Thanks for all the replies. I spoke with Kerry from Electra Craft and found out a few things. I've also been speaking with a couple of gentlemen from SoCal -- they've been very friendly and helpful, but I don't want to bug them 100 times a day.
Here's the latest:
I've added a gallery of pictures, which you can see here:
http://img375.imageshack.us/g/fusesandrelayslarge.jpg/
I ended up buying all new batteries. Things seemed to be going fine, when I noticed that I had no low speed (forward and reverse). Full forward and reverse were fine. Then I smelled something burning. I looked in the back and on the outside starboard battery, the post had melted right off. The battery people gave me another battery and I've installed it. I haven't taken the boat out since because I'm trying to figure out the issue. Here's what I've found:
- The single relay (the rusty-looking one in this picture http://a.imageshack.us/img26/5682/otherrelayandbilgehosel.jpg )always seems to be closed now. I get 10v with the ignition off and 24 with it on. I believe that this is the control relay. I was also getting 10v out of this with the fuses removed...
-If I put the boat into low (either forward or reverse) nothing happens, and the two relays that are next to each other read right around 0.
- If I put the boat into high (either forward or reverse) I get 20-24v on the two relays that are next to each other.
- I tried tapping on all of the relays, but that didn't seem to have any effect on anything.
The battery that had the post melt is in the same position as the old battery that was in really bad condition. I also noticed that the low was cutting out with the older batteries, but I thought that might be because they were dying and that low was the first to go.
My specific questions are:
- What are the two black things under the relays in this picture? http://a.imageshack.us/img375/5300/fusesandrelayslarge.jpg
- If the silver (and rusted relays) are 12v like they're labeled, then how am I getting 20+ volts through them when the boat is running?
- Any idea as to why I'm not getting low speeds?
- Any thoughts on why the post melted? (I don't believe I tightened it too much, or had it too loose, but I did tighten it while I was out on the water and it's possible I overdid it.
- Is it just a coincidence that the battery that was crappy was in the same spot as the one that had the post melt?
Again, I appreciate all of the help so far.
--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "sirdarnell" <sirdarnell@...> wrote:
>
> By a DC to DC converter to convert battery bank voltage to 12 volts for instruments; GPS, radios, etc.
>
> --- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, bearsfaan <no_reply@> wrote:
> >
> > Quick update, the starboard battery seems to be completely shot. I took the boat out, and after about 10 minutes, checked the batteries with my volt meter. Three batteries were running at about 5.89 (with the engine at full speed), and the starboard battery was at 1.5. Just one or two minutes later it was down to .79. My boat stopped, and I tried to figure out what to do. I unplugged the crappy battery and ran off of the three good ones, and everything went fine.
> >
> > Today I'm going to take the "best" battery and get it load tested. If it's good, then I'll just purchase one new battery to replace the shot one. If the "best" battery is iffy, I'll buy all new batteries, but wait to install them until I hear back from some folks about what to do with the load from the controls, running lights, etc.
> >
> > I'm sure that many of you are banging your heads on your desks because I clearly don't know what I'm doing, but that's why I'm hear -- I really want to learn. I'm sure I'll make some mistakes along the way, but I learn best by doing. Thanks again for taking the time to read this.
>
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