New 190's 4.3 MPI dead in the water

Update:

Got a call from the mechanic at the dealer, my boat is done and ready to be picked up.

Afraid I have some egg on my face, it would seem when I put both batteries back in the boat earlier this year, I managed to wire them up incorrectly. I had pictures, but apparently I did something wrong. Something about having the positive on one battery and the negative on another battery. Well apparently it caused one of them to drain enough to where the stereo quit working and eventually engine would not get fire or something like that.

This was only our third trip out this year, he said if the batteries did not have such a good charge from being on the tender all winter, it would have happened sooner...

I am certainly relieved that is all it was and nothing major, but feeling somewhat stupid at the moment... will be picking her up later today, he is getting a good charge back on them for me.
 
Glad that it was something simple! Better to have been something quick and easy, even if it is at the expense of your pride.

Enjoy getting back on the water this weekend!
 
Oh yes, I am very grateful it was a simple fix and a foobar on my part! Good to know nothing is wrong with my boat!!

Thanks!
 
For future reference, snap a picture of the wiring configuration. I know mine comes in handy every spring when I put the batteries back in the boat.
 
Buckeye Boater said:
For future reference, snap a picture of the wiring configuration. I know mine comes in handy every spring when I put the batteries back in the boat.
Click to expand...

The bad thing about this is, I did - I had 4 pictures on my cell phone to reference.
duh...
 
Glad to hear that it was something simple. That's what I was thinking on such a new boat. Enjoy it this weekend and post up some pics!
 
that's great news glad it was simple, FI requires an electrical system (batteries) that is/are in tip top shape to fire. Time to get back on the water!!!
 
Glad to hear it was something simple for you... regardless of the "cause"!

Another way you can avoid this is to label them. First, ID which battery is #1 and which is #2 and label the batteries accordingly. Next, either write directly on the cable end (with the appropriate #1 or #2, along with "+" or "-", or wrap some tape (like blue painter's tape) and leave a "flap" so you can write on it. Another thing is to wrap the smaller wires with either black or red electrical tape and even tape them directly to the large cables (as close to the ends as you can so you don't lose a small wire next year). Or, and I think we talked about this last year, run an extension cord into the boat and put the chargers in the boat - then you don't have to disconnect at all. Just don't put the chargers, themselves, in the bilge. And it would be better to then use the ring terminal/quick disconnect that probably came with the battery charger (Battery Minder?).
 
Thanks for the tips Dennis!
I will definitely do something a little differently this next off season, to help insure this does not happen again.
 
Nice when it's an easy fix and the techs got it going by the weekend. I've made a few oopseis myself. I have plastic tags zip tied to my cables, +1-+2, -1-2, to avoid such a thing.
Have a great weekend.
 
Yes I will definitely take some extra precautions this time around when I put the boat away for the winter, thanks for the tips!
 
dburne said:
Update:

Got a call from the mechanic at the dealer, my boat is done and ready to be picked up.

Afraid I have some egg on my face, it would seem when I put both batteries back in the boat earlier this year, I managed to wire them up incorrectly. I had pictures, but apparently I did something wrong. Something about having the positive on one battery and the negative on another battery. Well apparently it caused one of them to drain enough to where the stereo quit working and eventually engine would not get fire or something like that.

This was only our third trip out this year, he said if the batteries did not have such a good charge from being on the tender all winter, it would have happened sooner...

I am certainly relieved that is all it was and nothing major, but feeling somewhat stupid at the moment... will be picking her up later today, he is getting a good charge back on them for me.
Click to expand...

i remember a reply to one of my first post on this forum several years ago from Frank Webster.....i was VERY new to this whole 'boating thing' at the time.....i had made a hole in the bottom of my 215EC when i used the wrong length screw to mount a new port-a-pot and was asking for the best way to make the repair.....

to paraphrase Frank's reply (i remember it vividly)......[chalk this up as a 'stupid tax']......i don't think this needs an explanation.....we all make mistakes but the important thing is we learn from them so as to not make them again in the future and so that we may be able to stop someone else from making the same mistake....

cliff
 
Last edited:
" Stupid Tax", I like it.
:)

I am pretty sure I have learned from this one.

Thanks,
 
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