I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

[cacklerslayer]

I have a 1978 Evinrude 25hp motor and a Bottom line tounament 3300 sidefinder depth finder. I can not find an owners manual on the depth finder but from what i have learned from useing it, i think it has a setting that reads how many volts im gettin to the depth finder. My problem is that when im just trolling or even just sitting with the depth finder on it is reading around 13 volts but when i get up and run it climbs to around 16-16.5 and starts flashing to high of voltage and then shuts its self off!? My question is, is it my battery going bad or is it a problem with the alternator? If its the alternator how do i go about testing it and getting to it. im new to the outboard motor world. Thanks for any info!

 

[wilde1j]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

You motor probably has an unregulated recifier, which allows voltage to rise with RPM. Just the nature of your charging system. You could possiibly add a voltage regulator, which I think BRP Evinrude has available. See your local dealer.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

I had that same problem with my Humminbird.

With the motor at higher rpm's it was over 15 volts.
I changed out the rectifier with a CDI brand because my tach was acting up at times and it fixed both problems.

 

[redjmp]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

It is also a sign that your battery is getting weak. Batteries act like voltage regulators and that is why lots of boats don't have them.

 

[boobie]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

You could try a larger capacity battery, leave dash lites or running lites on when underway or get a 173640 voltage reg kit from any BRP dealer.

 

[jtexas]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

"around 13 volts" is just about right -- a fully charged battery should measure at least 12.65v.

This $2 radio shack voltage regulator right here should work,
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062600

Don't put it on the motor, though, put it in line with the FF, (best not to run more than 2amps through it, most FF draw much less than 1A). It will drop 2 volts when the input voltage is below 14, so if your FF minimum voltage is higher than 10.5 it might drop out if your battery starts to run down.

 

[cacklerslayer]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

Thanks guys for all the different info! I just have one more question with this whole problem. a little while back i did have to replace the brain box, could this high voltage thing have caused the old brain box to go out?

 

[boobie]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

No, the ignition system and charging system are independent of each other unless you had something funky going on in your stator which I doubt.

 

[cacklerslayer]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

thanks guys for all the helpful info!

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: I have a feeling im getting to high of volts?? can you help me!

Here is another fix for you. http://www.mfgsupply.com/m/c/01-090-1.html Also make sure you are using a marine battery and not a car battery. There is a difference.