4.1.2021
Hi all
I decided to take the boat out for nice fishing session with my daughter. The morning was looking good with the rain clearing I hooked up the car and started for the ramp. Got into the queue for the ramp whilst waiting prepped the boat for lunch, waiting in the queue watching launching and having a laugh (you see some funny things at ramps). Eventually it was my turn all went smoothly and tied up to the wharf. Then the trouble started, turned the battery on lowered the motor and went to start and it just clicked, dam battery was flat. So no trouble switched to second battery and click click flat battery.
Got a battery bank from daughter’s car and nothing it wouldn’t start it either. So a trip back home (lucky only live 5 mins away from ramp) picked up the jumper leads and headed back. Took out the battery from car and jump started the boat yah it worked. Put the battery back in car then headed out.
Powered around the lake for about an hour gave the daughter a go. Then decided to start fishing, went to the drop off (Lake Illawarra) and decided not to turn off the motor to charge up the batteries, after about 4 hours of drifting and moving around to other spots the tally grew 17 for me 7 for the daughter (first time actually fishing) all C & R with motor running all the time. Decided to call it a day with a storm approaching. Back to the ramp joined the queue again eventually retrieving and heading home.
Pulled up at home and started to wash down the boat and flush the motor, and it did it again the dreaded clicking sound the battery didn’t charge up ((glad it didn’t switch it off when fishing).
Thought it may have been the way it was connected to the new motor. So another jump start and flushed it out. Put the boat away and connected the chargers up to the batteries just before the storm hit.
Next day checked out the battery issues, went to start the motor and click, charging didn’t work so out with the batteries and off to an Auto sparky main cranking battery stuffed normally 720 cranking amps had only 400, spare battery was ok fully charged 720 amp had 780 (good repco battery) so the hip pocket lighter headed home and installed, checked wiring seems ok motor starts, turned off switched to second battery motor starts.