chicago280da
New Member
Hi all,
Last evening I was manuevering through the harbor at slow speed (both engines at around 800 rpm) and using the twin screws on my 280DA to position for my slip when both engines suddenly died on me. At the time it was pretty windy and I was heading toward an obstacle, so you can imagine I was about to crap my pants. Fortunately, I was able to restart them in time...but the thought of this happening again scares the heck out of me.
A few pieces of information. This is a brand new (~15 hours of use) 2007 280DA. I was out on the Lake for about an hour prior to this and ran the engines at a variety of speeds (between 1000 and 3500 rpm, mostly toward the latter). I was using the twin screws (port forward/starboard reverse and vice versa, alternating them to adjust as I approached the slip) to maneuver at the time that the engines died in the harbor. My battery gauges on both engines seemed to be around 13-14V. One final piece of information is that I am usually on a mooring can (the slip was being used transiently for the weekend), so the only time the batteries charge is by the alternator when out cruising...however I stress the battery gauges seemed to read in a fine range and I had no problem starting initially or any other time.
I talked to a technician today and he said that when shifting there is a micro-switch used in bringing the props back into neutral and then oppositie gear. If the battery is just a little low, sometimes this causes an engine to die while shifting, since it relies on the electrical system for a brief period when shifting. Does this sound like what was going on? I am surprised that this could happen to both engines simultaneously (I may have been shifting both at the time, but still...).
When shifting from forward to reverse (or vice versa) is there a minimum amount of time that you need to stay in neutral? Was it possible I was shifting from forward to reverse too quickly? Does it sound like something more serious was going on?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I am a total beginner at boating so if it sounds like I may have been doing something stupid while maneuvering that caused one or both engines to get killed, please let me know that as well.
:smt100
Thanks,
Mike
Last evening I was manuevering through the harbor at slow speed (both engines at around 800 rpm) and using the twin screws on my 280DA to position for my slip when both engines suddenly died on me. At the time it was pretty windy and I was heading toward an obstacle, so you can imagine I was about to crap my pants. Fortunately, I was able to restart them in time...but the thought of this happening again scares the heck out of me.
A few pieces of information. This is a brand new (~15 hours of use) 2007 280DA. I was out on the Lake for about an hour prior to this and ran the engines at a variety of speeds (between 1000 and 3500 rpm, mostly toward the latter). I was using the twin screws (port forward/starboard reverse and vice versa, alternating them to adjust as I approached the slip) to maneuver at the time that the engines died in the harbor. My battery gauges on both engines seemed to be around 13-14V. One final piece of information is that I am usually on a mooring can (the slip was being used transiently for the weekend), so the only time the batteries charge is by the alternator when out cruising...however I stress the battery gauges seemed to read in a fine range and I had no problem starting initially or any other time.
I talked to a technician today and he said that when shifting there is a micro-switch used in bringing the props back into neutral and then oppositie gear. If the battery is just a little low, sometimes this causes an engine to die while shifting, since it relies on the electrical system for a brief period when shifting. Does this sound like what was going on? I am surprised that this could happen to both engines simultaneously (I may have been shifting both at the time, but still...).
When shifting from forward to reverse (or vice versa) is there a minimum amount of time that you need to stay in neutral? Was it possible I was shifting from forward to reverse too quickly? Does it sound like something more serious was going on?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I am a total beginner at boating so if it sounds like I may have been doing something stupid while maneuvering that caused one or both engines to get killed, please let me know that as well.
:smt100
Thanks,
Mike