View Full Version : T8 charging problem??
partner
04-10-2008, 02:18 PM
I have a new t8 high thrust with electric start. After trolling for a couple hours with the fish finder on, we pulled up and headed for shore. When I got to the boat launch I shut the boat off to put the trailer in the water. When I tried to start the boat, the battery was too dead to turn the engine over. New boat, new every thing. Do you think the battery is bad, or did the T8 not charge the battery, because of slow engine speed while trolling. Being a marine deep cycle battery is it possible that it was drained to low for the main engine to charge it up on the 20 minute ride home??
Starfish
04-10-2008, 04:49 PM
My T8 at idle will keep my batteries fully charged, unlike my previous experiences with other brands. There's something wrong with your battery or you have dirty terminals or a short or blown fuse or something.
fishkisser
04-10-2008, 07:06 PM
Take a voltmeter with your T-8 running (in the water or with your flushing muff on ) and check the voltage at the battery terminals ...
If its not 13.5 - 14 volts dc somethings up with the charging system somewhere ...:twocents:
partner
04-10-2008, 09:39 PM
I have a gauge on the dash. I checked it the other day with the kicker running. It was reading 12 volts. Does it charge the battery on the same cable that powers the starter? I have 4 wires that are capped off coming from the controls. Are one of these supposed charge the battery? This was all hooked up by a dealer that should know what they are doing. The boat is brand new.
fishkisser
04-11-2008, 07:58 AM
The battery gets charged on the same cables used to power the T-8 ...
You need to bring that thing back to the dealer and have him make it right ...
I have seen new boats with bad batteries from sitting in the yard too long...
Your T-8 while running should put out more than just 12 volts ...
Don't work on your new boat , have the dealer fix your problems that arise ...
98ramtough
04-11-2008, 08:01 AM
The T8 when running should put out more than 12 volts for sure, even at idle. As far as when its running what the volts will read, well that depends on what else you have pulling while its running. On my boat with a fish finder and stereo going, I get about 13.2 to 13.4 volts while trolling. I was on a buddies boat a couple weeks ago and he bounced between 12.8 and 13.3 volts because he has a 42" plasma screen fish finder that draws a lot of power.(Ok not that big, but a big screen ff)
fishkisser
04-11-2008, 08:03 AM
42" plasma screen fish finder ...:bigshock:....:passout:....
I have a new t8 high thrust with electric start. After trolling for a couple hours with the fish finder on, we pulled up and headed for shore. When I got to the boat launch I shut the boat off to put the trailer in the water. When I tried to start the boat, the battery was too dead to turn the engine over. New boat, new every thing. Do you think the battery is bad, or did the T8 not charge the battery, because of slow engine speed while trolling. Being a marine deep cycle battery is it possible that it was drained to low for the main engine to charge it up on the 20 minute ride home??
If your big motor fired fine to get you to the dock, and then wouldn't restart to load?..You've got some other problem than a low battery.
You shouldn't be using a "Deep Cycle" battery as a starting battery, need to question whether or not dealer knows what they're doing.
Your kicker may put out proper voltage, but at low trolling RPMs amperage may be so low it wouldn't do much to charge a low battery in a couple of hours of trolling.
I don't have a charging circut on my Merc 9.9 and I can run my Lowrance 102c while trolling from 6:00am to 3:00pm and it doesn't even touch the power in a 24 series Bi-Mart marine "Starting Battery", granted I'm only starting a Merc 75 2-stroke, but I don't even get a low voltage warning, or a screen flash when I start the big motor. So you've got other problems.
Smj
I have a gauge on the dash. I checked it the other day with the kicker running. It was reading 12 volts. Does it charge the battery on the same cable that powers the starter? I have 4 wires that are capped off coming from the controls. Are one of these supposed charge the battery? This was all hooked up by a dealer that should know what they are doing. The boat is brand new.
Don't know what you've got, but at idle you may not even be getting 12 volts from your kicker, so you were only reading the battery's voltage at that time. Try reving the kicker, if voltage doesn't increase on the guage then you may not be hooked up right. I would think you should be charging at higher than 12 volts, my big motor charges at 14+ at higher RPMs.
Smj
R Jackson
04-12-2008, 08:54 AM
It looks like your alternator puts out 6 amps at WOT. So at trolling speeds it's putting out less. What is the amp draw from your fish finder? Are you running any other accessories? I would do what smj posted and go with two bateries, deep cycle and starting.
Bronco74
04-13-2008, 09:12 PM
Huh,
I have the same kicker and was wondering about this as well. My Lowrance told it was running about 12.4-12.5 on the kicker, and 13.4-13.5 on the main motor. Scary stuff.
Bronco
lightning
04-14-2008, 10:00 AM
My T8 charges 14-15 volts while trolling at idle speed with 2 FF and GPS running. First thing you need to do is take the deep cycle battery out and install a regular cranking battery. The fuse may be bad on your T8 or it may be wired wrong (probably not if it cranks from the battery). Worst case is a bad voltage regulator, but that shoud be under warranty. Your dealer should fix this issue.
fish-on-bend
04-14-2008, 08:57 PM
I have a Yami 115 and T8 (2006) My fish finder says its putting out 14.4 v at trolling speed with the T8. I have had a dead battery (too low to start either motor) I hooked up the bow battery (for my Minnkota) to start the T8, then started 115 with kicker running and trolled 3 hours with the T8, battery back up to full charge. Take it back to the dealer.