www.iFourWinns.com

Hi,

For some reason my #2 battery hasn't been getting charged by the alternator. It was replaced earlier this season since I thought the old battery was just going bad, but now the brand new one is also mostly dead and unable to start the boat. The #1 battery has been good all season.

Even after starting the boat on the dual battery setting, then switching to #2 only and running around for a while, the #2 battery still doesn't seem to be picking up a charge.

There is nothing hooked up only to the #2 only battery, and I shut both off when the boat is not in use.

Any ideas here? I'm really worried this is going to end up leaving me stranded. Thanks!

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Matt
2003 Four Winns Sundowner 245
VP 8.1Gi/DP
2008 Toyota 4Runner

Time to go back and check your battery terminals. Take off the battery switch and make sure that the nuts holding on the batt cables are tight. Then go to your batteries and check the ground connections. A loose or corroded battery ground will not allow current to flow to charge the battery. Follow the neg cable on your #2 batt to the ground point. Some people ground both to the same cable, I used separate grounds, one on each side of the bell housing. If you have those silly wingnuts on your battery terminals, do yourself a favor. GET RID of them. Take your battery positive cables and bolt a proper marine battery clamp on to the terminals. That is much more secure than those foolish wing nuts. Lastly make sure that your battery switch has continuity between each battery stud and the common terminal when you switch to #1 or #2. The common stud is for the positive cable that goes to the starter solenoid.
So when you have it set to #2 there should be continuity between the #2 stud and the common, when its set to #1 there should be continuity between #1 and the common, and when set to both, continuity between either 1 or 2 and the common.

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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

The factory two battery wiring on a 2003 245 Sundowner is quite uncomplicated; 2 batteries, a none-1-2-both selector. My guess is that the battery having problems has a negative connection issue.; i.e. not connected to the engine on the negative side.

If you had a ground issue on #2 battery, I would not expect it to be able to start the boat. But, never hurts to check grounds. I would check to see if the alternator is indeed not charging the battery, maybe the battery is just bad again. With the engine off and the shore charger off, measure the voltages on both batteries at the battery terminals. They should be ~12V. Then select #1 and start the engine, measure the voltages on both batteries at the battery terminals. If it is being charged it should be about 13.8V. Repeat for #2, the charging battery should be at 13.8V. Repeat for ALL setting, both batteries should have 13.8V, although this could be slightly lower as the alternator may not be able to handle both batteries in parallel. If you notice only one side is getting the 13.8V, check where the alternator is connected to the battery system. Someone could have placed it only on the #1 side. It should be after the #1 / #2 switch. My FourWinns has an isolator, but the manual for yours did not mention one.

The manual
http://www.fourwinns.com/uploads/2017/2 ... downer.pdf

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2010 Vista 338 Volvo Penta
2005 Yamaha Wave Runner FX HO

2005 SeaRay 280 SunDancer
2001 SeaRay 245 Weekender

I too suspect a bad battery but agree with the others. And on the wing nuts (if you have them), they're not only dumb, they're illegal.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thanks for the responses!

All battery terminals were checked and were clean and tight (I do have the silly wingnuts, but tighten them down with a wrench). I also checked the battery switch and all was in order, clean and tight.

I did check all ground connections, but only by hand. They were definitely tight, but I'll loosen, wiggle, and reconnect to ensure good contact. I have separate ground points for each battery.

@VolDad, thanks for the voltage measurements and procedure explanations. I'll grab a meter and get on that.

Thanks again, everyone. I really appreciate the help.

_________________
Matt
2003 Four Winns Sundowner 245
VP 8.1Gi/DP
2008 Toyota 4Runner

OK, so the #1 battery had a resting V of 12.4, #2 at 10.x. With the engine running, both batteries read 14.x. After idling a bit and the battery selector set to #2 only, it eventually read 11.x with the engine off. Then drove around at speed for about 15 minutes on #2 and when we stopped it didn't even have enough juice to raise the outdrive.

I'm thinking I got a bad Interstate battery from Costco. That's my #2, bought this summer and in use since early August. Equal use since then between #1 and #2. Sound about right?

_________________
Matt
2003 Four Winns Sundowner 245
VP 8.1Gi/DP
2008 Toyota 4Runner

Swap the batteries and see if the problrm follows the bad one. If so if you have a battery charger put it in the charger and see if it will accept a full charge.

_________________
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