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Thread: Need wiring help

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Default Need wiring help

    Having some electrical issues on the kayak. The first time I took it out the depth finder kept going on and off. The trolling motor worked perfect. Yesterday the depth finder did not work at all but the trolling motor ran for three or four hours.

    Today we went out and had both running and then all the sudden the battery drops down to 9 V. Now the battery is reading almost 12 V. I know nothing about electricity just looking for some insight.


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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Obviously check connections. Corrosion not likely if you just got it. May also check voltage with a volt meter. If you know nothing about it may have to buy one and read up how to use. Also these newer electronics and stereos for example in my experience need 12 v to run. My stereo on j boat will not work and battery can measure 10V. You may also run by autozone or whatever and get them to check if you have a bad cell and/or reserve on the battery. Shouldn’t vary like that. But if voltage dropping could explain fishfinder acting up. Also, recharge after every use no matter what. Makes a giant difference in battery life. I don’t mean put it on in elf those little battery tenders. Use a full-size charger that will switch to maintenance after full charge. If you’re doin fall that no idea. Put fishfinder on separate battery to see if it’s the unit or not.
    \"We say grace and we say maam, if you ain\'t into that, we don\'t give a damn.\" HW Jr.

  3. #3
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    Nov 2006
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    Default Need wiring help

    Connections look good and fuzes are good. There is a meter on top of the battery box that displays voltage. I have charged it after every use and when I took it off today it read over 13 v.



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    Last edited by b35w; 04-05-2020 at 08:58 PM.

  4. #4
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    Dec 2010
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    Sounds like the depth finder was the issue both days. Cant get any simpler than that setup you have.
    The stuff in the battery box looks good, you do know that is a circuit breaker don't you?
    Follow the neg and positive all the way to the depth finder. Did you wiggle the power plug on the back of the depth finder?
    Also, take a Phillip head screw driver and take both those receptacles up and check the wires on the backside of them.
    I wouldnt put a lot of faith into the voltometer on the battery box. Most likely issue with a plug somewhere, either the female or male side.
    Last edited by ecu1984; 04-05-2020 at 09:18 PM.

  5. #5
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    If the voltage drops, the deprh finder will stop working properly.

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  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Check all your Ground connections Thank me later
    Gettin old is for pussies! AND MY NEW TRUE people say like Capt. Tom >>>>>>>>>/
    "Wow, often imitated but never duplicated. No one can do it like the master. My hat is off to you DRDUCK!"

  7. #7
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    I failed to mention I did end up cutting the depth finder off today and the voltage still dropped and the trolling motor kept cutting off.


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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Sounds like your battery is going bad. The fact that it reads 13 volts under no load and most likely after a full charge means very little. Run your trolling motor and see what the battery does while it’s running. That way your running it under at least a partial load to rule out the possibility that a surface charge is keeping you from seeing the actual condition of the battery. From what I can tell from the wiring the battery provides two separate power sources. One to the trolling motor directly and the other to the fuse bus. With this being said it is very likely that your battery is the culprit under the added assumptions that your trolling motor is not on the fuse bus and your depth finder is. The only common component in the two circuits is your battery.
    Last edited by cam1195; 04-06-2020 at 12:39 AM.

  9. #9
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    This may be out there but you are sure the contacts on the lid are not touching the battery posts? I like that setup actually but it looks like a lot of exposed contacts. I have seen that happen multiple times and the symptoms are very odd.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    That WalMart battery is shitting the bed. Here lately I’ve had great success with deep cycle batteries from Oreiloys.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Smilee View Post
    That WalMart battery is shitting the bed. Here lately I’ve had great success with deep cycle batteries from Oreiloys.
    Your diagnosis is correct. The battery has a bad cell and is dropping volts/amps
    More fuel = more boost!!

  12. #12
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    Fishsticker turned me on to Duracell Marine batteries from Sams and I haven’t looked back.

  13. #13
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    I love Walmart batteries but they die too...
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



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