Under 12 volts
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6433
Printed Date: January-17-2025 at 5:55pm
Topic: Under 12 volts
Posted By: 32General
Subject: Under 12 volts
Date Posted: April-24-2007 at 9:33am
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Have new battery and alternator, but the volts on the dash never read over 12. Think maybe this is contributing to my problem of hard starting and the once in awhile starter sticking on hot start ups. Can this be bad battery cables, I tried to make sure all connections were good on all wiring?
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Replies:
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-24-2007 at 10:22am
What prompted you to put in the new alternator and battery? Have you checked any of the wiring and connections? Do you know if the new alternator is ok? What year is the boat?
I have found that bad corroded connections make a big difference.
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/diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow -
54 Atom
/diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique
64 X55 Dunphy
Keep it original, Pete
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Posted By: 32General
Date Posted: April-24-2007 at 10:41am
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Was not charging, old alternator was junk. Battery was old, just thought I'd replace. 1989 with 351 Ford, connections all look ok.
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Posted By: nuttyskier2002
Date Posted: April-24-2007 at 11:08am
Check your voltage at the battery with a digital multimeter. Running should be 13.5 to 14.5 volts. Not running - at least 12.6 when fully charged. Also, what type battery did you install? You can check your electrical connections with the same multimeter. Maximum voltage drop across any connection should be no more than .2 volts. Let us know what you find or if you need more help.
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95 Malibu Echelon w/Mercruiser 350 Magnum Skier
Former boats:
88 Ski Centurion Tru Trac II
59 Chris Craft Capri (woody)
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Posted By: M3Fan
Date Posted: April-24-2007 at 12:11pm
32, that era of Nautique is notorious for a grounding issue on the dash. There is a ground wire that is daisy-chained to all the gauges- should be brown IIRC. Most owners just add an additional ground from the battery up to the dash and that solves the problem. Search on ground issues here and you'll come up with some good info.
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2000 SN GT40 w/99 Graphics/Gel
2016 SN 200 OB 5.3L DI
https://forum.fifteenoff.com
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Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-24-2007 at 12:53pm
M3, I think the ground is a black wire.
32, check out our ref section as there is a wiring diagram of the dash for 88-89 in case you don't have one. Connections may "look" ok but nuttys suggestion of using a multimeter is really the only way to check voltage drop. I cleaned up all my Tique wiring and gained something like 1.6 volts. Can't remember exactly but when you are only dealing with a nominal 12 volts almost any gain is sizable. Have you checked the output of the alternator other than just looking at the dash volt meter?
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/diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow -
54 Atom
/diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique
64 X55 Dunphy
Keep it original, Pete
<
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Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: April-25-2007 at 2:08pm
32General,
Check your ignition switch (i.e. the key) with your volt meter. I had this same issue with my '86 Silver - after replacing the altinator and some wiring and still having issues, I found I was loosing something like 2.5 volts at the key. New ignition switch, I was back to 14 volts and battery starting charging fine.
-Keith
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Former:
/diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique
1994 Ski Nautique
86 Silver Nautique
79 Mustang
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Posted By: 32General
Date Posted: April-25-2007 at 2:27pm
Keith,
I replaced the ignition switch right at the end of last summer because sometimes when I turned the key nothing and other times start right up. Have not had that problem since but only ran it a couple of times with new switch. I guess I need to get the volt meter out and start checking. Last night in driveway the dash was reading about 12. Is somewhere between 13 and 14 normal? Where exactly do I check with the volt meter?
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Posted By: nuttyskier2002
Date Posted: April-25-2007 at 3:39pm
32, with the engine running 13 is a little on the low side. 13.5 to about 14.5 is about right when messured at the battery. If you are messuring on the "I" terminal of your ign switch, voltage will be slightly lower (about .2 to .5 volts lower). What is the reading on the "B+" terminal of your alternator when running?
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95 Malibu Echelon w/Mercruiser 350 Magnum Skier
Former boats:
88 Ski Centurion Tru Trac II
59 Chris Craft Capri (woody)
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Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: April-25-2007 at 3:45pm
32General, as nuttyskier2002 said, 13.5 v to 14.5 v while running. With key on, and not running, 12 v.
-Keith
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Former:
/diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique
1994 Ski Nautique
86 Silver Nautique
79 Mustang
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