Battery Solenoid or Starter

[Freestyle]

Port engine battery bank indicates 32 plus volts. It won't turn over the motor. Motor starts when the parallel switch is engaged to use starboard battery bank. Set up is original.

Where should I start trouble shooting this?

Thanks for your help.

Bruce

Freestyle
1986 62 CPMY (54MY with extension)
Tampa

 

[SEVEN]

Have someone turn the key while their doing that you test the volts in the battery. Do you really have enough juice to turn the motor over. That happened to me. Had to buy a new starting battery. 2 dead cells. Showed power until you turn the motor over.

 

[Boatsb]

Check all the cells with a hydrometer. It's probably showing a surface charge but has no reserve.

How old are the batteries?

 

[steve c]

Start with the voltage test on the battery. I approached it from the starter cable end and could have saved a lot of time and energy.

 

[carolinacoast]

https://www.amazon.com/E-Z-Red-SP101-Battery-Hydrometer/dp/B000JFHMRU

as suggested, start with the batteries.

 

[Boatsb]

No don't buy that crap.

Get a real one.


It needs a thermometer on it too.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAMegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw1KUwt2MdnVLlXhaCeHZR0p

 

[dottieshusband]

Given that it will hit with the parallel switch, could be a few things, batteries, cabling, Cole Hersey Solinoid in the battery isolator box, or battery isolator switch itself. Mine is a 1987 model, and all of the battery isolator selector switches have failed over the last few years.. Lot of brittle plastic in those switches and when they fail, that battery bank is out of the loop.

 

[wpc691]

No don't buy that crap.Get a real one.It needs a thermometer on it too.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAMegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw1KUwt2MdnVLlXhaCeHZR0p

NAPA, 10 bucks, same price as the casual user model. They’re not on the shelf, you have to ask.

 

[Boatsb]

I've got a few from NAPA. I leave on in the engineroom of my boat so I don't need to look for it.

 

[sunset grill]

Check the battery switches. The plastic cracks and releases some of the spring tension. Then the switch can't deliver enough amps to spin the diesel. Steve

 

[piripucha]

Are your batteries posts clean? You will be amassed how fast they dirty themselves and they practically insolate the battery from the system

 

[Briankinley2004]

I went thru same thing on my boat. Specific gravity even showed all cells good except one on one battery. Terminals good, etc. Left them all unconnected for over 24 hrs and got 8.6 volts each. Still would only crank with parallel. Took them all in to load test and they all failed even the one in the series that was 2 years old. Replaced them all and the engine cranks fine every time. Not saying this is your problem but even if all the tests are passed it could still take a load test to determine. I had a thread on this around December or so