Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Delton

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Has anyone had a problem with LOW VOLTAGE from a 1995 88hp SPL Erude? The motor runs pretty damn good (a little cold natured as standard). No matter what RPM I'm at, the output charging voltage stays round 11.4 volts. This is worrying. Any thoughts?? Thanks....

Delton
 

boobie

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Where are you measureing the voltage at?? If it's at the battery you may have a bad rectifier or stator. If it's at an in dash volt meter the meter could be bad.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Where are you measureing the voltage at?? If it's at the battery you may have a bad rectifier or stator. If it's at an in dash volt meter the meter could be bad.

Thanks for the repy. I checked it at the wires where they go to the battery. My volt meter matches the boats gauge. (I tested it on my other boat, so I know the voltmeter reads 100% true). The boat runs great and has not run down the battery in 3 weeks. Some folks say leave it alone... but that doesn't sit well with me. Not sure what to do next?? hate to start throwing money down a well... Thanks again....
 

boobie

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Stupid question. What does your other boat say on the volt meter when it is running??
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Stupid question. What does your other boat say on the volt meter when it is running??

The other boat is showing about 14.4 volts. At the gauge and the voltmeter. They match up. As well as the Johnson 88. The boats gauge says about 11.4ish... just like the meter. Won't this eventualy kill the battery? Thanks again....
 

boobie

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

From what I can tell you may have a charging system prob. If you're going to work on this yourself, get an OEM factory service manual. The testing procedures are very clear in them. Stay away from Seloc and Clymer. If you're only using your battery for starting and keep it fully charged it will last for a good summers worth.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

From what I can tell you may have a charging system prob. If you're going to work on this yourself, get an OEM factory service manual. The testing procedures are very clear in them. Stay away from Seloc and Clymer. If you're only using your battery for starting and keep it fully charged it will last for a good summers worth.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Yes... low voltage would mean I have a charging problem, clearly. Is this a rare occurance in these motors? I see a lot of high voltage problems, but no one seems to have low volage issues. I need a guru to help sort this out! Thanks...
 

tx1961whaler

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Yes... low voltage would mean I have a charging problem, clearly. Is this a rare occurance in these motors? I see a lot of high voltage problems, but no one seems to have low volage issues. I need a guru to help sort this out! Thanks...
Not rare. Search for "Blown Rectifier" and you'll find many with low voltage issues. If the voltage at the battery is that low and does not ever move, then you have a charging system problem.
Check all of the connections and fuses first.
Check the AC volts going to the rectifier from the stator coil at the yellow and yellow gray wires. Should be well above 12 volts.

The round non-regulated rectifier can be tested by following this:
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=190638

if no AC volts then probably the stator coil is bad. Ohms test across the disconnected yellows should be a very low reading.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Not rare. Search for "Blown Rectifier" and you'll find many with low voltage issues. If the voltage at the battery is that low and does not ever move, then you have a charging system problem.
Check all of the connections and fuses first.
Check the AC volts going to the rectifier from the stator coil at the yellow and yellow gray wires. Should be well above 12 volts.

The round non-regulated rectifier can be tested by following this:
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=190638

if no AC volts then probably the stator coil is bad. Ohms test across the disconnected yellows should be a very low reading.

AWESOME... It looks like you have put me on the right track. I will do some testing and let you know how it all goes. From what I have read... it does look like the rectifier. I pray it's not the stator! Thanks so very much.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Not rare. Search for "Blown Rectifier" and you'll find many with low voltage issues. If the voltage at the battery is that low and does not ever move, then you have a charging system problem.
Check all of the connections and fuses first.
Check the AC volts going to the rectifier from the stator coil at the yellow and yellow gray wires. Should be well above 12 volts.

The round non-regulated rectifier can be tested by following this:
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=190638

if no AC volts then probably the stator coil is bad. Ohms test across the disconnected yellows should be a very low reading.

Did you mean to say DC volts instead of AC volts??

UPDATE:
I installed a new rectifier\regulator. It brought the charging volts up to a solid 12volts. An improvment, but not what i was hoping for. I measured voltage everywhere I could on the motor while running, and never saw anything above 12 volts. I'm guessing the stator is weak?? I really don't know. Also, the replacement rectifier had 1 red and 2 yellow wires. No gray stripe on the yellow. I assume that the yellows are interchangeable? There were no markings on the new yellow wires at all. Has anybody encountered this? Thanks as always....
 

boobie

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

If you have one, what brand service manual are you working out of?? The OEM ones have the best info in them. As to your ?, the yellow wires have to connect to the stator and makes no difference if reversed going to the stator yellow wires. You may want to start checking your stator for proper output.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

If you have one, what brand service manual are you working out of?? The OEM ones have the best info in them. As to your ?, the yellow wires have to connect to the stator and makes no difference if reversed going to the stator yellow wires. You may want to start checking your stator for proper output.

