Outboard Battery Question

[zippy83]

Hello,

I have an older Mercury 50 HP outboard. Every time Im done fishing do I have to disconect the motor from the battery? I heard people say its a good idea, and others say no need to do it because you dont do it every time you turn your car off...

For me it's a hassle to get to it to disconect and reconnect every time...

Thanks in advance
Zippy

 

[gm280]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

I'm no expert, but I have owner a few boats over the years and never disconnected the battery between fishing outings. I simply see no reason to do that. Your motor is completely isolated from the battery via the starter solenoid and if you have it, a rectifier assembly. So unless you have a shorted rectifier assembly, I can?t see how the battery would be affected either way... In other words, if your engine is in correct operating condition, there is no problems that could cause concern. JMHO!

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

I have a Battery switch and turn it off whenever I'm not using the boat. Having said that I forget sometimes to shut it off and its never been a problem. I think that those that shut off or disconnect do it like me for peace of mind. It is possible, not likely, but possible you could get a short somewhere just sitting in the garage. After all your boat might have been wet sometime and corosion is one of those things that happens in a boat and could cause a short. Do you have to,Nahhhhhhhhh. Is it a good idea, maybe. JMHO

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

The only time I disconnect mine is when I remove it at the end of the season. Never had a problem.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

So I guess as long as I have it turned off with the key by the starter I wont have any issues so to speak.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

So I guess as long as I have it turned off with the key by the starter I wont have any issues so to speak.
Thanks for the reply.

Not necessarily true. A boat has "two" electrical systems, not just one. Your engine is connected directly to the battery. If you have other accessories on this boat such as a radio, fish finder, lights, etc, those are not powered via the engine electrical system - they get their power directly from a separate circuit from the battery to a fuse panel or perhaps in older boats they may be wired directly to the battery. So just because the engine is off you can still leave an accessory on and come back to the boat to find a dead battery. This is why a battery disconnect switch or a dual battery switch is handy. You turn the switch to OFF and everything on the boat is 100% OFF. The only exception would be an automatic bilge pump that you would logically have connected directly tot he battery because you do want it to run should the boat take on water while you are away. If you have a good memory and never leave any accessories on and your motor will never have a defective rectifier or regulator, then you don't have to disconnect the battery. But stuff happens --- so ----

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

Ah the joys of KISS.

Push/pull light switch, push button horn, disconnect for the depth finder. No radio, no live wells, no trolling motor. One battery.

Sad to say though that this will all change with the new puddle jumper.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

So If I get a battery disconnect switch I would have to connect everything to that switch, lights, motor, fish finder, horn, bilge and anything else I have hooked up to it. I may find it hard to get all that connected to one little switch..

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

much easier to just wire it in before the fused switch panel.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

All that wiring is tucked in under the console, I would have to take off the whole console to get that done.. If I can find a battery disconnect that will alow me to get a few more cables connected would be much easier

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

There is usually just one pos and one neg besides the engine wiring connected to the battery. You just have to connect three wires to the switch. Battery pos to one side and engine and house pos to the other side.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

If this is like most boats I've seen then there should only be at the most 6 wires connected to the battery. 2 going to the engine for starting, 2 going to a bilge pump and 2 going to a fused panel. Just but the battery disconnect on the line going to the fused panel. You can even mount the disconnect in the stern by the battery.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

I think I have this setup

Engine Pos/neg
Fusebox pos/neg
Fish Finder pos/neg
Bilge Pump pos/neg

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

That's about right. though on mine the fishfinder is also wired into the fuse block and not connected directly to the battery. As before the only thing I would worry about is the line, positive/negative, going to the fused block or panel. The engine is protected all by it's self.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

now that you have mentioned it my fish finderon the console is hooked up to the fuse box, but the front fish finder I never re-wired for the battery up front. That is one less cable that I have to worry about.

So when this is all set and done if I disconnect the positive via the battery switch I should all be good right?

 

[tazrig]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

Yes, by doing that and turning the switch to off there is no live circuit back to your battery to drain it.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

Yes, by doing that and turning the switch to off there is no live circuit back to your battery to drain it.

Unless the bilge pump starts running away on it's own, but then that's a whole seperate issue. Still it should have an inline fuse also.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

Unless the bilge pump starts running away on it's own, but then that's a whole seperate issue. Still it should have an inline fuse also.

From the console I can turn on and off the bilge pump, by turning it off I shouldnt have to worry about it turning on right?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

So If I get a battery disconnect switch I would have to connect everything to that switch, lights, motor, fish finder, horn, bilge and anything else I have hooked up to it. I may find it hard to get all that connected to one little switch..

A battery disconnect is not a LITTLE switch. It has big terminals and big contacts since it must carry the starter current which can be over 100 amps initially. Yes -- everything needs to be wired to the switch or the switch is of no value.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Outboard Battery Question

any perticular brands that I should be looking at?