How do I access the battery???? 2009 Sea Ray 175 Sport.. Full bench seat

G

GregSop

Member
Jan 9, 2014
31
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Boat Info
2009 Sea Ray 175 Sport with 80 hrs.
Engines
3.0 Mercruiser
Hi Guys,
I have a 2009 Sea Ray 175 Sport with a full Bench seat. Does anyone know how to access the battery on this boat?? I have taken the centre back cushion out and this allows me access to the engine. The battery is on the starboard side with a small board between the engine. I have tried to remove the board but it will not come out although I have my doubts that even if it was out that I could remove the battery. I can barely connect the negative cable back on the post. I cannot even put booster cables on it or a battery maintainer!! There is no way to remove the battery!!!!!!!!! I sure HOPE it starts
Laughing..did they build the boat around the battery?
I need some help!!
I have removed the seat cushion and it is all solid..The battery is on the starboard side and above it is a carpeted compartment (no access) The back seat cushion is also out..no access
There must be someone out there with a 2009 Sea Ray 175 Sport with a full Bench seat that has figured this out (or a boat mechanic)
Any help would be appreciated guys (watch this be something simple and I am a dummy..lol)
Thanks,
Greg
 
I don't see anything in the manual, but it looks as though the battery should be on the port (left) side. Are you sure the carpeted "compartment" isn't removable? It may just be a cover.

Hope this helps...you should be able to remove something to access the battery from overhead.
 
Can you post some pictures of this? According to my parts manual your configuration has a hinged sunpad (with gas cylinders that hold it up) that covers the engine and what looks like two compartments on either side of the engine, and a removable full width bench seat in front of the engine and those two compartments. Have you flipped up the sunpad and looked down those two side compartments on either side of the engine opening? On my boat with the two individual seats, the battery is under the starboard seat which would put it in the area just to the starboard side of the engine. The sunpad is hinged on the back so pull up on the front of it. Flipping this up is also how you would work on the engine, according to the drawing. Just removing that backrest center cushion won't give you much access.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for answering guys. Great boats ZZ13

Have you flipped up the sunpad and looked down those two side compartments on either side of the engine opening? Yes they are sealed carpeted compartments

Lifted the bench seat..no access

Sunpad lifts in centre to access engine and back middle pulls out

Still don't know how to get at that battery!
 
As Wazzu mentioned there may be screw heads within the carpet of the covers. See if you can find any on the edges. Try poking into the carpet along the perimeter with a Philips screwdriver and see if you hit any.
 
Go to Sea Ray website and ask them through their "Owners Resources->Contact Sea Ray" menu item.
 
Last edited:
hi ZZ13,

I have sent them an email but looks like 2 days for response

I telephoned Johnson Marine in Texas who surveyed/serviced it for me with no luck(just tight space) and a dealer in Ontario who suggested I take the back cushion out which revealed no access

Any suggestions appreciated guys
 
Option #2: Send a PM to Lazy Daze on this site. His name is Dennis and he may know. Also, I think your boat is configured just like the standard 185 Sport. So if you can get the answer for the 185 you might have the answer for you 175.
 
GregSop said:
I have sent them an email but looks like 2 days for response
Click to expand...

Good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue. Can't rush a good thing. That's all I can think of right now.

I think someone mentioned it above, but can you post some pictures? I know these boats pretty well, but what you're describing doesn't make sense (or I'm not remembering things correctly). That sunpad should be one big piece and when you lift it up, you have full access to the engine and both side compartments with no "carpeted" boxes. FYI - those white boards that separate the engine from the side compartments should be held in with a few plastic "angle irons" and screws - it really shouldn't be all that hard to see the hardware.

Unless you actually have an early 185 Sport and it may actually be named the 175 still... In which case there are three sunpad pieces. The side pieces open open outward - like the reverse of the Merc Gullwing doors.

Edit: good timing, Bill!

PS: let me rephrase what I said above about "early 185 Sport"... That is incorrect, the 185 came on the scene in late '05, early '06. I wasn't paying enough attention. So there's no chance of it being mislabeled from the factory - unless a PO did it for some reason (slip fee, maybe).
 
Last edited:
UPDATE!!!

