Check Battery Cable Connections
All outboard battery cable connections must be clean, tight and use hex nuts and lock washers (not old-fashioned wing nuts). Loose connections can cause frustrating intermittent issues or a full-time “no run” condition. A dirty or corroded connection can impede electricity’s ability to travel, and a battery terminal connection may be corroded, yet appear clean.
To avoid any doubt, always remove the terminal connection and clean both sides of the connecting materials down to bare, shiny metal, then re-install and tighten the connection properly.
For regular maintenance, use Yamalube® Battery Terminal Cleaner & Protector. Simply spray it on and watch for the foam to change color, indicating that the corrosion (acid) has been neutralized. It then dries into a thin, waxy film, preventing the build-up of additional corrosion.
Consider House Batteries
Consider “house batteries” to power accessories. Most large Yamaha outboards (150hp and up) have separate battery isolator/charging leads specifically for this purpose. The outboard’s Dual Charge Monitoring System, with proper wiring, will first send charging voltage from the stator to the starting battery/batteries to help keep the voltage up and ready to go. Once fully charged, the outboard will automatically “switch” the charge to the house battery/batteries.