Re: charging system
Let's start at the beginning. You said you had little to no battery power. The missing point is "battery power to WHAT". If you mean to the engine because the starter wouldn't turn it over that's one issue. If you mean the troller had little to no power that's another. So you first need to determine which batteries "for sure" power what devices and then tell us what is not working. Next, is the trolling motor a 12 volt, 24 volt or combination 12 OR 24 volt? That's important because it determines whether two of the batteries are dedicated to the troller or not. If you have a 12 volt motor only one of the three batteries may be dedicated to the troller. So here's the scenario: for 24 volt trollers TWO of the batteries are ESSENTIAL and therefore dedicated to the troller and the third is dedicated to the engine for starting. If you have a 12 volt troller, one battery may be dedicated to it, the second is backup for the engine and the third is dedicated to the engine. As for a RUN/CHARGE switch it will be on the trolling motor receptacle panel at the bow of the boat if there is one AND the boat would need to be wired for a combo 12/24 volt motor. Not all boats have them (thank goodness for that). "Thinking" the batteries are strong and "knowing" they are strong (as in fully charged) are two different things. The only way you know is to physically check them. Lastly, how do you normally charge the batteries? You didn't tell us what engine you have but if you are depending on the typical outboard to keep three batteries charged the engine is not capable of doing that. So you need to provide us with much more detail than you have. And by the way -- if there was a short fuse(s) would be blown and there is no such thing as a "partial" short. Intermittent shorts yes -- but not partial.
