Half of boat not working right.

[Tom vernizzi]

So, I left the dock yesterday, and had to start the port engine with the emergency start switch. Starboard engine started just fine. Didn't think much about it, just figured a battery was drained down a little too much. Would charge on the hour cruise we were taking. Got to our spot and tried to drop the ancher and the windlass would barely move. Like a dead battery. Tried to start the generator to charge things up... Nothing. Generator won't do anything. Decided to head back to the dock. Had to start port engine again with emergency switch. Took batteries to have them tested( they we're both 5 years old) decided to replace. Still nothing. The engine and genny try to start when hooked to shore power. Get the clicking noise like a dead battery. Could the battery switch go bad? Is there a solenoid in-between batteries and engines?? I know batteries are good.

 

[sbw1]

So, I left the dock yesterday, and had to start the port engine with the emergency start switch. Starboard engine started just fine. Didn't think much about it, just figured a battery was drained down a little too much. Would charge on the hour cruise we were taking. Got to our spot and tried to drop the ancher and the windlass would barely move. Like a dead battery. Tried to start the generator to charge things up... Nothing. Generator won't do anything. Decided to head back to the dock. Had to start port engine again with emergency switch. Took batteries to have them tested( they we're both 5 years old) decided to replace. Still nothing. The engine and genny try to start when hooked to shore power. Get the clicking noise like a dead battery. Could the battery switch go bad? Is there a solenoid in-between batteries and engines?? I know batteries are good.

Plugging Shore power into a boat with depleted batteries does not mean that it will start. Five year old batteries may well be at the end of their lives. Battery switches would have nothing to do with the problem unless they are badly corroded. Check your electrical connections on the batteries for corrosion and make sure all of the connections are tight. Leave it plugged in for and hour or two with the charger on, and see if it starts both engines and the genny. If not, batteries are probably shot.

 

[Tom vernizzi]

Plugging Shore power into a boat with depleted batteries does not mean that it will start. Five year old batteries may well be at the end of their lives. Battery switches would have nothing to do with the problem unless they are badly corroded. Check your electrical connections on the batteries for corrosion and make sure all of the connections are tight. Leave it plugged in for and hour or two with the charger on, and see if it starts both engines and the genny. If not, batteries are probably shot.

I did replace all batteries. Didn't make any difference.

 

[hottoddie]

I would start by going thru all the battery cable connections including the ground connections at the engine blocks. Looks closely at the battery terminal connections for corroded connections. The boat is 28 years old and cable connection could very well be bad.