Alarm

[Jason]

Had the boat out for the first time.  Everything was going great and then started getting an alarm with no light and all the guages working right, not sure what the deal was, if I took some throttle off it would go away and if I stopped and then started again it would go away it seemed it was going off around 3500-4000 rpm.  Any help would be appreciated.

[HCollado]

Did you check your oil level? Sounds like it's starving for something?

Over heating at all?

[ktdust]

I second HCollado. Sounds like it's starving for something.

Did the boat lose power or was it just an alarm sounding?

If it was overheating, I'd make sure that the system has been burped (first time out right?). If it does have air trapped, I wouldn't think the alarm would stop with the throttle decrease.

Did the oil pressure reading change? The oil pressure sending units giving false readings seem to be a common problem. If the alarm was sounding, but boat ran well, it could be giving false readings.

Might also be the perceived voltage drop. Voltage reading may drop at the higher RPM causing the alarm to sound eventhough the power is still there.

I'd check for previous posts regarding the oil sending unit or voltage drop. Next time you go out watch the gauges and see if the oil pressure or volts drop.

Let us know the culprit once you sort it out.

[Jason]

It was just the alarm and no light.  The oil pressure and temp gauges were showing good, I bumped the kill switch with my elbow earlier in the day and it seemed that it was beeping and if I messed with the switch it would stop, but I want to make sure that was the problem and it wasn't something else.  Prior to me hitting the kill switch with my elbow it was running fine (for about two hours) then after I bumped the switch it started to alarm but wouldn't shut off just beep.  I checked the switch when I got home and the housing was loose so I tightened it up but not sure it that was the issue.  I am new to this and don't want to disregard the alarm and have something happen.

[Jason]

Rereading your posts, I was running the stereo and the alarm seemed to sound when the stereo was at a higher level and putting power on the boat.  I have an amp and 7 speakers so this could be an issue, should I run a capacitor or two batteries?  I am concerned that I am pulling too much power with the stereo on, I did notice that putting the power on the boat with the stereo on the volt guage was dropping below 13 and just above 8, could this cause the alarm.

[Capt Rick]

The boat has a low voltage alarm. Run a good ground to the control box. and check the alt at the alt and at the gauges at 3500 rpm .

[ktdust]

Jason,

Sounds like you solved your own problem. Almost positive it's the radio. I found with a single battery, that plugging a cooler or anything into an outlet will cause the voltage alarm to go off... so will running the stereo at a high volume. Check by boating without the radio on and you shouldn't have the alarm.

Upgrading the ground as per Captain Rick will help. Look at a dual battery set up with a battery isolator. May want to try a stiffening capacitator as well. Battery isolator will help with preventing the battery from draining. Stiffening cap will help with continuity of power when the bass hits.

Take a look at old posts for upgrading the grounding and multiple battery set ups.

Good luck.

[Jason]

Well I found the problem and it wasn't the volts.  My kill switch had a small crack in it and was losing connection.  We switched the wires and it works great now.  Thanks for all the help!

Jason