Dead Battery - How to Open Hatch?
 

Ok, this seems relatively simple, but I went to charge up the battery after a long winter and the charger is having nothing to do with it. I can't even get the charger to start charging using the external hook up. Any suggestions, other than take the pins from the hatches?

When u plug in the Jumper cord it wont override enough to open?? That connection goes direct to the battery sw and should power up the boat w/no batteries.. or do you not have a jumper cord (Plugs in under the front of the seat)

I've got the jumper cord, but the battery charger won't even act likes it's charging. I even switched to auto start and still nothing. I'll try another charger.

i had the same prob this winter, because i took the terminals off one bat. and closed the hatch, you cant pull the pins on the seat and open it at least i couldnt, i had to poke the cables back on with 2 sticks to get mine to open, i tried charging with muliple chargers and changing bat. switche pos. and still nothing so if you do find a way to open please let us no because i was screwed.

Someone makes a sleeve that will allow you to manually raise the hatch just enough to pull the pins or remove the bolts to get it all the way up. The only problem is if the hatch is light, it may bounce up and down when running in rough water. I just had a 32 AT that the new hatch motor was acting up and we had to get a couple of guys to pull like hell to make a gap to beat on the damn thing with a pole. Until the replacement comes in - we're leaving an access gap.

It's basically a slotted sleeve - Livorsi doesn't offer it. If I find one in one of the other catalogues I'll post the info.

Does your boat have breakers near the battery switch?

If the battery is stone dead - the charger won't start to charge. use a set of jumper cables and the hatch should open.
Put a little power into the battery and then the charger will work.

I thought this would be easy, but it turned into an all day deal. I final bought 2 new batteries, used one along with the charger to be able to help lift as I pulled up on one of the hatches. As soon as I had one battery in, it was good. I'm never going to let that happen again.

If you don't have the battery connections under the back seat.
You can put power into the battery by connecting to the power wires under the dash.

I just remove the bolt from the top of the ram in the fall.

A little special tool that costs about 2 bucks can take care of that problem. All you need is a cig lighter power adapter and two gator clips. Plug the adapter into a lighter/power outlet and hook the clips to the battery. BTDT.

How else can you disconnect both batteries?

I usually take off the front side vent, and reach down to the battery and hook up the cables from my bat charger direct to the battery. Don't know if that's possible for you to do.

Slotted Sleeve
 

Txriverra2001,
Did You Ever Find Out Who Makes This Actuator Slleve That Allows You To Lift Several Inches ?

All you have to do is remove the switch plate that controls the hatch and using a jump-pac with clips or pins connect to the wires on the switch till you hit the right ones and the hatch operates.

You can plug in the external jumper cables and use a separate battery charger hooked to the cable on 15 amps even with stone dead batteries. Sorry too late to help but it may help if it happens again.

We had the same problem with our batteries and external charger under the rear seat. We hooked up the shore power cord and then used a portable battery charger. It barely was enough power to lift the hatches, but it worked. The batteries were so dead we ended up getting two new ones.

Yes Dave...I do the same thing, just in case!!!!

I use a portable battery pack with a cigarette lighter plug and I plug it into the cigarette lighter. Then see if you can get someone to lift on it while pushing hatch lift switch.

I like that idea...

x2 for the cig back feed. dome it once myself.