Starter Won't Stop

[Briankinley2004]

Beginning to re-think my bad battery bank issue. My batteries go completely dead right after starting, down below 24 volts and to where each battery only reads fractional voltage. They recharge completely to 35 volts after a couple hours. I have something else going on that I am thinking may be causing them to go down.

So the last time I took the boat out and had the battery issue occur I shut the Perko switches off while the batteries charged back up. The next day I turned switch back on. No key in switch. The starter motor runs but doesn't engage the Bendix/gear to turn the motor over. Turn perko off and tap lightly with a rubber hammer. Turn back on and all is well. Started engines again this weekend and port volt meter began running down to the point where when I shut the port engine off the parallel switch would not re-start the engine. Batteries so dead the toilets wouldn't even try to flush or 32 volt lights wouldn't come on. After a couple hours on charger they work fine again and voltage back to 35 volts. Alternator was checked and putting out 35.4 volts or so.

I go back down in engine room and turn Perko on that I turned off to make sure nothing drawing charge down. Starter motor running again but not engaging. I tap with hammer again a couple tries and the thing won't stop. I turn Perk off and haven't been back.

Any ideas on why the starter motor won't stop? Im thinking maybe something shorted out? The solenoid seemed to engage fine the last time I cranked prior to this. I am wondering if the starter motor is running constantly after I crank the engine thus running the batteries down until it quits. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[SKYCHENEY]

How old are the batteries? I have seen 7-8yo batteries that won't even roll an engine over. Put an equalize charge on them, and they're good for another season.

[Briankinley2004]

The batteries were in the boat when I bought them. I have a receipt on the boat and think they are 4 years old or so. The fact that they will re-charge and crank the engine make me wonder if the starter is staying on and running them down. Need to find out why starter won't stop then see if the battery issue continues.

[bigbill]

low voltage will sometimes make a solenoid stick. seen it many times in ford cars and trucks

[Briankinley2004]

Bill I was wondering that. So I guess I am in the chicken or the egg scenario. My concern is though, that the starter runs when I turn the Perko on with ignition switched off and no key in it. Is that a symptom of a bad solenoid? The starter does not engage in the flywheel. The motor just runs

[whoover]

Hello, this is just a thought about sticking solenoids. There is full power going to the starter from the battery switch whether the key is on or not. If it is sticking the starter motor will run but the other solenoid that engages the bendix gear will not. This is the setup I have on my cummins engines. Next time that the starter motor is running on maybe try tapping on the small solenoid to see if it dis engages.

Walt Hoover