2015 Z3: Batteries dying - Dealer installed two cranking batteries

[cdomby]

Man, I feel needy with all the questions and I really appreciate the help.

Bought my new to me Tige this year from a Natique dealer that put two new Interstate Batteries in.

Was picking up a surfer Sat. and suddenly the boat wouldn't go forward or reverse, but would just rev. Thought I'd dropped the prop! Turned off engine and it would no longer start. Turned to "combine" and it cranked up. Everything was fine rest of the day. Wouldn't start up yesterday (Sun.) after surfing for a little while. Put in the "combine" position and still wouldn't start. Turned off for 15 minutes and then it fired right back up in the "on" position.

Battery terminal buss fuses are both are okay btw.

Looked closer and the dealer installed two cranking batteries, so a cranking battery is handling the house. I'm assuming the answer is yes, but I'll ask anyway. Prob need to go ahead and replace the cranking battery with a proper deep cycle? We do cove it with the stereo on and engine off quite a bit. Wondering if the battery handling the house is drawing down the starter battery? House registered 13V on Tige touch when it died and then fired up after 15 mins yest, so it's a little strange.

[chpthril]

I dont see a deep cycle fixing it. The house bank does not crank the boat. So if there is an issue cranking the boat and turning to COMBINE get the engien cranking, the house banks is likely not the issue. You've got a cable, alternator, starter or isolator issue.

[KoolAid]

Sounds to me like the isolator leads are on the wrong batteries/locations. If the cranking side was not hooked up, it would never charge the house. So I am assuming its hooked up the house, which means it's always pulling voltage so it never tops off the house battery and keeps the isolator from ever switching over to the cranking battery to charge. Not sure how to word this properly.

[cdomby]

I dont see a deep cycle fixing it. The house bank does not crank the boat. So if there is an issue cranking the boat and turning to COMBINE get the engien cranking, the house banks is likely not the issue. You've got a cable, alternator, starter or isolator issue.

Thanks. Sounds like checking all the wires are tight and a series of volt meter testing are in my future.

Before that. I did have to disconnect the house (at least I think it was the house) to remove the battery and install my new actuator a couple of weeks back. When I reconnected the battery, I put the wire with the terminal buss fuse on out of sequence and the Touch 2 would no longer come on. I fixed the sequence and touch 2 is all good. Someone noted that if that the terminal buss fuse could be bad and if this terminal buss was bad it wouldn't charge the other (starter battery). I checked the fuse and it isn't blown. Any chance the fuse is jacked up although not indicating blown?

[chpthril]

Anytime something gets connected backwards, it opens up a new dimension. A volt meter would confirm the fuse fore sure, if you have not already. I would look very close to make sure no cable got left off. This can certainly prevent a bank from getting a charge from the alternator.

[cdomby]

Anytime something gets connected backwards, it opens up a new dimension. A volt meter would confirm the fuse fore sure, if you have not already. I would look very close to make sure no cable got left off. This can certainly prevent a bank from getting a charge from the alternator.

Man, you are good! I swore I had all the cables installed and correctly. Went to test voltage on batteries and there was a red cable dangling there. Geez. Batteries were charging fine after I hooked it back up. Getting 13 to 14V.

I still have a weird thing going on with the stereo. The controls will just freeze while boat is started and underway at times and then unfreeze. Think this has something to do with the house charge or is this just a glitch? Remember, the dealer did install a cranking battery for both the house and starting banks. Should I ultimately replace the house with a deep cycle?

[chpthril]

Man, you are good!

Thats what she said Glad is was something not serious

I prefer a true deep cycle on the house bank as they offer better anchor play time and do better being drawn down and charge back, then a standard cranking.

I would first suspect the transom remote, if you have one. If you do and the issue is frequent, find the transom remote connector about 6" back of the remote and just unplug it for a few trips out and see if the problem continues.

[cdomby]

That sounds like it may be the issue with the transom remote vs a battery charge issue. It has frozen up on the Touch 2 while parked before and still works on the transom remote.

[JLG]

If freezing at the screen my 15 did that on occasion also seems like they get hot especially when coved out or such. When beached I’d cover with a towel to reduce sun heat, and issue seemed to go away. I also had an update on screen and that seemed to run the fan more to keep it cooler. I’d make sure your software is latest update.