Merc 150 - Battery charging issue

[mikew4]

Hi

I have a 4yr old Mercury 150 that is no longer charging the batteries. Getting about 10V from the engine charging circuit as opposed to ~14V. Any ideas what is wrong?

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by mikew4

Hi

I have a 4yr old Mercury 150 that is no longer charging the batteries. Getting about 10V from the engine charging circuit as opposed to ~14V. Any ideas what is wrong?

4 years old ,must be still under waranty ,i wouldnt touch it ,just ask main dealer at your next service to sort it !

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

4 years old ,must be still under waranty ,i wouldnt touch it ,just ask main dealer at your next service to sort it !

No warranty as has been serviced locally at non-merc dealer. But could do with some insight on what folks thing could be at fault. Thx.

[Last Tango]

Where and how are you measuring 10V.
Is that an "instrument" reading or a meter on the battery with the engine running? If the battery's at 10V it won't crank the engine at all because floating at that it'll crash to next to bugger all if you try and start it.

Check the basics first

Isolator switch, engine fuses, harness connectors (particularly the alternator one).....maybe try another battery. Do you have a split charging relay?

[Iankristy]

I have one doing the same, alternator not cheap

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

Where and how are you measuring 10V.
Is that an "instrument" reading or a meter on the battery with the engine running? If the battery's at 10V it won't crank the engine at all because floating at that it'll crash to next to bugger all if you try and start it.

Check the basics first

Isolator switch, engine fuses, harness connectors (particularly the alternator one).....maybe try another battery. Do you have a split charging relay?

Jump started engine. When engine running both instruments and plotter on canbus reads 10v as opposed to the usual 14v or so. Am aware of basic fault finding etc. but didn't have a multimeter with me on the weekend.

[Iankristy]

I’ve read on the google they are known to go. I’m tempted to try get mine repaired

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by mikew4

No warranty as has been serviced locally at non-merc dealer. But could do with some insight on what folks thing could be at fault. Thx.

I understand exactly what your saying and the reasons for not using main dealer service ,however in this modern fair world can manufacturers still make this demand ??? i think the automotive industry were taken to task over a similar thing and nowadays anybody can service your new car and provided they only use genuine parts the guarantees must be honoured !
Besides how could they claim you havnt looked after the voltage regulator or the charging coil ? that can surely only be a manufacturing quality issue
just my opinion but worth a try ,especially as theres two of you sounding like similar issues

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by Iankristy

I’ve read on the google they are known to go. I’m tempted to try get mine repaired

Any links?

[Iankristy]

Originally Posted by mikew4

Any links?

No sorry just googled a lot and came up with lots of hits.

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

I understand exactly what your saying and the reasons for not using main dealer service ,however in this modern fair world can manufacturers still make this demand ??? i think the automotive industry were taken to task over a similar thing and nowadays anybody can service your new car and provided they only use genuine parts the guarantees must be honoured !
Besides how could they claim you havnt looked after the voltage regulator or the charging coil ? that can surely only be a manufacturing quality issue
just my opinion but worth a try ,especially as theres two of you sounding like similar issues

Mercury have every right to decline a warranty claim in this case. We are talking about a free extended warranty that is conditional on having a Mercury dealer service it. It would be different if I was within the statutory warranty period which cannot mandate Mercury servicing and therefore allows servicing anywhere. I took a calculated risk by using my local outboard centre as Mercury dealer as a PITA to get to.

[Iankristy]

This popped up today

[ATTACH]134765
[ATTACH]134766
[ATTACH]134767

[Livid]

We had this too, about the same age as yours, alternator popped a month ago, couldn't get it sorted under warranty within a reasonable timeframe so we blew the warranty and got it replaced with a non official part, worked nicely since

[Pikey Dave]

I’d be tempted to take the alternator to a proper automotive electrician & get it refurbished. I have a guy near me who is a wizard with this kind of stuff, rewinds classic car dynamos, rebuilds starter motors etc. Proper old school guy.

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by mikew4

Hi

I have a 4yr old Mercury 150 that is no longer charging the batteries. Getting about 10V from the engine charging circuit as opposed to ~14V. Any ideas what is wrong?

Ok it's been into the workshop. Cause found. Alternator was fried.

[Livid]

Originally Posted by mikew4

Ok it's been into the workshop. Cause found. Alternator was fried.

Expect to pay about 300 for a new alternator and a few hours labour to get it fitted. I'd advise getting one of those ir guns and checking it's temps for the first few hours after replacement, ours got hot enough to make the cowling too hot to touch, we had to get the belt adjusted or it'd have cooked it again

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by mikew4

Ok it's been into the workshop. Cause found. Alternator was fried.

Right, got the bill. Alternator £230+Vat and 2 hours labour to fit at £67+vat, totalling £435 for the alternator fix. Then there were two new batteries and annual service. All in, no change from £1200. Ouch. But that's boating for you. At 366 engine hours from new (4 years old now), the total maintenance bill works out at £8/hr.

[Livid]

That's par for the course. I think we only had one battery swapped on ours, and had it serviced separately for £500, labour seems on the steep side, our guy who's a licensed mercury dealer charges about 40 an hour

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by Livid

That's par for the course. I think we only had one battery swapped on ours, and had it serviced separately for £500, labour seems on the steep side, our guy who's a licensed mercury dealer charges about 40 an hour

£40/hr sounds good. Care to say where? Ta.

[Livid]

Originally Posted by mikew4

£40/hr sounds good. Care to say where? Ta.

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