HELP! Dead Battery, Can't Open Engine Hatch
 

Left the boat sitting too long and now can't open the engine compartment lift to access the batteries due to a dead battery. Will a cigarette light style booster/charger do the trick or do I need to take more drastic measures?

That should work as long as the lighter works with the key off. Another thing you can do is connect a charger up to your fuse board to the pos and neg coming in to it. Small charger, I wouldn't go over 10 amps max. Let it charge slow for a while.

Can you access to apply power directly to the back side of the hatch switch?

I have had this happen also. Some battery chargers will not actually start charging a totally dead battery. Easiest is like was said before, just hook up to the power lead going to the fuse box and to a ground. I have had to hook up an actual battery to open my hatch before, due to the type of charger I had. I have also had to hook up a charged battery to a low or dead battery to trick the charger into actually charging the dead one.

i once use a power pack at the fuse box and just open the hatch.

X2

Thats the simplest way if you can get to the back of the switch.

Sell the boat (quick)
Mine has a pos and neg post behind the dash just for this.. yours may too.

Fixx
 

And once you get the hatch open, install a onboard charger and all you will have to do is plug it in..

+1

AMEN to that!:evilb:

Is it the baja you have listed in your avatar? Baja installed slip joints on most of their boat lift hatches, with a pin or bolt for emegency opening. Have you tried lifting the hatch by hand?

You might check under your rear bench and see if there is a pos/neg post/bolt that you can hook a charger to. My 02 252 Islander was set up this way specifically because of the problem you're having. There was also an option where you could manually pull up on the sunpad cover just enough to reach under there to pull the pin that attaches the lift actuator to the sunpad cover.

Yeah my Liberator had a hatch behind the back seat that would allow me to pull the pin for that hatch lift mechanism for manual lifting

+2 :ernaehrung004::ernaehrung004:

Just don't leave the plug for the charger tied up nice and neat, inside the engine compartment. :lolhit:

When you get your hatch up and every thing is running ,I would suggest that you purchase a remote power outlet from
Eddie Marine Inc. Mount it under the back seat so you can get at it. Cost is about $45.00 plus the cost of the wiring .... You can connect jumper cables directly to this power outlet.Box is about 3X5 inches and has a nice flip door on it ..Model # is 302-31W Never have to worry again about any dead batteries....Good luck


Jim


WWW.eddiemarine.com

When Louis rigged my boat he ran 2 extra wires directly from the hatch motor to where the battery switch is mounted with weatherproof ends to hook up a cordless drill battery works great for that purpose

All these ideals are good, as long as the hatch ram itself isn't what goes bad. Then all the chargers and remote wiring ain't goinna do squat. Access to be able to pull a pin or the lift that has the slot will be your savings grace.

And a pull strap if you cant get under the edge of the hatch to lift it

Thanks to everyone for the great ideas! Got under the dash today and was able to hook the trickle charger to the leads from the cig lighter, so far so good, seems to be taking a charge.

Crazy idea here. But would gas shocks hold a hatch up? Ive considered doing it but dont know if my hatch is to heavy. (24 Outlaw)

Fixx
 

you would need a set of gas shocks off of a 95 k series truck to hold that hatch up:drink:

No joke. That dang thing is heavy!

LOL You are correct though, they are frickin heavy. I unbolt my hatch actuator for winter for 2 since I pull the batteries but also any time it is stored for periods of time, so if the actuator takes a crap on it

I have 8 pairs of gas cylnders that came off of some old tanning beds I had. These things are really strong and heavyduty. They'll hold up 200lbs easy.

A 24 Outlaw hatch is about 80lbs..or at least it should be if its dry. The problem is they get water in, but don't drain worth a crap.

My boat has a small access port on the side of the engine compartment in the cockpit where i can reach in and pull the pin.

Also batteries are out, which means actuator is out too. Better safe than sorry!!