Trolling Charger Issue help needed.

903
About 6 months ago I had 2 new Continental Trolling Batteries put on the boat and a new Minn Kota Digital 3 Bank charger. Two weeks ago I charged batteries and noticed the warning light on battery #2 but was in a hurry and went fishing. Only fished a couple hours no problem. Charged batteries again over night before fishing a tourney Saturday. Noticed warning light again. Went on and fished Saturday and had no problem and then about 1:00 I couldn't get it to push. Loaded cup early. Got home and cleaned posts and made sure I had a good connection. Charged again and had the solid red light warning. Minn Kota told me could be one of 5 problems:

1: Battery has over 16 volts
2: Battery has under 1.5 Volts

Volt meter says 13.5 so not the problem.

3: Bad connection but I checked and cleaned what little dirt there was, so it isnt this.

4: Leads are on wrong polarity, double checked and they are not
5: There is a short. When I put the wires on the other battery it works fine.

I'm guessing the reason I lost power is that battery never got fully charged.

So do I have a bad battery? It shows the have 13.5 volts so that doesn't male sense. Any Ideas?

Run the trolling motor on high for a minute then test the battery again

Did that and read 13 volts.

Before I recharged yesterday after using all day it read 13.5 volts.

It's either bad battery,blown charger fuse,or battery is too low to charge with minkota charger

Check it with load tester

Thanks, don't think its too low, I've yet to draw them all the way down and always charge as soon as i get home and again before i go.

Ill check the fuse and then the battery.

Check the fluid level on that battery...

Well, this was disappointing, bad battery charger. One bank is bad. Seven months old and went out. He said the others would still work so I will charge trolling batteries only until the new one arrives.

I would wager money it's that charger. Those Minnkota chargers have been garbage for me. I have gone through 4 this year. Yes, 4. Each one had a different problem.

But the best thing to do is to switch the leads around and see if it is indeed the battery or if its one of the charger banks. Take the lead from a battery that is charging correctly and put it on the "bad" battery. If that bank gives off the same error, then odds are, you have a bad battery. If it charges the battery as normal, then you have a bad bank on the charger.

If it is the charger, I'd recommend the Dual Pro Professional Chargers. I finally gave up on Minnkota and their terrible customer service and got one of the Dual Pro's and it's been great.

It is the charger. Took it to East Texas Sonar and he verified. Got to call and get paperwork ready to get it replaced. Good thing is he said the other two banks would still work so I can at least charge two batteries until new gets in.

If it's not the charger why are you getting it replaced

Sorry, typo. It is the charger. Bank #2 is bad.

Well, sorry to hear that. I know all too well the feeling. I would suggest charging two batteries and then taking one bank off and charging the other. Not that its very probable, but I would hate for you to wind up with a dead/bad battery as well from it sitting too long without a charge.

.What size extension cord are you using? Good stuff in the link below


http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=676618

Its 15 feet long. Short one.

Bad charger.

EDIT: sorry I didn't read past the OP.