New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

[HoosierPoppa5.0]

Hello again everyone, Thanks for all the education. Ok I was able to buy the 1988 Celebrity 5.0L AlfaOne. The motor runs like new lots of power, sounds very clean. The oil, Clean with no water in it, and like wise no oil anywhere in water, that I can tell. started right up and ran strong in the water. OK to the problem, It has a new deep cycle battery, which I gave a full charge @ 12v/2 amps,took it out for the first ride, (mentioned above) and then parked it. when I got the boat, I recieved two extra 4amp altinators, that looked fairly new but used. I dont think they were good, I suspect wireing or some reason its not charging. Or maybe a draw i cant find. Can any one point me in the right direction to find the problem?

 

[Don S]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

Before you start your engine, note the voltage on your volt meter, start the engine,<br />does it start charging and move up to about 14.5 volts after a bit of running over say 1200 rpm? If it does, then it's charging.<br /><br />Looking for a draw, just turn eveything off (except the battery switch) disconnect the battery cable. Then put the cable back on and see if there is a spark. If there is a spark, something is on.<br />You should only have 3 wires on your positive battery terminal. The main cable going to your battery switch if you have one, an automatic bilge pump, and a battery charger if you have one. Everything else should be hooked to the common terminal of your switch.

 

[HoosierPoppa5.0]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

ahhh haaaa!!!<br />I only have one red cable and the bilge no charging wires from alt. Unless it is wired oddly behind bat/box i will check. Thanks on the info I will get on it right after work tomorrow. It don't have a disconnect switch but I will install one asap. Can you disconnect the positive cable while running the same as a car to see if alt is working? Thanks Don

 

[Don S]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

If you disconnect the battery cable with the engine running, you WILL destroy the alternator instantlay, and you can't do it on a car either. Maybe when cars had generators, but not with alternators.

 

[HoosierPoppa5.0]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

ok thanks the last thing I need is to spend more money Thank again i will check it the right way after work. Ill let ya know......

 

[Bondo]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

You should only have 3 wires on your positive battery terminal. The main cable going to your battery switch if you have one, an automatic bilge pump, and a battery charger if you have one. Everything else should be hooked to the common terminal of your switch.<br />

While this statement IS True,......... <br />

I only have one red cable and the bilge no charging wires from alt. Unless it is wired oddly behind bat/box i will check.

HN is now looking for the Alt. to be wired to the Battery,......<br /><br />The Alt.'s Battery Lead is Wired to the Positive Post of the Starter.........<br />Not the Battery........ <br /><br />HN,..... Hopefully Don can supply you with 1 of his Great Photos or diagrams that Shows the Current Path,+ Where the Wires Belong......<br /><br />Good Luck.....

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

Another little note: Deep cycle batteries require a 10 amp charger to fully charge them. <br />2 amps is just trickle charging it and will not fully charge it. So, even if your alternator is working, it will take quite a bit of run time to charge up a deep cycle from running your engine.<br /><br />Also, if indeed you are using a deep cycle battery, you would have been better off with a marine battery for starting purposes or a hybrid type marine battery that does deep cycle and engine starting(which is what I have).<br /><br />What's this "received two extra 4 amp alternators" stuff? You lost me there.

 

[Don S]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

After re-reading these posts, I have a feeling HN is calling his battery chargers - alternators.<br /><br />The only "Alternator" you should have is the belt driven one on your engine.<br />The ones that you plug in to 120V AC are called battery chargers.

 

[HoosierPoppa5.0]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

negative, I know the differance between the two. And as it has been a while since I have routed from alt to bat via starter, I would not have ran a wire from alt directly to bat. And the charger is not an alt, However I did not know about the 10 amp vs 2 amp Thank you. The alt's that I got extra with the boat, one was the original and one is still unused, I am confused about the amp's on them though, the new one says 35amps on casing and 4amps on the sealed box part,(I am asuming is a voltage reg?) Not sure about marine parts. And as for the bat, it is a dual type, deep cycle starter bat. I just got home and will be looking for the wireing asap. Thanks for everything guys. I will post as soon as I know something.

 

[HoosierPoppa5.0]

Re: New battery........very low battery, Hmmmm!

A BIG OK!!, <br /> I hope I found the problem, as Don had suggested, I turned everything off and disconnected the pos cable from bat. Then touched it to the term, and...yup you guest it sparks!!, then started with the last thing I done to the boat prior to problem and found the VHF radio was pulling a load I will install a switch for radio AND a disconnect for the batt. I hope this fixes it all and a BIG THANKS to all. May you all have calm waters, sunny skys and great fishing.