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Dead battery / Can't open engine cover

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Old 04-17-2024 | 05:05 PM
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Exclamation Dead battery / Can't open engine cover

After two days of plugged in shore power, my port motor battery is still dead. The starboard and center motor battery are charged at 12V on the console gauges and all 4 battery disconnects are on.
The engine hatch is not working, Assuming the engine hatch is wired to the dead port motor battery.
How do you get power to open the engine hatch if that battery is shot?
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Old 04-17-2024 | 05:55 PM
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There will be a remote battery connection under the rear seat or similar area, typically.
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Old 04-17-2024 | 06:07 PM
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Originally Posted by bajaman
There will be a remote battery connection under the rear seat or similar area, typically.
Noted: I'll look for that
Thanks!! .
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Old 04-17-2024 | 06:11 PM
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Worst case open from the back hinges of the engine hatch!
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Old 04-17-2024 | 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by jeff32
Worst case open from the back hinges of the engine hatch!
It's been my experience that these piano hinges are often 'trapped' inside the hull...meaning no access from the back.
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Old 04-17-2024 | 06:31 PM
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Originally Posted by AZBAJA
Noted: I'll look for that
Thanks!! .
Also, what year? From about 2000 on, maybe slightly before, they made the 'slider' on the hatch ram have some travel in it, to where you can usually lift the hatch (they ARE heavy!) enough to get your arm through with a ratchet and socket, and take out the bolt that secures the hatch to the ram.

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Last edited by bajaman; 04-17-2024 at 06:34 PM.
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Old 04-17-2024 | 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by bajaman
It's been my experience that these piano hinges are often 'trapped' inside the hull...meaning no access from the back.
you may be right... on my sonic there are4-5 exterior hinges so it is very easy to do...
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Old 04-17-2024 | 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by bajaman
Also, what year? From about 2000 on, maybe slightly before, they made the 'slider' on the hatch ram have some travel in it, to where you can usually lift the hatch (they ARE heavy!) enough to get your arm through with a ratchet and socket, and take out the bolt that secures the hatch to the ram.
my 2000 is the same setup as yours
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Old 04-18-2024 | 12:57 AM
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If the hatch ram is not on a relay, you can just apply 12 Volts to the back of the hatch switch
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Old 04-18-2024 | 06:12 AM
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Originally Posted by AZBAJA
After two days of plugged in shore power, my port motor battery is still dead. The starboard and center motor battery are charged at 12V on the console gauges and all 4 battery disconnects are on.
The engine hatch is not working, Assuming the engine hatch is wired to the dead port motor battery.
How do you get power to open the engine hatch if that battery is shot?
AZBaja,

If you can't find a way to directly apply 12v to the lift jack, check to make sure you can't just lift the engine hatch by hand. The lift jack on our PQ is not actually held to the hatch by a pin. It's heavy as farq, but I can lift it, and we keep a "stilt" in the engine bay, off to the side, for popping it up, in the event of an issue. Short of that... I've heard of people removing the cover or grill, going in through a side vent and pulling the pin holding the hatch to the lift jack with a hook. Hopefully, it's a detent pin and not held in with a cotter pin.

Thanks. Brad.
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