After
Marelle was moved to Premier Swanwick Marina, we needed to charge up
her batteries (and hope that they held their charge after having gone
flat while she was on the mid-river mooring at Deacons). Martin
spoke to Barden UK and they
recommended the CTEK MXS10 8 stage charger. We connected the charger
up, and were relieved to see that on both batteries it passed the
stage that tests to see if the battery could hold a charge, and left
each one on charge overnight.
Now
the moment of truth, will the engine start. We dutifully followed
the cold start procedure – Marelle has a Volvo Penta 2003 fitted,
and has had numerous starting problems over the years according to
the paperwork and bills we got with the boat. This involves putting
the throttle in neutral and furthest forward, then operating the stop
handle 5 or 6 times. A silent prayer, and then – click. Nothing
else. Batteries read 12.8V, but no sign of the starter even trying
to turn. We took the engine cover off, and peered at the engine
while trying again. The click was definitely coming from the engine
area, but still only a single click each time the ignition button was
pressed. Same result with both batteries linked up to the ignition
circuit.
Ben
had left on board a boat manual he had made up, a mixture of excerpts
from magazines and hand-written instructions. Looking in this, at
the engine trouble section, the advice was that the solenoid could be
the problem, and to check this by shorting it (connecting a
screwdriver across the ports). This carried a warning that sparks
might be generated(!) but unfortunately no hint as to the location of
the solenoid or information or detail of how to do it. Martin phoned
our friend Roy who has a motorboat, and he had the same advice, but
we didn't try it as we still weren't sure exactly what to connect.
Dejected,
we went home, and I spent some time trawling through internet forums
to see if I could find any hints or tips, while Martin phoned round a
few Volvo marine engineers.
Sometimes
the power of the internet is truly brilliant.
In
amongst all the shorting advice, and scary prices for starter motors,
was a genius tip that the first thing you should try is hitting the
solenoid with a hammer. To be honest, I thought it was bizarre
advice and only read it out to Martin because I thought it was funny.
We found some pictures of how to connect to the ports on the
solenoid, charged up our portable battery jumpstarter (less worrying
to use than holding a metal screwdriver!) and the next day Martin
went back to the boat to try again.
He
tapped the solenoid, lightly, a few times. Then tried the engine,
and it started straight away!!! He hadn't even followed the cold
start procedure, yet he said it started really well, better than it
ever has! Maybe some of the previous starting problems were down to
less than optimal batteries.
Just
to be sure, Martin has started the engine a few times since, and had
no more trouble. We were amazed that it worked, but quite relieved
too – and it just goes to show that you can find some superb advice
buried on internet forums.
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