bad starter solenoid = dead battery ?????

[Rollie]

Neighbor has 1988 Force 125 hp on a Bayliner fish and ski . He had a dead battery , so he replaced it only to go dead in 2 days . With the battery removed and checking the heavy battery cables, an ohmn meter reads 80 ohmns when hooked up + to red and - to black , but 0 when reversed . Going to the starter solenoid , I get the same 80 ohmns across the large contacts , and 0 when reversed . The manual I have says to check across the small terminals for 2.2 to 2.8 ohmns , which I did and got 2.2 . I am not an expert and hate to advise my neighbor to get a starter solenoid if that isn't whats wrong . Anyone care to comment ? Am I on the right track . Any other ideas . Thanks , Rollie

 

[steelespike]

Re: bad starter solenoid = dead battery ?????

Rollie If you get the proper reading across the small terminals then that part of the solinoid is good.Im no expert but seems to me like you are measureing across the rectifier. Which I believe has resistance only one way.If you believe something is draining the battery.I think if you unhook one cable and measure voltage between the battery and the cable<br />If there is a short it will show some voltage.<br />If you get indication of a drain unhook possible<br />problems until it goes away.Could be at the control panel as well.Unhook All wires from<br />solinoid and with least sensitive scale measure between large terminals should be 0.Measure from each large terminal to ground should be 0.<br /> Already know small terminals measure OK.Do each small terminal to ground should be 0.<br />Battery could turn up dead because of no charge.<br />Measure across battery with motor running should be 14 to 16 volts.<br /> Hope I havent confused the issue.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: bad starter solenoid = dead battery ?????

You didn't mention how the boat was used during the two days it took to drain the battery. If your neighbor was out boating for a couple of days using a number of accessories, the problem may be in the charging system. If the battery was ever disconnected while the motor was running, the rectifier is undoubtedly blown -- charging system will not operate.

 

[Rollie]

Re: bad starter solenoid = dead battery ?????

actually the battery went dead in the driveway . You are both correct ! rectifier leaking to ground . $32.00 later , all checked out fine . I thank you very much . I was fooled into thinking it was the starter solenoid as I got the reading across the terminals . BUT , the battery conn to the rectifier was connected to the solenoid , when I unhooked ALL the wires to the solenoid , it checked ok . I know enough to do that , but didn't do it . duh . Thanks again . Rollie