 

[cwilli]

Re: My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

Never jumpstart a four stroke motor. There is way to much electrical parts ( ECM) on there that you could cause voltage sure and fry something. Sit back and relax

Ldavidgrover: Thanks for that, I wanted to use the engine assist (jump start) on the charger to get on the water faster but your saying I could damage the motor that way and should not use the jump start but allow the battery to charge until it will turn over and start the motor unassisted. What about the "fast charge" on the charger or the charge rate? I think the slowest is 3 amps, then 5 amps, then the fast charge is about 30 amps.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

I always have a second battery around to connect in parallel or simply swap out. You could even use your deep cycle if you have one setup for a trolling motor.. I don't liek using the start cycle on the chargers either, that is why I will jump with a regular battery. In my view there is the same risk in doing this as there is changing a battery.

 

[Outsider]

Re: My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

plan on trying to jump start the battery on board.

You might want to charge the battery first. Throw some major amps at a completely dead one and it may end up in multiple pieces. Your motor alternator should easily keep it charged up, but it will take some time (meaning several hours) to charge it from scratch. Never heard to not jump a four stroke, it doesn't know the difference if done properly ...

 

[5150abf]

Re: My first pontoon and a dead battery the first day

I would go 5 minutes on 5 amp then hit with 30 for about 5 and it should fire right up btu no the boat won't charge the battery, it only puts out enough to maintain a charge so you will eventually have to let it charge overnight.

Look into a battery disconnect or better yet a 2nd battery, running the boat off the starting battery can lead to things like this.

And I know the charger you are talking about and it is fine to use it to jump the engine, it is just a jump box same as putting it on a second battery.