aq271c charging problem

[rob4212]

alternator is putting out 14.5 volts reads 13.5 volts at batteries, when under way and an electrical load is applied to the system the voltage drops at higher speeds when using the trim the engine will sputter, suspect that the coil is not getting enough voltage at this point. I should mention that the gauge on the boat usually reads 12.5 volts and does drop when using the trim any ideas?

 

[Scott Danforth]

You have a bad connection somewhere, most likely at the starter

Clean all the battery cable connections. At the starter alone there are 4 connections to clean

Your dash gauge will always read about 1 to 2 volts low. There is 25' of wire (and 4 connections) between the starter and the volt meter

 

[rob4212]

thanks for the tip, pulled starter motor checked connections there, cleaned battery cables grounds on the engine still no luck

 

[Scott Danforth]

did you clean the orange wire from the alternator to the starter terminal?

 

[rob4212]

yeah it looked good thou, but cleaned them all as I already had it apart, looked like the person I bought the boat from had replaced the solenoid in the not to recent past

 

[levittownnick]

It is normal to get a voltage drop while using a HEAVY load like Motor Trim, but if the drop is excessive, like causing the motor to stumble, either there is a poor connection, an undersized wire or excessive load. An undersized wire will get Hot, likewise a poor connection will get Hot, other than that I would concentrate on Battery or the Battery Switch Condition or .connections. Hot wires will only happen while drawing high current i.e.: Amps. (Easier said than done.)