Tried to start the boat today...

[Shloim]

So the battery was all charged, I hooked up the water, then tried the key and all I got was a little click. I was alone so, I couldnt be up at the ignition and see what was happening at the motor at the same time. But it was running like a top when I put it away and its the first time it hasnt started since I got it. season 4 now... Any suggestions? I also didnt have a lot of time today...

[Smokercrafty]

Double check your battery voltage. If you can keep a voltmeter on your battery while cranking, check the voltage drop. Your battery may have gone kaput.

Otherwise, check your voltage at the one side of your start solenoid, stationary. Should have battery voltage.

Try jumping the large terminals at the solenoid.....

Try tapping that solenoid lightly. Could be stuck internally.

There's a few things to try. Good luck! Boat issues ALWAYS suck!

[Freshtrax]

Check connections between battery and starter. Could be faulty connections, bad relay or starter.

[Shloim]

Gonna try boosting it next but the battery is a 2 yr old Deka bought new and the charger said it was 100%. Yes boat troubles suck for sure! But lets hope these are the worst problems we all ever face...

[Old Ironmaker]

Yea Shloim put it away running like a top and 5 months later nothing works. I'm there this year too. I am electrically challenged. Moisture is a killer when a boat sits for months, I learned that real quick. The first thing I do is check all the fuses, that I can do. Then I get my Electrician in a Can, electronic spray, and give the ignition switch, the fuse box, every wire and connection I can find a good spray. Even WD40 will work (water displacement formula 40).I also always clean every battery connection with a brush or sand paper until they shine. I once towed the boat 90 minutes to the marina and back and they found a dirty connector to the battery. Other than that I can't help. Another time I didn't have the bilge wire back on. You never saw a happier dum, dum.

 

It would take me a few years at Community College to understand what Smokercrafty said to do.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[Tom McCutcheon]

Did you check your Kill Switch Lanyard?

[Dara]

Yea Shloim put it away running like a top and 5 months later nothing works. I'm there this year too. I am electrically challenged. Moisture is a killer when a boat sits for months, I learned that real quick. The first thing I do is check all the fuses, that I can do. Then I get my Electrician in a Can, electronic spray, and give the ignition switch, the fuse box, every wire and connection I can find a good spray. Even WD40 will work (water displacement formula 40).I also always clean every battery connection with a brush or sand paper until they shine. I once towed the boat 90 minutes to the marina and back and they found a dirty connector to the battery. Other than that I can't help. Another time I didn't have the bilge wire back on. You never saw a happier dum, dum.

 

It would take me a few years at Community College to understand what Smokercrafty said to do.

I'm sure glad I had my bilge wire hooked up last week

[John Bacon]

Did you check your Kill Switch Lanyard?

 

The motors that I have owned would still turn over with the kill switch disconnected. The kill switch affects the spark plugs, not the starter motor.

 

I would start with the battery connections; and then the battery itself.

[Consigliere]

Sounds like low voltage to the starter (battery or connection issues somewhere) If you confirm battery and electric connections are all good could be your starter motor. One thing to try is to tap the bottom with a hammer lightly while someone is trying the ignition. Brushes on the starter could be stuck.

 

After that you are getting into more detailed electrics troubleshooting. you can check kill switch easily

With multimeter. Ignition a bit tricky but look up the specs. Sounds like any troubleshooting should be before the starter motor.

 

A

Little bit of googling will find you lots of info on outboard troubleshooting.

[Consigliere]

Sounds like low voltage to the starter (battery or connection issues somewhere) If you confirm battery and electric connections are all good could be your starter motor. One thing to try is to tap the bottom with a hammer lightly while someone is trying the ignition. Brushes on the starter could be stuck.

 

After that you are getting into more detailed electrics troubleshooting. you can check kill switch easily

With multimeter. Ignition a bit tricky but look up the specs. Sounds like any troubleshooting should be before the starter motor.

 

A

Little bit of googling will find you lots of info on outboard troubleshooting.

[chris.brock]

 

My money is on a toast battery.

[Sinker]

My money is on the connection at the battery. Disconnect the cables, clean with a wire brush, and start over.

 

S.

[chris.brock]

 

Wanna bet who buys the minnows when we finally get out ice fishing Shayne?

[Old Ironmaker]

My money is on something simple. Shloim did say the battery was fully charged, but dead battery could show 15V and by the time it is connected it could be dead.

 

Shloim, did you take the battery in for the winter? If you did I'm with Sinker on this one. Clean those connections until the copper shines.

[bigbuck]

Check the connections to the battery to make sure they are clean and tight. If so, try boosting it if you have a spare battery around. That is your simplest course of action. If it starts, your battery is pooched. If not, check to see if anything electrical works or not, power trim, lights, radio..... if they work, you may have a blown main fuse to the motor. If that fuse is fine, try tapping the starter with a hammer, if that works, you will need to either rebuild it or replace it, tapping is a temporary fix at best, it will leave you stranded.

[BillM]

Battery. Doesn't matter what the charger says.

[Sinker]

Wanna bet who buys the minnows when we finally get out ice fishing Shayne?

That's a bet!

[Carp]

If the battery cables aren't tightly secured to the post/screw, or there's a bit of corrosion, the starter doesn't receive the electrical current it should.

Sometimes it will may start the motor, but not getting as much juice as it should.

 

Last summer we rented a cottage for a week in July. Battery was fully charged and started the motor fine on the first day. The second day I could tell could tell the starter seemed a bit weaker.

Third day, it barely got the motor going. Thought the battery was toast. Disconnected all the wiring and used some sandpaper on the wire ends (connecting terminals).

A quick scrub on the battery terminals with a wire brush and put it all back together. No more issues.

 

That's the first thing I would do. If the battery still doesn't start the motor, try a different battery (car,truck, another boat, etc.) Or, as mentioned, connect the booster cables directly to the solenoid.

If the motor starts with a different battery/cables and you've cleaned the connections, you can just about guarantee your battery is the problem.

 

When storing the boat for the winter, I disconnect all the wires connected to the battery. Some black electrical tape wound around the negative wires keeps them separated from the positives. I wrap tape around the positive wires too, but it's easy to distinguish between the two groups of wires. After that, I take the battery inside to my basement and put it on a piece of 2 x 8" plank, as large as the base of the battery or even slightly larger. I read somewhere that putting the battery on a concrete floor can cause damage to the plates over time. Not sure if it's true, but why take the chance. I always have pieces of wood laying around the house from various projects.

 

Hope you figure it out and get on the water soon.

Let us know what the problem was.

[misfish]

Connections. No doughtaboutit.

[Shloim]

Well it seems you guys were right! I never a boost and away she went!

Kind of embarrassed but sure glad it was minor. Thanks people!!

[Old Ironmaker]

Don't cheap out on a battery. The cheap batteries have a maximum number of times it can be charged from 20%. The better quality batteries have a higher number of maximum times it can be charged from 20%. 85% of all batteries manufactured are from the same company. I can't remember the company now. Something Instruments.

[Fisherman]

Johnson Controls, Exide, Deka, Trojan, Rolls Surette, just to name a few.

[Smokercrafty]

Good to see you got 'er going!! Now you can worry about catching fish!!!!

[Old Ironmaker]

Johnson Controls is the company. A battery distributor in Newmarket, my brother in law, told me Johnson Controls makes batteries for the major majority of the industry.

 

Major majority? That must be a lot.

Edited May 7, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[captpierre]

9th year I on my original Deka starting battery.

I'm impressed.

I hear most batteries only last 3-4 yrs.