Windlass Kills Starboard Engine

[capecodcruiser]

Can you guys give me your opinion on why today I went to use the windlass and the starboard engine would die? As we were getting ready to leave the dock, I had to use the emergency switch to start the stbd. motor. That was a first and i thought strange. Than, at the cove, went to anchor and blammo! No power on that side! I have a feeling it may just be a bad battery, but the charger is always on and I just checked the water levels a couple of weeks ago. The voltage when the engine is running is 14+volts and the engine runs fine. The engine stalling has me perplexed. Let me know what you think. Not sure how old the batteries are, so I think I may need to open my wallet soon...

 

[JV II]

Time for new batteries. The alternator is good if it runs and puts out 14V. Your windlass is using all the juice the alternator puts out instead of borrowing electrons from the battery. That starves your engine of the power it needs to keep it pumping.

 

[skibum]

Early this spring, I started the boat off of the #1 battery. I reached under the sink to turn the battery switch to "both" while the engine was running so that both batteries would charge. I inadvertently switched it to "off" without realizing it. Everything was fine until I hit the drive trim button. Same deal, the engine died.

So... that's a roundabout way of saying +1 to the bad battery suggestion...

 

[skolbe]

Bad battery it sounds like - the windlass takes some power to operate.

 

[CSR_Admin]

I had the same issue on a 30 Sundancer. However it was the bow thruster that made the engine quit. Changed the batt and all was good.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Before you toss any batteries check the water level again. If the charger ran a long time it may have boiled out the water in the battery.

 

[capecodcruiser]

Thanks everyone. It will be a couple of days until I can go diagnose, but I will find out and post back what I find. Everyone pretty much confirmed what I am thinking.