where to Start

Newbeee

Recruit
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
3
I'm a new boat owner... and not unlike many that I have talked to, I am experiencing significant technical difficulties.
I purchased a used 2005 Triton Fish and Ski. I have owned it for two months, and have been able to use the boat once without problems.
First trip out (other than a test drive with the triton Dealership) the motor (Mercury 150HP OB) burned a piston. Left me stuck a few miles from the launch. Ended up getting a tow from a great group on a Deck boat...
Once the motor was repaired, we took that boat out for a few hours (2 weeks ago) without problem.
Yesterday morning I got the kids up early for some sunrise fishing. I had hooked the boat up the night before, and plugged it in (onboard charger) to have a fresh charge before I left the next morning.
I uncovered the boat, opened the compartment with the charger, got two green lights (supposed to indicate All Good) and unplugged the extension cord and was on my way. Got to the launch, and there was no main power. The trolling motor batteries appeared to have a good charge on them, but the main battery was dead. I checked the breaker box, and no breakers were tripped. I checked all I could at the docks and was not able to resolve the problem.
Later that afternoon, I hooked it back to AC, and again, got two green lights. I tried to use anything that runs off the main power while the charger was plugged in, and still no juice. I removed the battery and there is no charge. I assume this to be the problem and will be having the battery tested today, however I am puzzled. IF the battery is the problem, why would I get green lights from the charger? Also, why would I not have power when the charger was plugged in and the output of the charger is connected directly to the same leads that feed the rest of the boat? That sent me looking for an in-line fuse. The wiring diagrams from Triton show a main 20 amp breaker in line with the hot lead. All I could find is the breaker box located in the bow of the boat in one of the storage boxes.
I guess my main questions are why would I get green lights from the charger, if there is a problem with what it is trying to charge, and why would I not have power when the charger is plugged in?
Thanks for patiently reading through all this and helping a Newbie.
steve
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
Re: where to Start

Let's think about this. First, just because a charger says the battery is fully charged, does not mean the battery is capable of "holding" a charge. A bad battery will go dead moments after the charger is unplugged. However, since you tried to power some things with the charger energized, that says the main fuse or breaker is open, OR that the battery cable connections are not tight, or are corroded, or the cables themselves are bad. The main supply fuse or breaker should be in the immediate vicinity of the positive post on the starting battery. That fuse or breaker protects only the "boat" related wiring. In other words, the stuff on the console. There is a main fuse on the engine. If it's blown, you need to determine what caused it. If it happened once it will happen again. Here is a picture of the engine fuse on my motor.
If neither the gauges, accessories AND the engine are getting no power, you more than likely have battery and battery cable issues. Remember we are talking two different systems here. Boat & engine. Both out = battery & cables. Boat = main fuse near battery. Engine = engine fuse.

64de6b7c.jpg
 

drewpster

Commander
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
2,059
Re: where to Start

I certainly seems as though you have an open circuit somewhere. Depending on how your charger is connected to your batteries, it would fail to recharge the start battery if the positive cable is open. The charger and the engine likely charge this battery back through the power cable connected to it. Its possible a main fuse or breaker has failed on the positive side of the start battery.
 

Newbeee

Recruit
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
3
Re: where to Start

Thanks for the fast feedback. I appreciate it.
It 'appears" that the battery initially checks out ok... according to the friendly counter person at the local Advanced Auto parts store. They are charging it to make sure.

In giving this more thought... something that seemed "odd" on my last successful trip came to mind that may be playing a bigger part of this.
The switches on the dash are the kind that light up with what I assume is an LED when they are turned on. The navigation light switch has three positions, with the center one being off. Sometime during my last trip, even in the off position, one of the led's of this switch was lit, and stayed lit, even after I killed the main power switch. Possible short which would have drained my battery... possibly... but one LED and a 12V battery in two weeks... seems unlikely, but OK I'll buy it. Still doesn't explain (at least not to me) why I could not charge the battery, and why the charger (if the battery is indeed good) showed that it had charged successfully and the battery was not in need of charging, on both banks (main battery and two trolling motor batteries), unless the charger is the culprit (which could have been caused to fail because of a short).

I intend to dig in with my meter tonight to get some more answers, but my ignorance of the charger is what is really hanging me up in my head at this point. Thanks again for the fast feedback.
Steve
 

drewpster

Commander
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
2,059
Re: where to Start

Get the nme brand and model of your charger. The instructions for it are probably on the web somewhere.
 

Newbeee

Recruit
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
3
Re: where to Start

Thanks for the feedback... I think between your suggestions, some further information from the service department at the Triton dealership, and some troublshooting on my own, I think I have found the causes of the problem. looks like both a bad battery (not entirely, it still holds a charge but for how long is yet to be determined) and lack of output from the on-board charger.
I am sure I will be posting in the future with some of the problems I am bound to face.
Thanks again for the quick responses.
Steve
 
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