Power Trim

[randallwquirk]

As I posted earlier on this I want to update. I checked all grounds and all seems OK. Starts good until it sits for 24 hrs. or so then acts like it's got dead/low battery. Hit the trim up & down once and then I have full cranking power for the starter. Makes no sense to me! I checked the trim and added fluid to it and noticed a weird squealing noise when I trim up and let off the switch. Possibly a weak trim motor, bad brushes? Could that be causing an electrical problem that draws power away from the starter when it's engaged? Dead short or the like? I have a Multitester, but frankly don't have a clue what to test for or how to use it!

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Power Trim

Loose connections - the trim is helping the circuit "make".<br /><br />-W

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Power Trim

They draw some considerable amps, so I'd expect some drop in cranking RPMs if the trim pump is running also. I'd guess up to 50 rpms. There could be a bad connection inside the battery. That you would be able to do nothing about. Sometimes there's some breakage inside the battery that will show great voltage, but internal problems prevent transferring a lot of amps right away. But Clams is probably right. It's taking a lot of amps to set-up a circuit due to loose or corroded battery connections (which could be internal to the battery).<br /><br />Make sure the battery connections are spotless. Put the wires with the heaviest draw on the post first and the least draw last. Crank the wingnuts with pliers. There are two reasons to put the wires on the posts in the right order. The best connection between the battery and cable is at the post and not thru the nut. The heaviest eyes are on the heaviest wires and conduct well to the small wire eyes, but all that electricity squeezing thru a light wire eye to the large one is pushing a lot of juice thru not much metal.<br /><br />One easy test with that multimeter is a voltage drop test. Put the switch on DC voltage and connect the wires straight to the battery. Then try various things and see what the needle does. It should drop a couple of volts running the trim motor. The starter will drop it more. You don't it to drop below 9 volts.

 

[randallwquirk]

Re: Power Trim

Thanks for the replys! Will definitly change my post connections as I know the main cables are on top next to the nut. This whole problem began after I left the main power switch on for a couple of days and the battery got pulled down somehow to a low enough point that the starter motor would not engage. However there was enough power for everything else to work. After recharging and making sure everything was off was when over time I found this problem. Have checked soleniod connections, but am wondering if that could be the problem. Could a solenoid stick occasionally to cause this? Since there are power wires running from the starter soleniod to the trim soleniods, could bumping the trim switch somehow clear out the sticking starter soleniod to then make it work?

 

[randallwquirk]

Re: Power Trim

Just changed the connections on the posts as you suggested. Also, did the voltmeter test on the battery. I know it checked out at 12.54 V last week but this AM it would only test at 10.45 V. Definitly a low reading! Don't understand that, but maybe a weak battery. It's new this year, but who knows?!?