Fun Boating Yesterday...

Dude_Himself

Took the 280EC out yesterday for a quick run to pump the holding tank out so it doesn't freeze. At least, that was the plan.

The boat splashed off the trailer super-easy. It fired right up, ran great 15 miles to the nearest marina with a pumpout boat, and we anchored and shutdown for lunch. I ran the genny 30 minutes with the battery charger on to make sure the batteries are topped off, then shut it down to enjoy the quiet, but breezy day. An hour after we shutdown we tried to start the engine, but it refused. I noticed the batteries were only registering 12.3V at rest, and below 10V while cranking. Screwby.

I had the wife and 2 of 3 children with me, with number 3 expected at the bus stop in 2 hours. I called TowBoatUS, fired the generator back up, turned the charger back on, and it was blinking slowly - slow charging. Which means it thinks the battery is full. WTF? These are good Duracell AGM Marine Group 31 batteries. I also called the marina I was anchored right off-shore of, and they sent the poop-pump-panga straight out. TowBoatUS was an hour out, so I grabbed my voltmeter and started prodding. I recognized there was a short on the 12V helm circuit, and after looking around found the metal tip of our old cell phone charger in the accessory outlet. It was red-hot - how it didn't trip the circuit breaker I don't know.

Once I removed it the battery charger appeared to raise the voltage, slowly, above 12.5V. I swapped the battery switch to Combine and the engine would turn over faster, and sputter, but just refused to catch. After a bit of resting, however, the batteries had enough juice to start the Mercruiser 496 MAG, I called the TowBoatUS captain and he agreed the best play would be to run for the ramp vs. an hour plus tow. We made it back in record time - I pushed her 40MPH and she ran great. The batteries appeared to be charging (13.8V while running, 12.8 shut down), and we got back to the dock no issue. We even docked using spring lines against the wind like old pro's. That's where it fell apart.

Keep in mind the 280EC is a HUGE boat to trailer regularly, and I understand and appreciate that. Also, it was blowing 15MPH gusting to 25MPH across the dock/ramp, making it more difficult. Also, it's been 6 months and 3 days since the boat was out last - July 5th - thanks to an injury. Anyway, after much fussing it took my wife running the boat while I maneuvered on the trailer to get it hooked, then cranked in, all while a bystander tried to help by telling my wife what to do (that part was funny for many reasons). But we got it home. I took a few hours to work over the engine and found absolutely nothing wrong, batteries seemed charged, etc. Took the boat back to storage. I'll look at it again with fresh eyes in a week or two when we get another warm snap.

LaRea

What I'm hearing is "sweet, we got to go boating in January!"

Dude_Himself

That, and Always Keep a Voltmeter on the Boat!

Cableguy Greg

Awesome that you got to boat in January, bummer that the voltage dropped the way it did. I had a similar thing happen to me on my 280EC. The house battery would take FOREVER to charge. I had the same Duracell AGM batteries on her and they would rarely get above 12VDC. After replacing perfectly good batteries, which the new ones were acting the same way, I did some investigating. I found at the battery switch panel, the connection on the back of the battery breaker was loose. The screw that held the wire on had fallen off, so I didn't have a solid connection and the battery would never fully charge. I replaced the breaker for both batteries and made sure everything was tight. I haven't had an issue since.

LaRea

Check the circuit breaker on that 12V plug for sure. 

On my 24', I once tried to use a 12V coffee maker.  It quit after brewing half a pot, but not because the breaker tripped.  It only quit because the receptacle melted and lost electrical contact.  

reneechris14

That sounds like an awesome day in January. It's a boat what could possibly go wrong. Glad to here everyone is home safe and sound. I would agree with above check breaker and switch, even flip them back and forth a couple times.

randy56

Cute girls you have there, A tip I learned about getting onto the trailer in high wind and or current is to back the trailer in on an angle, down wind or down current. 

rasbury

Good tip Randy....way to obvious but I never thought to do that. I always figured I'd never get it on the trailer straight but it's worth a try!

Handymans342

Freeze in Charleston??? Good grief

Dream_Inn

Great pics and great end to the story!  Can't beat getting the boating out this time of year!  It sounds like you've gotten the boat out one more time than our FL members here! (just a small dig on you southern guys!)

I had some power issues at my house about a month ago (lost the neutral coming into the house, what a mess!).  Well, went to get my multimeter, it was on the boat!   Gave me a reason to visit the boat!  I do have another meter at home, but the one on the boat is my favorite to use.

Ian

Handymans342 said:

Freeze in Charleston??? Good grief

Yep. I was in Columbia SC a few years ago on a business trip with the plan to drive to ATL but with an ice storm coming I decided against it but as recommended by the locals, I drove to Charleston to get a flight out - bigger than Columbia, more choices and being near the water and the weather track, no ice. HA! Got there to find every plane at the gate was iced over and deicing in Charleston is a guy up on the baggage belt truck tapping the engine cowling with a broom.

Fortunate I was able to get out on a flight that came in from JFK so had no ice to worry about. But yes Virginia, it does freeze up down there.

Dude_Himself

Handymans342 said:

Freeze in Charleston??? Good grief

A year ago today we had 8" of snow on the ground, the airport was closed 10 days, I missed 4 days of a business trip to Seville, Spain waiting for the thaw, and many folks lost power/water due to lines down and pipes frozen.

It happens, and usually in lockstep with big hurricanes in September/October (which we've had 3 or 4 mandatory evacuations for in the last 3 years.