www.iFourWinns.com

Using new charger now (with working gauges). Port side battery is showing good, but not full charge. It's charging now. I will do the same to starboard side battery when port is full. I double checked the red fuse on top. I did not reset it correctly with the little yellow lever. It's now reset; however I don't think it was tripped in the first place. I'll charge the batteries between today and tomorrow and try it again.

Hopefully this is all due to my inexperience! Always learning.....

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2010 Four Winns H210 - 5.0 Mercruiser

Can you bring a battery or a jump pack you know is good to start it? Or you can bring the batteries to an auto store so they can test? It would be easiest to rule those out first before going any deeper.

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NEW - 2000 Cobalt 246 w/454 Magnum 385HP | SOLD - 2000 FW Horizon 180 LS w/5.0Gi 250HP Volvo Penta

The batteries are finally charged and the boat starts on it's own with no problem at all! Now to finish cleaning. Hopefully, we'll be on the water within the week! Thanks again for the ideas - I guess the batteries take much longer to charge up than I thought they would.

by bradsimpson301, on Flickr

Couldn't have done it without the help of my youngest first mate!

by bradsimpson301, on Flickr

Thanks again!

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2010 Four Winns H210 - 5.0 Mercruiser

They can take a while to fully charge. Next season try charging them fully after you winterize the boat. If you can charge them once or twice when the boat is stored over the winter. If you keep them fully charged most of the time they will last longer. Doing it the way I described, my batteries will come up to full charge in about a half hr each. They will usually be at 87-90% charged, even after sitting for a couple of months. Conventional lead acid batteries do not fare well if left undercharged for long periods of time...

OK not to tell you what do to, but do you have the sterndrive unit serviced as part of a yearly service? In other words, do you have the outdrive taken off, have the bellows, gimble bearing and the ujoints checked and lubed if they are the kind that can be lubed? Engine alignment checked? It is my impression that as long as all seems well with the outdrive, a lot of people just change the gear oil but never take it off. Doing that can lead to a lot of expensive headaches.

This week I am changing the bellows on my '88 OMC Cobra. The bellows on these, are exactly the same as the ones on the Volvo SX. The one on the boat has lasted 11 seasons! It is just starting to show some cracking in the folds, not bad but its getting stiff and this is a good time to change. If you don't check these things every year though you can wind up with water in the bellows which will cause expensive repairs....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Thanks for the tips on charging the marine batteries! We just purchased the boat last summer, putting about 55 hours on it. I've changed the outdrive oil this winter. I'll plan on the outdrive service after this season. Thanks again!

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2010 Four Winns H210 - 5.0 Mercruiser

Glad it was just undercharged batteries! Happy boating

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NEW - 2000 Cobalt 246 w/454 Magnum 385HP | SOLD - 2000 FW Horizon 180 LS w/5.0Gi 250HP Volvo Penta