Electrical Issues starting the Starboard engine

[Boater71]

I launched my boat and am having the following issue. I can only start the Starboard engine when holding down the emergency start. The port engine is fine. Furthermore, the VV403 is not powering up either. The boat runs fine, I took it out last night for 20 minutes at about 1000 RPM and came back to the dock. Again, I could not start the Starboard without pressing the "emergency start". The boat was left charging batteries over a few days.

What is the troubleshooting process here to figure out if it is Battery charger, batteries (replaced 3 years ago), alternator, I changed the starter 2 seasons ago.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Describe better what "not starting" means.

Start by checking voltage directly at the battery. Then load test it. Check on those and then we can go from there.

You can also check voltage at the battery with the engine running and then with the charger on (engine off).

What is a VV403?

 

[Skybolt]

... I can only start the Starboard engine when holding down the emergency start. The port engine is fine. ...

So beside cleaning all of the battery connections and verifying that the battery charger is in fact charging with a volt meter. It sounds like that battery is bad, regardless of age.

I would go but a new battery that mates the port one and install it. But check that the battery charger is charging that battery with a volt meter, you should see ~13.6 volts.

 

[Skybolt]

... What is a VV403?

Vessel View 403 - 403 is the display model. Sounds like it is powered by the starboard battery.

 

[Boater71]

Correct. the VV403 and seems to be powered by the Starboard batteries.

 

[Boater71]

I will start by checking voltage at batteries, and while charging and while engine is running.

 

[Lazy Daze]

You kids and your abbreviations

You could also try swapping batteries and see if the problem follows the battery.

 

[Scott215]

∆∆∆ try changing batts , good idea

 

[Golfman25]

Had a similar situation last year. Pushed the e-start and BOOM. Turns out the charger cooked the battery and the fumes exploded. So really check those batteries.

 

[Scott215]

So your battery exploded in engine compartment, that would suck

 

[Golfman25]

So your battery exploded in engine compartment, that would suck

Tell me about it. Since the batteries are buried under the cockpit floor it took a while to figure it out. Cracked the case and sent the tops flying.

 

[Scott215]

@Glofman25, Glad you're okay seriously That's bad stuff when they explode seen it happen in a car before

 

[Bill Curtis]

Yup, had a Battery Tender cook off a battery in a tractor. BOOM. Battery was under the seat .
Never used a Battery Tender again.

 

[Scott215]

Glad you okay

 

[Bill Curtis]

Glad you okay

Underwear weren't so lucky.

 

[Scott215]

That's okay You can always replace those

 

[Boater71]

Thank you all for your tips. It was the batteries. I battery had a bad cel and the other could not handle the load. I did everything you guys recommended. When I swapped the port with Starboard batteries, that is when the starboard engine fired up no problem and the VesselView V403 was alive again. replaced 2 starboard batteries and all good.

 

[Boater71]

I used the Interstate SRM-31 batteries. I purchased 2 pairs on 6/2020 so I got 3 years out of ONE pair. On the port side, I can get another season or 2 out of them. There seems to be a much higher load on the Starboard engine batteries!
The only downside to interstate is they provide only 1 year warranty on these.

I keep the batteries connected throughout the winter so that I can open the hatch. This spring, I noticed the Starboard batteries were dead while the port side still had charge.

 

[km1125]

If the starboards are also running the bulk of your house loads, then they are getting discharged anytime you're 'on the hook' and not running the genset. It's possible they're not getting fully recharged either on the trip back or via the shore charger, so they're spending a greater percentage of their time in a somewhat discharged state. You should definitely check to make sure the shore charger is keeping all the batteries charged.

Also, when you saw the batteries were dead in the spring that likely would have killed them. Just being discharged temporarily does cut their life down, but if they sat that way for a while (days, weeks, months, etc) then even just ONE occurrence like that could kill the batteries. You should explore the options others have used to be able to provide power to the hatch so you CAN disconnect the batteries for storage.

 

[Boater71]

The port batteries power the house and the starboard powers the cockpit, which includes all lights and electronics!

Yes, I will need to explore disconnecting the batteries or keep the hatch open in the winter