sun oddessey 43ds

[byo]

Hi Folks, help required please. I was having trouble starting the engine on the battery, like the battery was flat, I had it tested and it failed so replaced it. The engine still wouldn't start without jump starting it at the starter, the battery supplier came to test the new battery and when doing this he briefly shorted out the battery terminals at the back of the isolating switches in the engine bay with the lead clamp. Now the radio has no sound but powers up and when the ignition key is turned off the oil pressure warning light comes on and the alarm sounds, this goes off when the engine is running.I foung the cause of the starting fault was that 1 of the house batteries is faulty draining the engine start battery, I thought that the engine battery was isolated from the house batteries but I traced the battery cables back to the house batteries and it is wired parrall with thim. Any help will be welcome, cheers, Bruce.

[Zanshin]

I assume that you have separated the starting and house circuits - if not, that needs to be done first. Are the two just put together at the battery box under the aft cabin? I once had a faulty starting battery on my 43DS and jumpered the two banks together to start the engine (I did that until I got a replacement battery).

Now when you turn your key to the "ON" position but when the motor is not running, the oil pressure alarm should sound, likewise when you stop the engine with the big red stop button the oil alarm should also sound until you turn the ignition to "OFF".

The radio issue should be handled separately, once your starting circuit is working.

Do you have a multimeter? A DC Ammeter (some of the better multimeters can measure both AC and DC amps)?

[byo]

Hi Zanshin, yes the engine battery cables have been connected in parallel to the house batteries in the port aft cabin, now the warning alarm goes off with the ignition turned off and the only way I can stop it is to disconnect the wire to the oil pressure switch on the engine, or start the engine I suspect that something in the engine control panel has been damaged. I do have a multi meter but to remove the control panel I will have to drill the head off the retaining screws as I cannot access the nuts on the back of the panel.
Regards, Bruce.

[Zanshin]

Hello Bruce,

accessing the panel won't help much, since the electronics won't be too accessible in there. Those panels are rather expensive to replace as well. What I find odd is that there should be no power when the ignition is turned off, so I don't know where the power to either the sensor or the alarm is coming from. Can you measure the amps going through the starting battery when the engine is turned off (and of course the house bank should no longer be connected.

[byo]

Hi Zanshin, I discovered today that the battery isolator has been damaged causing a back feed to the alternator and warning buzzer when the key was turned off, have ordered a new one and had the stereo repaired. Thanks for your help, cheers, Bruce. PS love the boat.

[byo]

Note, I have also rewired the engine battery correctly.