Low battery voltage

Saltyone

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I changed my fuel filters today. Afterwards went to start them, starboard started just fine, port side is giving me the low voltage warning and reading 0 volts on the SMG4. Checked voltages at all batteries, all reading 12.8v.

Any ideas?

2022 DF200APX
 

drbatts

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Assuming you have the standard 265 battery setup with 2 starting batteries. How old is the battery? if you flip the battery switches to the opposite banks, Will the starboard motor start off the port battery? will the port motor start of the starboard battery?
 
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seasick

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Did you remove the batteries for the off season? Or did you disconnect the battery cables?

If so, you probably left off a negative jumper connection that bridges the negative terminals of the two batteries.
 

Saltyone

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No, hadn't disconnected anything. Has been hooked up to a charger when not in use.

Checked all connections, all look good. Also checked the white wire fuses and those are good.

I'll try changing the switch positions to see if the starboard motor starts, but as it was, but switches were on both/all.

I checked voltage at the post on the switch for the port side motor and its 12v as well
 

Finest Kind

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I had a similar issue with my 1988 Trophy Pro....stated getting codes on my 7" Evinrude screen telling me that the port Etec motor lost communication with the control head (electronic binnacle).

After chasing down all the wrong possible causes it turned out to be my circa 1988 original battery switches. Evidently there wasn't enough current passing through the old switches to wake up the motor's computer. Installed new switches and its all good...

Worth checking out on your year 2000 rig?
 
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Mustang65fbk

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I agree with drbatts above comments about switching up the batteries or the banks themselves to see if it's the battery specifically. On top of that, as he mentioned, how old are the batteries? Do they have a sticker with the date on them? Batteries can be very funny or quirky, I've got a 2006 Honda Civic as my daily driver that has 250k miles on it. The other day I went out to start it up for work and it wouldn't even turn over. I popped open the hood, hooked up the jump pack to it as well as the charger and couldn't get it to start. Pulled the battery and noticed it was wet underneath and where it looked like it was leaking from the bottom of it. It also had a sticker on the battery that said "01/16", so it was just about 7.5 years old at this point and I'd say I got my money's worth out of it. Took it to Costco and bought a replacement, threw it in the car and it started right up. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but getting back on track here and to relate a little bit to the OP's issue... the battery worked just fine until it didn't. I had no issues with it up until about a week and a half ago, the morning I went out to start it up and it wouldn't turn over. Before that, no issues with the battery whatsoever and it would start up just fine. Not sure what happened or why the battery started leaking, but they can and do go bad just from age, lack of use and so on. Especially if you're like me, or others, with my boat where I store it all winter and then start it back up during the late spring/early summer. And that's on something that's been sitting for almost 6 months, whereas a car that I drive everyday should be a little bit better on batteries.
 
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Beyond A Wake

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Remember that just after charging a battery may show high voltage but it still may be a bad battery with no amp power in it. Just a surface charge.
Main thing as said above, try starting engine with only dedicated battery connected, first stb then port see if there is a difference in behavior.
Also measure V on "connected " side of switch ie after turning it on....
Probably a small glitch somewhere that corrects itself unless bad battery or switch.

H
 
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Hookup1

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No, hadn't disconnected anything. Has been hooked up to a charger when not in use.

Checked all connections, all look good. Also checked the white wire fuses and those are good.

I'll try changing the switch positions to see if the starboard motor starts, but as it was, but switches were on both/all.

I checked voltage at the post on the switch for the port side motor and its 12v as well
SALTYONE - Simplify the solutions. Test 1/2/both switches for both engines in all positions. Make sure all battery lugs are tight. Turn charger and batter switch to off and report battery voltages (12.8 VDC is right with charges off.). If it's that solid a problem it easy to diagnose.