50 hp 507F7C starter or starter relay failure?

[eurolarva]

Re: 50 hp 507F7C starter or starter relay failure?

I would get a new battery. The battery should be recharged as soon as you are done using it. Once a battery is discharged it will never hold a good charge. Take it to a place where they can do a load test on it or replace it. You will save yourself a lot of grief and you run less chance of being stranded on the lake

 

[inquizito]

Re: 50 hp 507F7C starter or starter relay failure?

Yes. Checked electrolyte level, and although I filled it a couple weeks ago, it was 1/4" low on most cells: I tested charge w/ hydrometer before adding water and each cell tested 75%/three balls floating; however, at proper level, one cell had tested 1/2 charged. I charged the battery 6.5 hrs. on 2 amps, and the 1/2 charged cell was at 3/4, but another cell had 1/4 charge - but this would vary according to how deep and where into cell you stuck the hydrometer tube, up to showing full charge at times, but mostly 1 ball floated. So, the suspect 1/2 charged cell may not have been shorted,w ith the one showing 1/4 charge now even worse. Both those cells have white flakes visible in the bottom, which I assume is the high--rate-charge-robbing sulphation I've read about. As you said, to Boaters World with my 24 months prorate warranty deal for replacement if all cells don't show an improvement with last night's final attempt to charge. Or should I take it back in any case with these new facts? It was never completely discharged to zip, but certainly must have been far less than 12 volts much of winter, and less than 10 volts counts as discharged??? Should I recharge the battery even if I have an electric start motor with stator to recharge battery? Most people do, especially on an older (1987 Force 50 hp) engine, just to be sure. And if I recharge, and don't use for a week at a time, will it hold charge I will need until use?

 

[eurolarva]

Re: 50 hp 507F7C starter or starter relay failure?

Here is what I would do. Get rid of the battery. It is no good. Second after boating disconnect one of the leads on your battery. Dont matter if it is positive or neg. Check battery level with voltmeter. It it is below 12.55 volts put a two amp charge on it overnight and leave the one battery lead disconnected till the next time you use the boat. I believe that when you keep your battery hooked up there is still a partial load on the battery and over time it will discharge it. Here is my thinking on this. Have you ever put fresh batteries in a flash light and never use the flashlight but after six months the batteries dont work? I may be wrong here but it also eliminates an issue of forgetting to turn ignition switch off or your depth finder or a bow light. It is just safer. Once you completely drain a battery it never comes back to 100 percent

 

[inquizito]

Re: 50 hp 507F7C starter or starter relay failure?

Agree. From what I've read, the battery will more quickly discharge when left hooked up, because the circuit into which the charge travels and may dissipate is enlarged - that is also why if I'm not using my lights, I don't even hook them up. And I learned from this site that leaving your battery on a concrete surface will drain it due to the moisture retained in the concrete and its natural conductivity - just the same, leaving it sitting on the floor of the boat and not in a battery box, the moisture from the deck saps it. <br /><br />I have 1/3 of my 24 mo. warranty on the battery, and I am going to take advantage of it, like you said. Although I don't have a voltmeter, I have a hydrometer, and each floating ball equates to 25% charge indication: If I test it with hydro after each use, and recharge whenever it is 25% discharged (1 ball sinking), would this be a useful, adequate assessment of retained charge? I have a charger without automatic cutoff, so it is important that I know exactly how much voltage I have - I think a voltmeter (multimeter) is in order. I hear the digital ones are more reliable than the voltage meter types, but they're more...<br />But I risk overcharge without it. As far as that goes, I guess I should never have bought the charger without automatic cutoff at proper 12.8V, but boating store shouldn't have sold it either. Always have to appreciate the value of WalMart...<br />They have a 12V charger with cutoff for about $20.<br />Too bad I already paid $40 for this Vector model.