I have a '97 Johnson 115HP Ocean Pro that has been getting harder and harder to start. I checked/cleaned all the connections I could get to and charged the battery but it just seems to not have enough juice. The voltmeter on the depth finder says I’ll have maybe 12.4 to 12.7 volts after I charge it then it goes downhill from there every time I crank it. Starter hesitates, then finally spins. Or it will spin to try to start it, then just stop even though the key is turned.
I bought the battery May of 2013,shouldn’t it last longer than a year and a half? It is an Ever Start with “625 Marine Cranking Amps”.
Yes it should. I changed one at 4 years and my lake boat still is great at 7. the one at 4 I changed because my dump trailer was dead and a new in the boat made more sense
you have to use a load tester. Take the battery to advanced and they will test it for free. Could be your starter but probably battery. I had an ever start and it lasted 3 years cranking and another year as my bait tank/hydro glow battery. I removed it from cranking because it would charge fully but died on me twice and was having trouble turning over motor
There is no exact answer for your question because there are to many variables like; does your boat have a battery switch, if so is it on when your boat isnt in use? Do you charge the battery on a charger during long periods of non use? Do you add tap water vice distilled water to your battery when low? Are you running all your electronics off one battery when the motor is off? Is your motor charging the battery? All these and more may lead to a shorter battery life.
Steelytom hit the nail on the head. Pull the battery and take it to Advanced and let them test it on a load tester.
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
You should be able, to expect it to last until the Guarantee runs out! No really, there is no way of telling. Did you have it on a battery trickle/maintainer or just charge it when it’s low?
There is no exact answer for your question because there are to many variables like; does your boat have a battery switch, if so is it on when your boat isnt in use? Do you charge the battery on a charger during long periods of non use? Do you add tap water vice distilled water to your battery when low? Are you running all your electronics off one battery when the motor is off? Is your motor charging the battery? All these and more may lead to a shorter battery life.
Steelytom hit the nail on the head. Pull the battery and take it to Advanced and let them test it on a load tester.
I was surprised how much a difference that makes on the boat battery. For the longest, I had to charge my battery before each use, figuring that the boat was completely shut down and everything was turned off that the battery should keep it’s charge.
Now that I turn the battery switch off at the switch, the battery never needs a charge. Something simple as that has made a huge difference.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
Thanks everybody, good insights. I don’t have a On/Off switch on it. The only other item hooked up to that batt is the depth finder so it will register the volts. I think I’ll get a new battery and if it fires right up I’ll go ahead and and add the switch. Maybe there’s a slight draw on the battery, but it ws fine up until the fall then really got bad. I’ve heard some batteries are just lemons and don’t last long. The trolling batts on the boat are from 2007 and they still get the job done.
I think it just won’t hold enough charge to start the motor.
Thanks,I think I figured out why the battery isn’t holding a charge. My tach stopped working last summer. I just dealt with it for awhile then decided to fix it. Did some research and determined my rectifier wasn’t working. Put a new one in and tach worked fine, but it also meant my battery wasn’t charging during the period when the rectifier was down. I probably really drew the charge down and damaged the batt. Now it won’t hold a charge. Does that sound like a reason it would crap out after 1.75 years?
Regardless, I’ll go with the 850 and see how it responds.
Yes, the voltage meter on the depth finder jumps once it fires up so it is charging, unlike when the rectifier was down. Chris, you all worked on this motor a couple of years and its been running fine since until the rectifier went last summer. I’m going to buy a new battery and see what happens. Of course I don’t have the Walmart receipt for the less than 2 year old battery, I’ll just have to eat it.
You may be right about your receipt but take it back to wally world
anyway; ww is usually pretty good about making things good and also
most batteries have a code on the info tag that gives date info.
Its worth a try
GW
all gave some , some gave all–only two offered to die for you, christ for your sins , the soldier for your freedom!!!
Thanks GW, yeah its worth a shot to at least get a partial refund. BTW, I just checked and Chris V was right. I had 625 Marine Cranking Amps, not CCA so perhaps the battery was underpowered to begin with.