Brunswick answered but were wrong..do not try to remove the block you will break it and still not enough room to remove the battery!! At least they tried..Thank You!

Good morning Greg,

Yes this is very tight. You can remove the screws from the brackets on the block off and pick up or slide over to give you more space to remove the battery . Hope this helps.


The credit goes to ZZ13 (Bill) The sunpad does divide into 3 compartments which open up. The middle one (largest) is where the engine is. The back of the bench seat lifts out and you have lots of access to the engine. The compartment on the starboard side (behind driver) is above the battery. Both these compartments on either side are carpeted. I felt around with my fingers and could feel an opening on the bottom of the panel above the battery. I started searching the carpeted compartment and sure enough there were screws..took them all out. You must remove the back carpeted panel first..then the panel on the right side..this one will be really hard to get out. You do not need to remove the carpeted panel on the left side closest to the engine. The bottom panel then pulls out and you have TOTAL access to the battery. This is at least an hour job people so take your time not to break the carpeted panels or anything else!

Now I did notice the strap which holds the battery in the tray on mine was broken. Going to have to replace that. Also don't know if I should just buy a new battery as it is 5 years old and the volt meter is only registering 12.1 My neighbour who is an electrician says he would replace it as he says it is dead. I have it on the charger now (2amp trickle) and will see if it comes up. I thought perhaps I might replace it and then take the old one and put it under the seat portion of the bench seat..maybe drill a hole and run 2 wires from the new battery to the old..any ideas???
This is a great place to learn things about your boat from alot of great people!
Thanks again guys and hopefully this helps someone else!!
 
What is this "block" you are referring to?

You're going to have to post some pictures - there's something different going on here than normal. First, the backrest "lifts" off? They're usually thru-bolted on to solid fiberglass (no engine engine access through it). Second, in all my years here I can't recall ever seeing a 175 from your model year with (a) 3-piece sunpad and (b) carpeted and boxed-in batteries. For one, that area is usually not carpeted at all. Secondly, well, I still can't ever remember seeing it that way in your model. I'm curious.

Ummm... are you sure you have a Sea Ray?
 
[QUOTE My neighbour who is an electrician says he would replace it as he says it is dead. I have it on the charger now (2amp trickle) and will see if it comes up. I thought perhaps I might replace it and then take the old one and put it under the seat portion of the bench seat..maybe drill a hole and run 2 wires from the new battery to the old..any ideas???
This is a great place to learn things about your boat from alot of great people!
Thanks again guys and hopefully this helps someone else!![/QUOTE]

Sounds like a great way to ruin a new battery.
 
Only my opinion...
Ditch that 5 year old battery , completely out of the boat and discarded ( give it to the shop you get the new battery from).
Get a nice new good marine battery.
With the difficulty in accessing that battery, which sounds really weird, sounds like you don't want to have to be accessing it again any time soon.
 
Lazy Daze..send me your email privately and I will try and send you some photos..tried to post 2 but said not enough space

Its Sea Ray! 50th Anniversary model

This block is a panel alongside the engine very close to the starboard compartment..maybe 16"x16" Its screwed (about 8 screws) into the floor and glued I am sure..

Read another post in here about it...she (Summer girl) couldn't get it out either
 
Last edited:
I definitely need to see this setup. We're one of the oldest Sea Ray dealerships in the world, so we certainly were carrying the line in 2009. I wonder how many of these were made - can't be too many. My email is dennis@petersmarine.com. Your pictures are probably just too big for a non-paying membership.

If the "block", as you refer to, are the same as all the other ones I've ever seen, there should be some plastic angle irons (probably gray) being used to secure everything. They "shouldn't" be glued down and they can usually be completely removed (easily) in about 5 minutes.

As far as the battery thing goes - why not just leave the top piece off? Use either rubber post protectors or a plastic battery lid to protect the terminals.
 
Post them here when you get them, Dennis. This has been a thrilling ride and I can't wait for the grand finale
 
Right now, all I can think of is this must have been a "special order" 175. Given the way pricing on these boats were increasing, if I had seen a "special" 175 on my order form (which would, more appropriately, read "more expensive") I would of skipped right over it and gone to the next line item!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,173
Messages
1,427,907
Members
61,086
Latest member
MrWebster
Back
Top