Low Voltage!

[Mamanautique]

Something is sucking the batteries, voltage running at 10. 2003 Super Air, has anyone run into this before? I replaced both batteries, thinking they were just old (5yrs old), but voltage is still low. Instead of disconnecting everything and reconnecting one at a time, anyone have any ideas?

[Chexi]

Are you measuring voltage at the batteries or are you relying on the less than reliable gauge in the dash?

[Mamanautique]

I was referring to the gage on the dash, but the sensor is beeping as well, and we had to coast back to the ramp because we didn't have any power, we had to load with ballasts full because didn't have the power to empty until we turned the engine off, and horn wouldn't honk etc.

[Chexi]

Have you had your alternator tested? Check the belt tension on it as well. You might not be getting any charging from your alternator. My next guess would be a short to ground somewhere, but I think the more likely culprit is a bad alternator or alternator belt slipping.

[Mamanautique]

OMG! I had a belt squeeking, the same day all this happened! I'll check the belt to the alternator. Hope it is this simple, thanks so much.

[crobi2]

Ha Ha, one time we pulling a rider and smelled barbeque (or the boat on fire) but it went away so we forgot about it. That evening as I bedded the boat down, I saw the alternator belt down in the bilge. We run two batteries also and would not have noticed it until the motor quit if I hadn't luckily seen the belt down in the bilge.

[SeanNaPiob]

Squeaking could be the belt loose, or, the bearings in the alternator could be going bad and causing drag on the belt which would result in crobi2's situation! Before you tighten the belt, loosen it completely and spin your alternator by hand to see if it spins freely.