Battery, bilge and GPS issues. Are they related?

[Scottp3]

Hey folks. First off many thanks to those who run this site, fund this site and contribute to this site. Very much apprecciated! as a new boat owner who is also mechanically stupid when it comes to egines, wiring, etc - this site has really helped me begin to understand basic maintenance issue and possible fixes.

I have a 2007 1801CC with Yamaha 115 4 stroke that I purchased used in 2010. The engine has 140 hours on it and was serviced at 100 hours at the beginning of last summer.

First issue this year is that the bilge pump does not work. When I press the breaker it will run for 1-2 seconds, then switch off. The light on the bilge pump switch on the panel is not lit anymore (the lights for the running lights, radio, etc are lit when turned on).

Next, I just started noticing that my gps will turn off in the middle of a run...might do this 2-3 times over the course of the weekend of using the boat for 2-3 hours total. When this happens I just power the unit back on and all is fine.

Lastly, although the boat starts up quickly, I have noticed a 2-3 second dely before firing (has always been immediate). And oddly, this happens the more I use the boat. We are weekend warriors and when I pull it off the lift on Friday night it fires immediately, but it seems as the weekend rolls on it labors more to fire up. It's not bad...but noticeable.

My battery is at least 3 years old and has 70 hours on it. I say at least, because that is when I bought the bought and it hasnt yet been replaced. The sticker on the battery shows "Dec" and "1" being punched out for the age. The "1" can't mean 2011 because I didnt replace a battery in 2011...so I'm left to wonder if it is an older battery? Since the boat was new in 2007 and I didnt service it in 2011 - Im not sure what the "1" being punched out means? For info, I run the boat 1 hour/ per month in the winter months to keep things charged up.

So..my question...could all this be battery related? Or is it more that they are all just normal items that I should expect to have serviced apart from one another? If the latter is the issue, I would appreciate any advice on the bilge breaker (assume I can tackle this). Figure I can buy and install a new battery on my own and possibly tackle the electronic issue with the GPS if it is not battery related.

Many thanks, and sorry for the novel.

Scott

 

[pmeggers]

I would check the terminal connections to the battery. Clean them up nice, and clamp them down tight. Are they held on by wingnuts? THose are never good for business.

 

[windknotnc]

Sounds like battery connections for sure....clean them off good and use nylon lock nuts on your terminals

 

[Dan Duda]

Greetings:

This suggestion is by no means meant to be insulting; occassionally, we all sometimes miss a basic feature.

Does your bilge pump have a float activated power source? During the past few years, bilge pumps without float switches have been on the market (I put one in my small skiff). This type of pump avoids the common problem of bilge grease and goo allowing the float switch to stick in the "up" position, running the pump continually and, possibly, depleting the battery charge. The "floatless" type has internal circuitry that activates every several minutes for 2 or 3 seconds and, if sensing no water srrounding it, shuts down until the next "check for water" time frame. Current demand during the "test" periods is virtually nil, so it's not a big draw on the battery.

You might try resetting the CB, then listening if the pump activates, shuts down for several minutes, then activates again.

If you have a float switch in the bilge, then (obviously) there's a problem somewhere.

Good luck

Dan

 

[Luv2fish]

I would start with the battery connections. I can't tell from the description of your problem if all the items you are running are on the same battery. My GPS will automatically turn off below a certain voltage. If your battery is old and there is not sufficient charging (the motor might be running on another battery) it might turn off. Same thing with the motor not starting. After sitting at the dock for a while (with a charger or not) the battery might be at the peak of its power. If you start the motor several times without a sufficient amount of time running to recharge it, the battery will not turn it over fast enough to get it to start.

You can get the battery tested for free at most auto parts stores. You have to pull the wires to clean it anyway so have them run a full test on the battery. 3 years is about max for a boat battery on my boat.

Steve

 

[Megabyte]

Don't forget to also check the electrical connections at the motor.
The battery connections are important, but the motor connections can loosen and corrode too.

 

[DaleH]

Remember that corrosion means resistance and resistance creates heat and those breakers may be popping due to the heat build up. I'd get a multi-meter and learn how to read wires for excessive resistance. Your wires may be corroded on the last few inches due to poor connection techniques.

Check everything, I once even had a battery switch go bad. On my boat it is up under the enclised transom and the boat was left idle for years before I bought it. All excess moisture in the hull or bilge must have 'migrated' into anything it could and there was so much corrosion on the internal terminals that starting the OB was a hit or miss proposition. A resistance check proved the part to be bad ...

 

[Scottp3]

@ Dan...never worry about insulting someone when they are asking for free advice! I really appreciate all the advice guys...and will take some time this weekend to check out the battery and cables. Not sure messing with the breaker board is for me...but will ask around on that one. I know for sure this battery is 3 years old...and possibly older as I didnt inquire when I bought the boat used. The stickers punched out on it make no sense of telling how old it is, so maybe the smart thing to do is buy a new battery. Again, many thanks to you all!

Scott

 

[DaleH]

But with the OB running, you are running off the alternator juice, not the inherent battery juice itself. However, most shops will 'load test' your battery for free ...

 

[MikeZ]

Re: the bilge pump
You may have some debris binding the impeller. Most pumps "click" out of the base so you can inspect the impeller. With power off, you should be able to rotate the impeller easily by hand. If it's frozen, then it's time for a replacement.