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  1. #1

    Starter Won't Stop

    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.

  2. #2

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    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.
    Sky Cheney
    1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
    ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI

  3. #3

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    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.

  4. #4

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    low voltage will sometimes make a solenoid stick. seen it many times in ford cars and trucks
    Mis b' havin
    1972 58 yachtfish
    58yf352
    pass christian, ms.

  5. #5

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    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

  6. #6

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    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

  7. #7

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    Sounds like a sticking solenoid, maybe because of a bad battery bank. Don’t know what kind of batteries you have. Can you do a loaded voltage test, or check specific gravity? Maybe all they need is an equalization charge.
    Mike Peters, 1985 43MY, Cat 3208T, Blue Bayou; 2011 Key West 246BR, F250, Baby Blue; Punta Gorda FL

  8. #8

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    Had this happen when we had the 8v92's, replacing the solenoid cured it.
    CRICKET
    1966 HAT50C101
    Purchased 1985 12v71Ns
    Repowered 1989 with 8v92TI
    Repowered 2001 with 3406E

  9. #9

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    I will check solenoid when I get back to boat and also SG of the batteries. As far as I know to load test them I would need to take them somewhere as all the testers I have are for 12 volt batteries. Im assuming that since the voltage went to almost zero after cranking that this is a load test showing failure of the bank but if the starter was running the entire time I let the engines idle (5 min?) that could have brought them down to under 1 volt per battery. Whoever I am thinking I have the same set up as you or a short somewhere at the starter. As indicated in my original post tapping fixed this the first time it happened but not the second.

  10. #10

    Re: Starter Won't Stop

    You can use a 6/12V load tester. Set it on 12. You can figure out what reading you should get after you do a few. If you have a know good battery at full charge, start there. If need be, let me know and I'll check one of my batteries and send you what the reading should look like.
    Semper Siesta
    Robert Clarkson
    ASLAN, 1983 55C #343
    Charleston, SC

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