Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

[lenny2113]

Good day!<br /><br />When I try to start my starboard engine, the starter just does a single "click" sound. <br /><br />When I pluged in battery changer and switched positioned a switch on charger to "50A", it "clicked" again and did not turn the engine. <br /><br />I took booster cables from the port engine to the starboard and it started right up.<br /><br />I have 2 batteries connected in parallel on each side. Voltage reading on the starboard side (one that does not start) reads 12.56V .<br /><br />Is it possible that one battery is dead and is draining crancking power of the second battery while starting?<br /><br />How could I check without load meter? <br /><br />Thank you

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Unfortunately voltage reading does little to tell you about the battery. I would disconnect them from being in parallel and do a specific gravity reading on them both, all it takes is one bad cell and it will not only bring that battery down but the other one as well as it tries to equalize the charge. If you need to have 2 batteries I would use an isolator or a battery combiner, either will prevent a bad battery from taking the good battery.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Use a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of each cell. Yes, a bad battery in parallel with another will suck the life out of the good battery until the two are equal. Doesn't take long either.

 

[JB]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

You have a bad connection in the starter high current circuit for the STBD engine, Lenny. Remove and clean every connection of large diameter wire.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[lenny2113]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

JB, <br />I cleaned the starter connection on the PORT engine. As I turned ignition key, the tach gauge was slowly moving counter clockwise. I was not sure what the problem was. I cleaned ground wire at the engine block and positive on battery and starter. It started after cleaning without a problem. <br />I will try as you suggested. If it doesn't work, I guess I will just replace battery. <br /><br />Thanks.

 

[DemersChrisG]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

You have a connection problem ol' boy. Check the connectors on both the battery terminals, and on the starter cables. If you clean your bat terminal and that still happens, its something on the starter. <br />That click you hear is the plunger not getting all the juice it needs. It gets a little bit, then the plunger drops back down.

 

[lenny2113]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

I cleaned all contacts at battery terminals, engine block "-" and starter "+".<br /><br />I noticed something that made no sense at all:<br />There are 2 batteries connected into "1,2,both" switch, but the batteries are also connected in parallel with cables running "+" to "+", "-" to "-".<br />I don't think it should be connected like that.<br />I purchased the boat when everything was connected this way, so I connected it back after winter... . <br /><br />Now, when I separated batteries from parallel, when I connect voltmeter to either battery it reads around 12.48v on either one.<br />At the time I cranck starter one battery drops voltage to 11.20v and I get a "single click" sound. <br />I switched meter to the other battery and crancked starter again, voltage does not drop and no "click". <br />What is wrong with this picture? ... <br />Thank you!!!

 

[lenny2113]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Oh, I should mention - when I switched multimeter from one battery to the other, I switched position of the "1,2,both" switch. <br />battery which drops voltage at crancking is a starting battery. Battery that does not drop voltage at crancking is deep cycle battery.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

I think your battery wiring is all messed up. You are right that they should not be wired in parallel and you removed the wires. However both of those batteries must have a negative connection going directly to the engine block or at least one and then a jumper cable over to the other battery. The positives should go respectively to bat 1 and bat 2 on the switch and then a wire from the common terminal to the starter or solenoid. Many deep cycle batteries are capable of starting an engine if fully charged but if yours doesn't drop voltage when starting you must have a wiring issue.

 

[chuckz]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Put the "-" to "-" wire back on

 

[lenny2113]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Bob, Chuck:<br />Both of you are saying to connect "-" from one battery to "-" of the other...<br />I think I now understand why: One "-" wire goes from engine block to one battery, so it is either both battery "-" should go to engine block, or they should be connected by "-" terminals (sharing ground). <br />As I flip switch to the other battery, my tachometer gauge is slowly turning counter clockwise. Could this be because of wiring problem? <br /><br />Another question I have is: <br />I have a cable fro shore power charger going only to starboard battery switch common terminal. <br />If I run a #2 cable from STBD battery switch to PORT battery switch common terminal, is an acceptable way to have PORT batteries charged?<br /><br />Thank you for your help!!!

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Hard to say what the tach would do because it sounds like you have a floating ground on one battery right now. Either run a ground from the enginer to that neg post or jumper to the other battery to complete the circuit.<br /><br />Is your charger only a single output? Most are at least 2 or 3 or 4. If the charger wire is going to the common terminal of the switch that means the charger will only charge when the switch is on and depending if it's on 1 2 or both will depend which battery gets charged. If your charger doesn't have multiple outputs you may want to invest in a new one or at least an isolator or battery combiner. I would not run a wire over to the switch because if both switches are turned to both you could in effect have a 4 batteries in parallel, assuming both engine blocks are tied together which they should be.

 

[lenny2113]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Bob, <br />I am not sure if the charger is single output. It is hidden behind circuit breaker and I have never seen the charger. I hope it is there... <br /><br />

If the charger wire is going to the common terminal of the switch that means the charger will only charge when the switch is on and depending if it's on 1 2 or both will depend which battery gets charged.

Should charger be running to an isolated power panel with a wire from that panel going to either one or both batteries?<br />I am pretty sure my engine blocks are not connected... Is it imporatnt that they are? Please explain. <br /><br />I greatly appreciate your time and effort.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Starter clicking... Battery discharged?

Normally the charger outputs run to the battery switch if you have one and attach to the same post as the battery feed wire, this way the charger will charge the battery regardless of the switch position. Having the connection there also helps to reduce the number of wires directly attached to the battery which keeps it neater.<br /><br />The engine blocks are normally tied together (maybe you can't see it) by a battery type cable because you should have just one common ground system on your boat. <br /><br />Go to this link and scroll down to diagram G to see a simple 2 battery 1 engine diagram with a battery switch, you'll see how the charger is wired to the switch. Battery Wiring Diagrams