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Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | This Spring, both my brand new 12 volt batteries hooked up in my new boat were almost dead after it's first winter storage. I did not leave the 2 bank, 10 volt, on-board charger plugged in. Then when plugged in, neither bank would not even start to change both batteries until I trickle charged both a little with another changer. Then the charger kicked in and slowly charged both batteries back to 100%. This charge of course is indicted by 6 red lights on the charger, that progressively come on as the batteries are charged and then triggers a green light once both are fully charged. So with green lights showing on both banks, I disconnect the charger, fish for 5 hours Saturday and never run the electric. Come home and hook up the charger and it's right back on the second red light, like 2/3 of it's charge was spent. Am I reading this wrong? Does the charger simply put out less amps at first and gradually work to full amperage? With all the new built in Gizmo's on my I-5 Motorguide, can it be my electric is somehow always turned on or drawing juice from the batteries? My knowledge of things electrical sucks. Any answers or suggestions will be welcomed.
Edited by walleye express 7/24/2016 7:54 AM
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Location: Rhinelander | Sounds like the batteries or the charger have issues. I have seen this when one battery was going bad, check them both and see if one has issues. |
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Is there a way I can do that Steve, or do I have to take them to a specialist with a tester?
Edited by walleye express 7/24/2016 4:03 PM
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Wulp after a few suggestions, with one advising me to un-plug the motor itself from it's power source on the boats deck, to make sure it was not continually drawing power from the batteries even at un-used rest. I also un-plugged the charger at the same time, to allow any power drainage from the batteries to happen, if indeed that was going to happen like it has been. Left both un-plugged over night. Just now plugged the charger back in and crap, it initially showed only 1 red light like before, indicating 10% life in both batteries. But within 1 minute rose and showed 50% and then within 2 showed 70%, and was back on the Green 100% within 4 minutes. Of course even in my own personal fog concerning electricity, I know, no charger could charge 2 batteries back to 100% life that fast. Indicating to me, that the batteries lost very little if any charge over night. And that by leaving the electric motor continually plugged in, it does seem to by itself, continually draw some power from the batteries, even when not in full powered on use. And that it takes a little time for the 2 bank charging unit I have to deliver power and show what's really going on with the charged state of both batteries. But still hard to believe that only the GPS mode of this motor continually being on, would be the culprit drawing both batteries down in such a short time. I'm still going to have both batteries checked for any dead cells.
Edited by walleye express 7/26/2016 7:55 AM
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Member
Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Here's an interesting answer I just got from a member of my fishing board.
Hmmm ? Captain I also bought the Motorguide I pilot 5, I have noticed my batteries not holding a charge while trolling as long as they did when new, I thought that when you pulled up the motor in storage position it Automatically shutdown power ? I always push manual button on pod to shut it down from GPS and Direction before pulling it up to store.It is Not my Batteris , they have been checked. My cousin has an Ipilot Minnkota he has all kinds of trouble with the Pod not controlling unit unless it is held right next to unit. We even put new batteries in pod , no difference, BRAND NEW BATTERIES for motor, no good ! No difference took to the dealer who said its the pod , tried BRAND NEW POD, NO Difference, he concluded its something in the Head of motor control, oh golly just out of warranty, he called Minn Kota they said SORRY ABOUT YOUR LUCK, out of Warranty, I think both Minn Kota And Motorguide have a PROBLEM, BEING they are almost identical, with them seemingly copying each other,
Before someone says, try this , Try that, we have done everything possible, and talked with a lot of people about this problem, I bet if it were put out there, a WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, also we have a Minn kota rear mount motor on the outboard, lasts lot longer on batteries I think cause it doesn't have GPS, HEADING LOCK, OR THE OTHER FANCY FEATURES, this is just my opinion ,.
Edited by walleye express 7/26/2016 8:03 AM
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