Check Engine battery issue

[Matt Chance]

Have a new to me ‘17 242 LSE and keep having battery issues and need help diagnosing if it’s just bad batteries. Keep the batteries on a tender and start with 14+ V on each battery but then just sitting in slip with engines off drained them within just a few mins. Silence alarm every 5mims and boat runs great. Came in after running for 30mims straight, turned engines off but kept radio going and voltage dropped like a stone.

First pic is voltage when engines on...second and third are after sitting in slip and how fast voltage falls off. Connect screen goes black after just a. Few mins. Searched forum and see all sorts of similar issues but need some expert diagnosis. Thanks for any help!!

 

[tek4fun]

14.2 v is normal for the voltage when the engines are running. It is normal for the voltage to quickly drop to the higher 12 volt range when the engines are turned off, because the stator is no longer charging the batteries. If you press and hold the center button on the display, you will get into the diagnostic screens. This is where you can start to try and figure out why you have check engine warnings for both the port and starboard engines. These warnings are what cause the buzzer to go off every five minutes. Show a picture of the first diagnostic screen and we can try to help figure out the check engine warnings.

 

[Matt Chance]

Appreciate the guidance...will check the Sys Control button to see what diagnostic info it is showing. Will share pics

 

[Matt Chance]

Thanks for the help tek4fun. I got to the diagnostic screens and this is what they are ahowing

 

[tek4fun]

The screens do not indicate that anything is actually wrong with the engines. It does show that the check engine warning is active though. Go to the settings screen and check the wellness of your engines. I suspect that they may have more than 100 hours on them and that would indicate them needing their 100 hour service done. If it was done, then they might have forgot to reset them.

 

[Matt Chance]

Thanks for the additional insight. Only 32hrs on the engines. I went ahead and got another deep cycle battery to put in parallel with the other. The previous owner installed a 12” speaker and corresponding amp so not sure the group 24 batteries are stout enough.

The batteries drain within a few mins of turning the key and just sitting in slip. Connect shuts down completely and then won’t start back up again. Same thing happens if anchoring and turn engines off. Everything shuts down that’s why I’m assuming the stereo is overpowering batteries. Will try this third battery to see if that makes a difference.

How do I reset so stop getting the check engine warning?

 

[Matt Chance]

Here are some pics of battery set up

 

[ripler]

Thanks for the additional insight. Only 32hrs on the engines. I went ahead and got another deep cycle battery to put in parallel with the other. The previous owner installed a 12” speaker and corresponding amp so not sure the group 24 batteries are stout enough.

The batteries drain within a few mins of turning the key and just sitting in slip. Connect shuts down completely and then won’t start back up again. Same thing happens if anchoring and turn engines off. Everything shuts down that’s why I’m assuming the stereo is overpowering batteries. Will try this third battery to see if that makes a difference.

How do I reset so stop getting the check engine warning?

Are you saying that the batteries are draining after you turn your key on and nothings is powered up?

I have over 1700 watts between 2 amplifiers on my boat and never drained one of my group 24 batteries, even sitting still and playing the radio and decent volumes.

There's something else going on.

 

[Matt Chance]

That's exactly what I'm saying. I keep the batteries on a tender...everything is green. I unplug the tender, turn both red batteries switches to on, turn ignition key to on, Connext boots up, I get the check engine warning for both port and starboard engines with beeping alarm, radio plays fine, and then withIn minutes Connext shuts down and screen goes black.

I have silenced the alarm and taken boat out and engines run great. I just have to keep silencing alarm and can't shut engines off! If I do, I get a few mins again before Connext shuts down again. Have then turned on yellow emergency to crank it up and limp back to dock.

 

[Matt Chance]

Added a third battery this weekend and had a service guy scheduled to come out and look Monday. After 3rd battery install, same problems at start up but decided to run it around a bit and the check engine warning and alarm went away. Hopefully just battery issue that is now in rear view mirror. Appreciate the couple of comments to help diagnose.

 

[ripler]

Did you get rid of the original battery? After thinking about this my bet the original battery is bad.

 

[Matt Chance]

I pulled both batteries and had them tested and both batteries were good. So bought another deep cycle and have it in parallel with the house battery. Will keep an eye on all three

 

[Westtodd]

How is it working? I have a similar issue with my 2017 242X.
Thanks.

 

[Matt Chance]

No problems at all after adding third battery and placed in parallel with house battery. Keep on tender between outings

 

[Matt Chance]

Tek4Fun or anyone else...I could use some help with diag codes after more battery issues. Batteries were on trickle charger and green lights all around. Engines cranked a bit but both started up. As I was backing out of slip I got the dreaded STB ENGINE error alarm. Attached is the pic of the system diag codes. Apparently code 144 means low voltage mode, but I don’t know what all those OBD DIAG codes mean 52 1329??

 

[Matt Chance]

Starboard engine stayed on but wouldn’t move any faster than 6mph. Port was fine but decided to limp back to slip

 

[tek4fun]

Tek4Fun or anyone else...I could use some help with diag codes after more battery issues. Batteries were on trickle charger and green lights all around. Engines cranked a bit but both started up. As I was backing out of slip I got the dreaded STB ENGINE error alarm. Attached is the pic of the system diag codes. Apparently code 144 means low voltage mode, but I don’t know what all those OBD DIAG codes mean 52 1329??

Those two codes go together. They basically mean the same thing. There is a whole list of things to check.
- Check ECM circuit for continuity.
- Check ETV relay for continuity.
- Check charging system. Stator and Rectifier/regulator.
- Check battery voltage and specific gravity. *Already done*
- Check power supply circuit leads for continuity.
I do not do much work with the engines themselves. My focus is with the rest of the electronics on the boat. You may need help from others with how to check some of these items.
Good luck and hope this helps!

 

[Matt Chance]

Thanks so much for the diagnosis Tek4Fun. Helps narrow down the issues. Will get it arrviced

 

[Evil Sports]

Following because Im a nerd and want to know how this gets resolved