17 volts to battery.

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sjksjk

Cadet
Joined
Apr 6, 2002
Messages
24
I have a 1979 140 hp Mariner that is putting out 17 volts to the battery when running. I have not verified this with a voltmeter, but my depthfinder indicates 17 volts. It's not real consistent, as I increase RPM's it seems to drop off a little to around 14 volts. This seems a little high but I am not familiar with boat motors, will this damage my battery? If so, what do I need to replace? Thank you for any, and all input. Stu
 
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ODDD1

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jan 23, 2001
Messages
1,054
Re: 17 volts to battery.

It is normal for these motors to push charging voltage this high on a fully charged battery....even a slightly discharged battery will 'absorb' the excess and you will see a 'normal' reading on the graph....this is why merc specs a non maintenance free battery on these units...the overcharging causes gassing and fluid loss in the battery, you must be able to add water to the battery or it will die in short order....
 
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sjksjk

Cadet
Joined
Apr 6, 2002
Messages
24
Re: 17 volts to battery.

Thank you for the advice, I did just charge the battery before going out so it was fully charged. It is not a sealed battery so I will be checking the level. Thanks again, Stu.
 
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