Battery dead

[Wakesurfer]

I forgot the bilge pump on for a couple of days….  now battery dead. Question 1: what’s the best way to charge it? Jump it with another boat and charge with alternator or take out and have it slow charge?

Question 2: did I damage the pump having it run dry for so long?


too bad these boats dont have a master battery switch...

First nice evening on newly installed slalom course and we didn’t get the boat off dock….

[JoeTechie]

SLOW, SLOW, SLOW.

Get a MARINE grade trickle charger at your favorite auto/hardware/discount store. Let it do the job and you will little to no damage to a dead battery. Running the pump did not hurt the batt, but you may have burned out the bearings in the pump - if it is not used a lot - then it is probably still good - they are so cheap to replace - get a spare just in case.

-J

[lowdrag]

I believe that by tripping the breaker that the accessories are wired to near the battery it should act as a master switch for anything that may get turned on by accident. It should do this for the bilge as well, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Just turn your bilge on and trip the breaker, if it shuts off then you've found your master batter switch.

[zabooda]

I always check the dash before I cover it for components left on. The boats have everything on the dash besides the bidge pump that can be left on such as the stereo (volume turned off), nav light(s) accidentily turned on (bow light and instrument lights at a minimum), shower pump and depth finder (I have switched to the ignition or a constant power source). The blower and heater fan are loud enough to hear but the others can be silent (battery) killers. You need to check the dash just to make sure everything is turned off. I have a quality slow charger from Wally World that has different end connectors and one of them is a cigarette plug so you can charge the battery from the lighter rather than getting to the battery itself. With a dead battery it will take awhile to get a good charge but in a few days it should be ready to start and then your alternator will charge it. Remember, your alternator is not a slow charger so you want to have a fairly good charge before you go out.

[Dave A]

I'm with lowdrag. The last thing I do, after I put the boat up, is push the breaker switch. Sometimes my kids get in the boat and you never know what they will press. I have never, in the 1-1/2 years I have had my boat, had a problem with a dead battery.