Author Topic: Batteries and starting  (Read 3662 times)

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Offline stinegreg

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  • Boat Make/Model/Year: 1997 American Skier Volante
Batteries and starting
« on: July 30, 2019, 07:29:51 PM »
Hi guys, new to the forum here.  Just bought a 97 American Skier Volante, I have had it out on the water for about 2 months and Love it!!!  But here recently actually since I bought it, its a sluggish start and the battery selector is on 2 The neg cable gets very hot and smokes. They are brand new batteries one is 800 cranking amps and the other is 500cranking amps dual purpose.  Engine is 350 5.7 EFI.  I tried using one battery but it won't even try to start, I have to use both batteries.  What could it be??

Offline RonT

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  • Boat Make/Model/Year: American Skier/Eagle V-25/2001
Re: Batteries and starting
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2019, 08:16:11 AM »
OEM set-up is for (1) battery, someone added the 2nd battery. The red + cables should go to the battery switch NO BLACK CABLES at the switch, here is how it should be wired.
Both black (-) battery terminals are in parallel, one battery NEG to the other NEG, then the Black NEG cable to the engine block.
Batt 1 red POS cable to battery switch post 1, Batt 2 red POS cable to switch post 2
Main red batt cable to switch post "Common" then to engine starter. 
If batteries are good either should crank the engine easily.
Hot cables are either wired wrong and shorting - very dangerous - uncommon
Hot cables caused by overloading (bad starter, seized engine, etc)
Hot cables from internal corrosion (added resistance from corrosion) Replace Cable
Hot cables from poor connections at either end-correct connection
I would not operate this boat until this problem is found and corrected

Offline Andrew

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Re: Batteries and starting
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2019, 08:08:12 PM »
Never could understand when anyone would want to haul around two batteries. Especially when you only have one alternator to charge with. You spend more time worrying about putting the switch in the right place, not to mention the fact that you are hauling 50 labs of useless weight around. Sure, on a cruiser or if you spend hours anchored and want to run one battery dead, and then start from the other. Or if you have two motors, with an alternator on both. But a single engine ski boat? Nah.

In my opinion if you have one engine, and don’t have shorepower with a multi-bank charger - run the boat off one battery. No need for switches, extra cables and connections, half dead batteries that never charge fully.

Offline stinegreg

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  • Boat Make/Model/Year: 1997 American Skier Volante
Re: Batteries and starting
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2019, 11:19:09 AM »
So I had a mechanic come out there and look at it, he said my starter is bad. Replaced the starter, he said it started right up but I was not there to witness it, I was at work.  So then my wife and I went out there last night to see if everything was working fine, turned the blower on, and turned the key, it started clicking real bad and then everything went dead, no blower, no radio, no lights.........ugh!!!!    but the batteries are fine, I called the mechanic back and he said it worked great for him but who knows, I told him I wasn't paying him until he fixes it right so now he is stumped on what it could be, gezzzzz.   Back to square one. :-\