? Redundant Port Engine Issue-Limited RPM

[props2you]

[USERGROUP=9]@HELP[/USERGROUP]

This has happened to me the past two weekends. Both scenarios have been identical:

At launch, both engines start & run fine, no issues. idle, stop, start, go etc.

After running (stopping & starting intermittently without issue), will go to the beach, anchored in 3-4 feet of water and sit for 4-5 hours on house power running stereo etc. Upon departure, (voltage is fine for both house and start @ 12.4v) both engines start, starboard engine has no issues, starts and idles at 1200 RPM. Port engine will start and idle at 1000 RMP. Upon engaging both motors to full power (either individually controlled or single lever option) port engine maxes out at 2000 RPM. No issues with starboard.

I will turn the key off, fully power the boat down and let it sit for 10-20 seconds, power everything back up, turn on the key and start both engines and the port engine will go back to normal idle at 1200 RPM and have full power back.

It is throwing a port engine alarm and diagnostic code (which I cant see specifics, just the code [HASH=410]#)[/HASH]

New plugs this season, there is no blockage and coolant is running through both engines, both cleanout plugs are seated and secured, seems to be an electrical gremlin somewhere...

Could this be a misconfigured battery connection?

Any help or place to start would be greatly appreciated, dealer is 3 weeks out...UGH!

 

[Scottintexas]

just an fyi,
[USERGROUP=3]@Administrative[/USERGROUP] I didn't get an alert on this even though he used the @ help feature,

I checked my preferences and the Help box is checked, I remember an issue a few months back about having to rejoin,

.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

just an fyi,
[USERGROUP=3]@Administrative[/USERGROUP] I didn't get an alert on this even though he used the @ help feature,

I checked my preferences and the Help box is checked, I remember an issue a few months back about having to rejoin,

.

I didnt either

[USERGROUP=9]@HELP[/USERGROUP]

 

[Murf'n'surf]

@propstoyou What is the code number you get?

 

[jcyamaharider]

Did you do the battery mod to your connext system to make sure you are seeing the correct voltage displayed? If not then you may be actually only seeing the one battery voltage and the other may be low. I would try next time emergency parallel and see if you have the issue pop up again.

 

[props2you]

@Murf'n'surf Will post that shortly...

@jcyamaharider not sure about a battery mod to the connext system, but, I did add a 3rd battery. Have 2 GRP 31 AGM's on the house and a deep cycle marine on the start. The 2 voltages do vary though, they typically aren't ever the same. Usually a few tenths off from each other. I wouldn't think that would affect both engines though, right?

 

[jcyamaharider]

Mine were a tenth off also, once I did the mod https://jetboaters.net/threads/fix-for-connext-battery-voltage-issue-confirmed.11381/ Then I noticed the actual voltage of each battery. My system is wired up exactly the way you described as well. 2 group 31's for stereo and one group 24 for starting.

 

[props2you]

@jcyamaharider Perfect, I'll take care of that tonight! Would the low voltage cause only one engine to limp like that though?

 

[props2you]

@Murf'n'surf

Apparently it did not bank it...



@jcyamaharider good call, took 8 minutes! We'll see if that tells a different story on the water.

Pre battery mod


Clipped aux wire near power switches:



Aux wired to starting battery:


Switched wires at the SPU


Still not entirely sure why only the port engine would be effected on a low batt?

Always open to other options and suggestions!

 

[Ratket]

Electronics. The problem is the Safety parameters set around the motors “ The codes” could be getting triggered due to the low voltage. On my personal truck “ 2018 Ram 1500” when my battery got low it did Goofy things. Electronics have a way of doing stupid things when they don’t get the proper voltage or amperage they call for. I hope that the battery is the culprit in your case as it is a easy fix.

 

[jcyamaharider]

Was by chance the port motor the first one to start? Then once the the stators were providing 14 volts the starboard motor didn't see the low voltage condition? Just a thought? I agree with the above statement.

 

[props2you]

Was by chance the port motor the first one to start? Then once the the stators were providing 14 volts the starboard motor didn't see the low voltage condition? Just a thought? I agree with the above statement.

I believe so, I'm leaning towards a low voltage issue. Both instances, the engines were running/idling for about 10 minutes prior to full power back to the port motor, enough to get the voltage back up to normal operating status. I'll have a much better idea now that the voltage readout on the connext is accurate. ?