I have a .pdf (digital scanned)Evinrude Johnson Service Repair Manual. It's ok at best... I did check the stator output again, and it is putting out between 30 and 40 volts AC, so think the stator may be ok. I did see the DC meter start to bump above 12 volts for the first time, and I thought it may be that I have the yellow wires crossed... That is until you said it makes no difference, so I will rule that out. Someone said to try a new battery. I can't see how that would affect the charging voltage? But I may pop a fully charged battery in there just to see if it makes a difference. Thank you again, for taking the time to reply...
 

boobie

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

You may also want to check the stator with an ohmmeter against the specs in your manual. If the battery starts the mtr ok I can't see how it would be bad but it would be worth a try. My manual only shows ohmmeter tests for the stator side of the charging system. no out put tests.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

You may also want to check the stator with an ohmmeter against the specs in your manual. If the battery starts the mtr ok I can't see how it would be bad but it would be worth a try. My manual only shows ohmmeter tests for the stator side of the charging system. no out put tests.

Hello. For those of you that were eyeing this thread, here is the update: I will call it, "From one extreme to the other!"

The boat did finally kill the battery so I brought it up to thoroughly charge and test it. Battery seems to be 100% straight and holding a full charge. (sat 3 days and has holding at 12.76 volts. It's a group 31 Deep Cycle) After a week of rain, and the boat sitting, I went down to the dock today and popped the battery back in. She fired right up (which is unusual for this cold natured beast) and I watched the volt gauge SLOWLY climb from 12ish volts to 13, 14, 15 and settling on about 16 volts!!! I had a low voltage problem, and now it could be argued that I have a high voltage problem now. All I did was pop a new ARCO rectifier on the motor.... Like I said, from one extreme to the other. Should I let it be? or is this too high??

Thanks as always!
 

guitman32

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Just throwing this out there but you will get different voltages at different engine speeds. High 12s to 13 at idle and upwards at higher RPM if its my motor were talking about.

If you are getting 16v at idle, Id say that is out of the ordinary. After reading your posts (before the last one) my money was on a stator issue in addition to the reg/rec.

If it were me I would check the output of your stator using a DVA meter just to be on the safe side.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Thanks for the ultra fast reply... It pretty much sat at 16 volts no matter what rpms I was running. RPMs seem to have little to no affect on it. I could get the volts to drop my hitting the trim, and running various lights, etc. When testing the stator output, what should I see? And should I look for AC volts or DC volts off the stator?? Thanks as always..... Delton
 

guitman32

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

Thanks for the ultra fast reply... It pretty much sat at 16 volts no matter what rpms I was running. RPMs seem to have little to no affect on it. I could get the volts to drop my hitting the trim, and running various lights, etc. When testing the stator output, what should I see? And should I look for AC volts or DC volts off the stator?? Thanks as always..... Delton

To measure you need a DVA capable meter or an adapter to use with your existing multimeter. You can make your own for cheap using radio shack parts (there is a thread somewhere on how to make one).

When measuring DVA you always set the meter to DC volts (something to do with how a DVA meter/adapter works - basically it uses a diode and a capacitor which functions as a rectifier of sorts - so it always sends DC signal to the meter). And before you ask, setting the meter to AC and performing the stator output test without the DVA (peak reading) adapter will not give you an accurate diagnosis of the stator per the factory voltages. I know, I tried...you need the DVA.

EDIT: A search should tell you how to perform the stator output test and the anticipated voltages for your model engine. There is also a site that has charts of the spec outputs. I don't have the site offhand apologies.
 

boobie

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

If this was just a rectifier you put on it it's normal to see 16 volts in the system. (bolts on side of mtr). If it was a regulator/rectifier (mounts in top of block) 14.2 is normal. It does help to post the EXACT model#. Saves a lot of finger work. LOL.
 

Delton

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

If this was just a rectifier you put on it it's normal to see 16 volts in the system. (bolts on side of mtr). If it was a regulator/rectifier (mounts in top of block) 14.2 is normal. It does help to post the EXACT model#. Saves a lot of finger work. LOL.

Thanks for the reply (as always). It is the little round 3 wire rectifier, not the large finned one. I am beginning to think the battery may be the culprit. When I charged it up all the way, I had high voltage. Now that the battery is getting weak (but still will crank it), the output voltage seems to sit just below 13 volts. It's been a while since it ran back up to 16 volts. I swear the thing is haunted. I will try a fresh battery and see what happens. On a side note, and thanks to the forum... I have been using Seafoam to help clean the carbs. It has REALLY helped a lot, and has the motor running so much smoother. The boat had sat for about 2 years, and really needs to run. A few tanks of Seafoam has really made a noticeable difference. If I could just get her to idle a bit more smoothly and not be so COLD natured I'd sleep better a night. I will look around to see if there are any tricks and or solutions to solve this. Thanks so much.
 

boobie

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Re: Low Voltage Problem 1995 88hp Evinrude SPL

When your battery is low or bad you will see low charging voltage. When the battery is fully charged that's when the charging voltage goes up.
 
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