Amp Meter problems on my 2003 Mercury 60 HP

[OldPontooner]

I have a "new to me" 2003 Mercury 60 HP 60ELPT EFI 4-Stroke on a 24' pontoon. Last week took it out on the lake for my first time, and it ran fantastic for three days, then on the forth day I heard a buzzer noise just like my fish finder makes. I kept looking at the depth/fish finder and saw nothing to be alarmed about. Then I heard it again, and again, and again. The busser was coming from the amp gauge. The gauge would register at 14volts (as it had done for three days) and then it would peg clear over to as high as it could go, and when this happened the buzzer would sound. Anyone have any idea where to start looking for the problem?

 

[GA_Boater]

Your volt, not ammeter, gauge pegging would have me looking at the wiring on the motor. Something loose or frayed maybe.

 

[gm280]

Sounds like the voltage rectifier and/or the regulator, on the engine, is going out. No other way to get high voltage readings. And I think the buzzing is because you probably have a mixture of both AC and DC volts to the gauge when it pegs. But that is only a guess not being there and testing things myself. JMHO

 

[OldPontooner]

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it. I will begin looking at the problem tomorrow. We may put it back in the lake in a few days (gonna be 98 degrees) and if I do that is when I look at it because I would rather have the boat in the lake where I can run the motor as long as I want. Don't get around as well on land as I used to when I was 78.. Gonna be 79 in January, this getting old is for the birds !!

 

[gm280]

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it. I will begin looking at the problem tomorrow. We may put it back in the lake in a few days (gonna be 98 degrees) and if I do that is when I look at it because I would rather have the boat in the lake where I can run the motor as long as I want. Don't get around as well on land as I used to when I was 78.. Gonna be 79 in January, this getting old is for the birds !!

I agree getting old is for the birds. BUT, it sure beats the alternative.

 

[GA_Boater]

I forgot to add in my first post up there ^^^^ to check your battery connections. If one of them is intermittent and losing contact, the regulator might try to push more voltage through an open circuit which would appear as a pegged voltmeter.

In any case, I would clean the battery posts and clamps to eliminate a possible cause.

 

[OldPontooner]

I forgot to add in my first post up there ^^^^ to check your battery connections. If one of them is intermittent and losing contact, the regulator might try to push more voltage through an open circuit which would appear as a pegged voltmeter.

In any case, I would clean the battery posts and clamps to eliminate a possible cause.

That's a good thought, because I think the batteries are really old, like maybe even original batteries. I will look at them in the morning. Once again, thanks for all the input guys, I really appreciate it.

 

[Chris1956]

Some of those Mercury gauges were multifunction. That is, the buzzer may be telling you something else is wrong. Check the motor for overheating, as it is common to have a buzzer warn of an overheat.