Mystery problem: Won't turnover until ground terminal removed replacedj

[DaveK22]

I have a 2003 Stingray 180lx w/ Merc. 3.0. 2nd owner since 2012. This problem has happened only twice, 2nd being the other day. I have a power inverter that plugs into a cig lighter but I have an adapter plug that allows me to clamp it right to the battery terminals. I use it to power my AC operated air pump to inflate tube. It works great and won't blow any fuses.


Now the problem...and not even sure if the above info has anything to do with it. After blowing up my tube, removing the power inverter setup, I went to turn the boat over and nothing. Not cranking over, turned the key and absolutely nothing. No lights or electrical either. After a slight panick attack, trying to turn it over multiple times with a few minutes in between...I then had a vague recollection of this happening one other time. I then removed the ground terminal from battery, waited a minute, then the boat fired up as normal...which is what I had vague recollection of doing the first time it happened.


Again, I'm not sure Iif the process of blowing tub up has anything to do with it not turning over because I do the same process many other times with no issues at all after restarting.

Any ideas on what could cause this?

 

[alldodge]

I have a 2003 Stingray 180lx w/ Merc. 3.0. 2nd owner since 2012. This problem has happened only twice, 2nd being the other day. I have a power inverter that plugs into a cig lighter but I have an adapter plug that allows me to clamp it right to the battery terminals. I use it to power my AC operated air pump to inflate tube. It works great and won't blow any fuses.


Now the problem...and not even sure if the above info has anything to do with it. After blowing up my tube, removing the power inverter setup, I went to turn the boat over and nothing. Not cranking over, turned the key and absolutely nothing. No lights or electrical either. After a slight panick attack, trying to turn it over multiple times with a few minutes in between...I then had a vague recollection of this happening one other time. I then removed the ground terminal from battery, waited a minute, then the boat fired up as normal...which is what I had vague recollection of doing the first time it happened.


Again, I'm not sure Iif the process of blowing tub up has anything to do with it not turning over because I do the same process many other times with no issues at all after restarting.

Any ideas on what could cause this?

:welcome: to iboats

Could be your battery is getting weak and running the inverter is pulling it down so low that it doesn't have enough to energize the system. Could also be in part that corrosion is playing into the mix. Inverters take a lot of power to make AC, the more amps needed the more DC is needed.

What size battery is in the boat and is it original?
What size inverter are you using?

 

[sam am I]

Both times it did this, were you using the adapter and you were clamped on the battery?

 

[NYBo]

You had a poor connection at the negative battery terminal. Remove it again and shine it up, both the cable end and the battery terminal. Then clamp it down firmly. If you are using wing nuts, replace them with stainless steel Nylock nuts. Repeat for the positive connection. Also check the other ends of both cables. Finally, coat the connections with dielectric grease, Vaseline, or battery spray.

 

[DaveK22]

:welcome: to iboats

Could be your battery is getting weak and running the inverter is pulling it down so low that it doesn't have enough to energize the system. Could also be in part that corrosion is playing into the mix. Inverters take a lot of power to make AC, the more amps needed the more DC is needed.

What size battery is in the boat and is it original?
What size inverter are you using?

It is the original battery but seems to work great. I keep it on a deep cycle charger all winter. I've often thought about buying new but it always cranks after sitting for weeks and the volt meter on boat always reads around 14. Not sure about inverter size...but air pump is the Intex brand. Not sure what amps it draws but I found out day one, it was too much for cig lighter...blew the fuse. That's how I ended up hooking direct to battery

As much as the corrosive connections idea makes sense, not sure why it wouldnt happen all the time then...or at least more often.

After 11 years...maybe just time for new battery & dialectric grease.