I cant figure it out. Plug into shore power to keep a charge on the batteries 2 hours a day. I turn the main power switch to off, all toggles are off, stereo is connected after the batteries. The boat doesnt seem to hold the charge.
After jumping or getting enough charge to start the engines, we go out and run the boat and the volt meters are at 11 actually discharging the batteries....................IM CONFUSED.

Sounds like it's not charging...but BOTH alternators. If it's like mine , to charge BOTH batteries you mus select "both" on the bat switch. Do this , then put a digital volt meter on directly on on or other battery and fire up one or other engine. If still not charging , it's time to pull at least one alternator and have it checked

Kevin sounds like it is time for me to fly out there and PARTY!!!!! I mean fix that boat of yours

Check what Mopower said then get back to us

Jon

How old are your batteries? I have never got more than two seasons out of ANY battery brand I have tried. I would have similar problems when a battery was bad and shorting out between the plates.

I went through this same thing about 2 years ago.

Problem #1 I'm assuming you have a Guest on-board charger (OEM). If you do, there is a fuse on the output (DC) side of the battery charger. You have to remove a small access cover to get to it. If you have ever had it plugged into shore power with the charger on and operated a drive or tab trim motor, starter - any high current accessory, you more than likely blew the fuse. The red LED AC power indicator will be lit but the charger doesn't put out any voltage on the DC side.

Problem #2 If your gauges are the original VDOs, you may be charging fine and don't know it. Again, as was said earlier, check everything with a good DVOM. If you are getting a good charge reading at the battery with the meter your gauges have a problem. My 89 311 was showing low voltage on BOTH batteries. Just by chance, we were in some rough stuff one afternoon and the more waves we hit the higher the voltage got. Apparently, the springs in the gauges develop a bias from being in the "off" position for such long periods of time. From that point on, if you tapped on the gauge panel at first start up, they would eventually come up to the correct readings. Those VDOs were probably great in their day but they had 16 years on them.

Jon
Come on down!!! You and Pam are always welcome.

The batteries are brand new 3 months old. They do take a charge from the shore power but just dont keep charged. Something is draining them. The volt meters always regisitered between 12-14 when running last season. As Jon will attest im No mechanic. Thanks for al the suggestions.

Dave Weyer from Wilbus is going to ck it out for us this week. I will pass this link along to him.

In all seriousness Jon .........COME ON DOWN