My late 70's 115 isn't charging the battery. I tested the voltage with and without the engine running and there is almost no difference. I am not too familiar with boat mechanics. But, from what I've been reading on the forum, it looks like the most probable cause is either the the stator, the rectifier, or both. I haven't tested the stator voltage yet. But, it seems that if that is 14 volts or so (running), then it sounds like the rectifier is bad? Is this right? Is there anything else that could cause this? I checked the wires for conninuity and they seem fine, except for the insulation on a few, which I am going to replace. What do you think?
<br /><br />The rotton insulation is a problem. But the more likely problem is a blown rectifier. They fail over time due to loose and/or corroded battery connections. Connecting the battery backwards will blow it in an instant.