www.iFourWinns.com

I am hoping to get some kind of help from this site. I have had my boat since it was new and I've had this same problem the whole time. At first I thought it was a bad stereo because that's where I first noticed the problem. AFter a few hours on the water, the radio would cut out completely and I'd have to reset it. After that first summer I had to replace both batteries. The next summer, the batteries lasted about 2 months. Those batteries lasted until the next spring. I finally went and had the entire battery charging system replaced ($500) with an upgraded system. I replaced the head unit on the stereo.

Still after all of that, the shore power does not seem to recharge the batteries. I have tried a multitude of things to fix it to no avail. The charging system definately works when I run the generator, but I rarely use the generator (except when I have to recharge the batteries at the end of the day to get home). The best solution so far is to take the batteries out and recharge them on a 29.00 battery charge in the garage. This is asinine. I have no Four Winns Dealer on the lake where my boat is (Tablerock, MO) and I have exhausted the service possibilities that are available. No one seems to be able to find out why my batteries do not recharge on the shore power. I have spent almost $2000.00 in service and repairs, not counting the batteries. The charger gets power fine (as indicated by the charging lights, however the batteries never fully re-charge. I'm lucky to get 10 volts with the switch in parrallel. Other than this one problem, the boat has been great. However, lugging those batteries out to re-charge is a pain in the ass.

Does anyone know if there is a known battery draining issue or circuit problem? I know my way around a voltmeter, but I cannot locate a problem. Does this sound like an improper grounding issue?

Help please! Help.

If the battery charger is working as you state, then you should not be having these kinds of problems. First check the fuses on the output of the battery charger. If its like my 03 was there is one fuse for each battery. They are in a fuse holder behind the battery switch. You have to take the screws out of the panel and GENLTY pull it out enough to get to them.

Then I would take a voltmeter, 1 battery at a time, hook to the positive of the battery you are checking and to ground of that battery too. With the charger off, note the battery voltage, fully charged will be around 12.3 or so, give or take a few tenths. Now turn the battery charger on, the voltage should immediately go up to 13.2 - 13.5. Do the same thing to the other battery. If the voltage doesn't come up the charger is not charging the batteries.

Really this should be fairly straight forward to figure out. Start with the easy stuff and work to the hardest and most expensive.

Good Luck.

_________________
Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)