battery and outboards

imraan47

imraan47

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
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315
Do all outboards need a battery to run?

I was really confused and well there were some dingy boats with outboards..i think mercury.
some where electric key starts and other pull cords on them.
i was wondering do all of them need a 12v source i.e. battery or is the internal alternator or something provide cranking amps???
 
H

Home Cookin'

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May 26, 2009
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9,715
Re: battery and outboards

generally, outboards only need batteries to start, but not to run. They also can be pull started. Larger engines are hard to pull start so they typically have battery starters--those 30 hp and up. Then they have alternators to recharge the battery, although like old cars, once started, you can disconnect the battery.

Newer motors may have electronic components that need the battery to run after starting; I'm not sure.
 
imraan47

imraan47

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
315
Re: battery and outboards

so if i see an outboard that has the pull start then no battery is needed?
i had someone ask me how to start this outboard..i looked at it and it had a pull start. then i saw to wires for the battery and told him where is the battery lol .
so then i saw other outboards in the boats and they didnt have any wires for the battery.
 
JB

JB

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45,907
Re: battery and outboards

Some do, some don't. Your question is too general for one answer.
 
H

H20Rat

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Mar 8, 2009
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Re: battery and outboards

Home Cookin' said:
Then they have alternators to recharge the battery, although like old cars, once started, you can disconnect the battery.

Newer motors may have electronic components that need the battery to run after starting; I'm not sure.
Click to expand...

Not alternators, stators... (at least for most strokes, many 4 strokes get actual alternators) Also, in many larger mercs even from the mid 90's on up, disconnecting the battery on a running engine could end up with some very expensive parts releasing the magic smoke that makes them run.
 
Davem3

Davem3

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
542
Re: battery and outboards

the short answer is no.
my new Tohatsu's are proof of that .........

my 9.8 has electric start, PTT, and charging system, it HAS to have a battery on it, period, or i will damage the computer and rectifier.

however my 6HP is pull start and does not need a battery at all, pull start and it runs itself ............
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,762
Re: battery and outboards

An engine with a recoil start can also be electric start. Just because you see a recoi start doesn't automatically mean it is NOT electric start. Anything above 40 HP will generally be electric start. Electric start engines must have a battery. You can't draw power to run a starter motor out of thin air.
 
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