 

[ToddW850]

@props2you this thread could not have happened at a better time. I am having the same EXACT issue with my 2017 242X E. Two outings in a row. Launch boat, ride around, start and stop briefly, no problems. Decided to anchor both times for several hours. First time, go to leave, get a check engine light and my RPM's won't go over 2500 on Starboard engine. Port engine was fine. Run it back to the boat launch. Get home to flush, no problems. I did find my fuse for the solar panels had blown. Second time, after anchoring for several hours, neither engine would turn over. I flipped the yellow switch to parallel the batteries and both engines started no problems. However, now BOTH engines would not go over 2500 RPMs. And it would not let me go in Reverse. Limped back to the launch. Get home, no problems. HOWEVER, I did notice the buckets over the jet pumps had not gone up all the way like they normally do when you shut these off.

Almost like a low voltage or power issue. So I put the batteries on the charger (only 1 year old batteries) and they seemed to be around 80% or better already. Check engine light has gone off now too. I just dropped my boat at the dealer in Panama City this morning so they could check it. I will let you know. I also took pics of my Connext Screen while my error was up, if that will help. I don't know what the codes mean either, but might be the same you are having? @Julian this is what I was talking to you about recently.

 

[Julian]

Low house voltage does cause problems on these boats. But with 2 house batteries....were you cranking tunes for 5 hours??

 

[props2you]

@ToddW850 thanks for chiming in! When you had issues on the water, did you try and power down all the way, power up and restart everything? That worked for me both times, but, I think what time I was idling was enough to get the batt voltage back up to a sustainable level. Also, depending on how far you had to limp to the dock, you may have charged those batteries up to 80%. Once you got home, you cycled the power (assuming you powered the boat down when you pulled out) and essentially reset the system, unknowingly, since you charged the batts limping back, in turn returning the boat back to a normal state.

Did you do the battery voltage mod mentioned above? This will now provide an accurate reading of both, my house and aux Batts to see where the voltage is prior to starting.

I was also anchored at the beach for at least 5 hours both times running my stereo (house has 2 grp 31 agms), boat is running a sub and 600 watt amp. Although I turned the key off, I did not switch the "start" relay off. Not sure if that matters.

None the less, I think that is my issue, low starting battery voltage. We'll find out this weekend!

 

[ToddW850]

@props2you that's exactly it. I did not power everything down on the water but my feeling is I got enough charge going back to the boat launch to not have an issue when I got home.

We used the boat a ton last season and had no issues. Zero issues until the last 2 outings. So no, I haven't done the mod yet. I need a better understanding of that before I start cutting wires haha

 

[props2you]

@ToddW850 weird... Exactly the same scenario, no issues whatsoever in the same situations at all last year, now this year, it's happened twice. Maybe a dying starter battery, as that is still the original. What I don't understand is that it's strictly the starting battery, how does it lose so much power in such a short period, what would be drawing from it?? Is the house drawing from it somehow? This is the exact reason I added the second house battery and went AGM.

Check out the link that @jcyamaharider posted above, it really is a simple mod, once you wrap your head around what exactly is happening. I'd be happy to help you too. It really did take me less than 10 minutes to do. Strongly worth considering!

 

[ToddW850]

@props2you that is weird. And yes, why is the starter battery draining? Mine batteries are only 1 year old.

10 minutes huh??? Okay I may hit you up then after I read that thread again. Gotta get my boat back first.

 

[props2you]

Quick update...

Before the boat was even in the water, instant port check engine alarm once the switches were turned on and the auto blower started. Once the blower came on the voltage on the sys dropped through the floor.

Here is the diagnostic while running:



Both engines started and ran normal. Shut the boat completely down, Turned everything back on and engaged emergency parallel, started both engines, still got the port check engine, after running the boat for 5 minutes, the port check engine dissappear and had no codes. ?

Went to the beach, turned everything off except house power (including the key) sat for 6 hours with tunes cranked, no issues. Upon leaving turned everything on, including emergency parallel, boat started perfectly normal and fine, no issues and no alarms! WTF is happening? Is my starting battery not holding charge? My start batt is 3 years old. I'm going to replace my starting battery and see what difference that makes!

Emergency parallel seems to be the great equalizer. The conclusion seems to be once emergency parallel is engaged, that's making up for the lack of power in the starting batt.

Thoughts?

 

[tdonoughue]

Pull your batteries. Take them to the auto parts store and have them load test them. I bet your start battery is bad at least.

Note that heat kills batteries. Also not keeping them filled with water. Also not having them on a battery maintainer in the off season. I was surprised mine lasted, but not everyone's do.