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Redngoo.
Ive had a PM31 for a cranking battery for only a year now on a 14 Puma ftd/250 pro xs. After fishing for an hour or so it drops to 11.8 volts. After 3 hours 11.1 volts. Still starts the engine fine but getting worried about it lasting all day in an 8 hr tourny. I heard they discontinued that battery and dont know what Sears will replace it with? They may not since its not “bad” yet. Anybody tried to warranty a battery in this condition? Just dont want it to cost me a tournament or leave me in a bind
I had a weird occurrence with my PM31 earlier this year. I couldnt remember the warranty, so I looked it up and started reading some customer feedback. Quite a few people were really disappointed that Sears did not want to stand behind the 3 year free replacement warranty. They almost all said that they were told the battery was not bad. This concerned me but I knew I had tried charging on my onboard charger and a portable charger and it was not taking a charge. Well……they told me that the battery was not bad and that I had bad chargers. Really?? Soooooo…..I ended up putting it back on the portable charger on a slow charge. It took all night but it charged back up and I havent had a problem since. This doesnt answer your question but it gives you an idea what you might be up against trying to use the warranty.Jim EbarbMany, LA (Toledo Bend Lake)2004 Cougar/ 225 OptimaxHumminbird Helix 12 Chirp SI on BalzOut Mount at bowLowrance HDS 7 at bowHumminbird Helix 12 Mega SI on Ram Mount at ConsoleLowrance HDS 8 in dash at console
Another strange thing is the last couple times I had it out, it only took an hour to charge it back. I have a portable charger too that only has a 10 amp setting. I hooked it up and it shows charged immediately. Noco also shows charged. On the water it sounds strong when I start the engine but the low volts are bugging me. Until recently, it never got under 12.1 volts unless a pump was running then it would show 11.8 or 11.9Last edited by Mainliner61 on November 27th, 2015, 2:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
I am interested in following this thread as well. I have one myself and it is less than 2 years old and it did let me down once. After only a half day fishing, running the livewells, and everything else it would not crank. Luckily I had one of those jump starters and it cranked it up but I dont like having to rely on that. Tony D2017 Eyra / 250 Merc Pro XS
Are you using the threaded posts, or a clamp on adapter to the large posts, for your connections?Theres a pinned thread from Don Weeds on BBC under the Mercury motors forum referencing issues with using the threaded posts on a PM-1, and how voltage/amp draw can be improved by converting to a marine clamp on style adapter. I recently converted my Optima D31M to that connector and saw a slight increase in the voltage readings that register on my HDS units. Couldnt say why, but it is what it is.Just a suggestion.
RazorCat wrote:Are you using the threaded posts, or a clamp on adapter to the large posts, for your connections?Theres a pinned thread from Don Weeds on BBC under the Mercury motors forum referencing issues with using the threaded posts on a PM-1, and how voltage/amp draw can be improved by converting to a marine clamp on style adapter. I recently converted my Optima D31M to that connector and saw a slight increase in the voltage readings that register on my HDS units. Couldnt say why, but it is what it is.Just a suggestion. Maybe surface area of contact??2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury
Check the voltage directly at the battery.
I may be wrong, but I dont think the on- board charger has the strength and power of a solid portable unit. Instead of plugging in the on-board, when theyre discharged Ill use the portable and do a solid charge. I dont run the PM1, but I do run 110ah batteries that tax the capabilities of the on-board unit. Putting a harder charge on every few trips keeps the batteries fresher. An AGM requires a higher absorption charge than a standard wet cell battery.
I checked the voltage this morning at the battery and it showed 12.2 volts. All 3 trolling batteries are 2 years olds and they all had 12.8 volts. I put my portable on the pm31 this morning and it showed charged. I unplugged the NOCO yesterday afternoon after all batteries finished charging from the morning trip. So they have been off the charger for 15 hours.
At 12.2 your charge is therodically at 60 percent. Something you can try. This will work in some cases and has worked for me! Take that battery out of the boat take one thst you know is 12.8 volts or better. Tye these to together in sequence negative to negative and positive to positive. Place the manuel charger on the weaker of the two. Sometimes this will sometimes trick the charger. A friend of mine who sells interstate showed me this. Sometimes it works. If it dnt the battery is already out and Im headed to get a battery anyway.2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury
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