Not too dumb, but could have been worse...

[imstillatwork]

My brother and I took my 18ft / 70hp boat out for its first run after being cleaned up and repaired (sat for 2 years)<br /><br />The battery stopped charging and the motor died. Fortunate we were already near the port, in the mouth of the river.<br /><br />NOW I kow that instead of rowing for an hour, that the motor would have started with the rope if I would have tried! I thought there was another problem, because the motor initialy died when the battery did...<br /><br />Anyways I feel really stupid for not knowing that. Glad we were not 1 mile out to sea or something...

 

[vipzach]

Re: Not too dumb, but could have been worse...

I bet you won't forget that again!

 

[rottenray6402]

Re: Not too dumb, but could have been worse...

Why did the motor die when the battery quit charging or was it unrelated?

 

[imstillatwork]

Re: Not too dumb, but could have been worse...

I haven't figured it out yet. I was running WOT, it lost a lot of power, I threw it into to N and it died. The rectifier is bad. but the ignition / spark is from a totaly seperate circuit. The engine runs great, I even started it with the rope 3rd try a few days later when it was cold. With a battery it starts right up everytime, but the battery will eventually die if left connected, because the rectifier is no good. anyways, I'm waiting for a new rectifier and until then, will be working out my upper body when I take the boat out

 

[imstillatwork]

Re: Not too dumb, but could have been worse...

OK. rename this topic to really dumb...<br /><br />the problem was....<br /><br />the battery had died long before the motor shut off. I distinctly remember my plastic fuel tank being colapsed after we got back to dock.... I LEFT THE VENT CLOSED!<br /><br />Open vent and pull start, could have been out all day!<br /><br />!!!!!<br /><br />Kevin

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Not too dumb, but could have been worse...

Originally posted by imstillatwork:<br /> With a battery it starts right up everytime, but the battery will eventually die if left connected,

Ya gotta open that tank vent. <br />I went round & round with one too a few years ago. Olny it was a old steel tank that wouldn't collapse.<br /><br />Something that might work for your electrical probelm is to use the battery to start the engine, then dissconect it. A decent sized batter should start the engine at least 15-20 times before you needed to charge it back up.

 

[imstillatwork]

Re: Not too dumb, but could have been worse...

thats the plan until I get the new rectifier.<br /><br />That 70 starts so easy, after it sits a few days, it's up on its 2nd or 3rd pull now that I know how it likes it.<br /><br />but I am charging my battery as i type, the key is a much nicer way of starting.