crossed up battery

[Toontime]

Last time I went out in my fishing boat, my lovely bride helped me get ready and hooked up the battery backwards. I didn't realize it until I tried to crank the poor thing and it just gave me a "raspberry". It's an 82 merc 40, electric start. What damage might have been done to the charging system and how would I check it? What else might I be concerned about? It appears to crank and run fine but I don't know if the battery is charging. I recharge manually when I get home because I also run the troller off the same battery. Just wonderin?

 

[Ross J]

Re: crossed up battery

Hello Toontime,<br />generally speaking, if your tachometer is working then the charging is working.<br />Place a multimeter across the battery terminals A - without the motor going<br />B - with the motor going and check the voltage. Generally if the charger is working then you should have between 12 & 14 volts.<br />Good luck<br />Ross

 

[petryshyn]

Re: crossed up battery

Sorry Toontime<br /><br />The diode gods are not pleased....<br /><br />gonna need a rectifier....<br /><br />you can try ross j's suggestion, but unless a fuse is protecting them, the diodes are done...

 

[Toontime]

Re: crossed up battery

Thanks, schematic! Next question...what does the rectifier look like and where is it? (82 40 merc)

 

[petryshyn]

Re: crossed up battery

Gonna look like one of these....and you'll need a meter to test it. Preferably a digital meter with a diode test function, or a analog (needle type meter) with an ohmmeter function.<br /><br />