What do I do...Dead battery closed hatch on 22zx

[GarDog]

Guy at the marina turned my perco switch to both batteries when servicing it and both batteries were drained. I went buy today to take it for a shake down run and I cannot get in to the motor hatch because the hatch is run by an electric motor. Both of the batteries are in the motor compartment and I have no way to access them. I cannot find a manual release what do I do? This is on a 1997 22zx.

Thanks
GB

[Lil Grizz]

unscrew your batery selector panel. Behind the panel is the thick positive cable. Hook the positive end of jumper cables or charger to that wire. Then open the floor access to the gas tank sending unit. there is a black negative wire. Connect to only that wire, do not let the cable touch anything else there.

Thats how I have gotten the hatch up with a dead battery.

That should power the system enough to open the hatch. I wouldnt try charging the battery this way, and dont use it to jump off the engine.

Some of the aftermarket marine places sells a kit for this problem. One is a battery post remote kit. It puts a pair of jumper terminals outside the engine compartment. Another kit is a cable operated hatch ram disconnect. It pulls the pin at the bottom out allowing you to lift the hatch by hand.

[EricG]

I'm sure you've tried this, but on my Z21 the hatch support allowed the hatch to be manually lifted about 3-4 inches - just enough to get access to the Battery to get a charger on it.

It's worth a shot...good luck!

EG

[McGary911]

you can also get one of those car battery jump kits that use the cig lighters. I wouldnt jump my boat with one, but i'd power the hatch with it. Then install those remote battery posts. :)

[NEXTASEX]

My 22ZX is impossible to overpower.I did it the way mentioned above except the ground i hooked to the ground bar under the drivers helm by the fuse panel.

[MOP]

It has always amazed me how many boats with electric hatches have no provision to hook a charger to them easily. On a few I have taken a fused + #12 wire forward and hooked it to the lighter socket first removing the original power lead so as not to back feed the system. The socket stays hot giving you a good charger hookup.

Phil

[gcarter]

It seems electric fork lifts have an onboard plug to charge their batteries. Some such plug could easily be installed inside a hatch somewhere, couldn't it?

George

[txtaz]

Great idea George,
I use battery maintaners (slow charge devices) on everything I have that doesn't get used often. I have been playing with the boat so much, I haven't even thought of putting one in. Thanks for the reminder. I don't have an electric hatch, but an adapter could be made to hook up both a maintainer and a charger.
Hymmm, seems like I have more work to do.
Wes

[gcarter]

Wes, I'm actuallyn talking about two different things.
One would be a hard wired marine battery charger with a weather tight plug. The other would be a weather tight box with two bolts or studs inside, seperated by some sort of insulator wherewith you could "jump" the boat to start or any auxiliary action.


George

[GarDog]

That did the Trick!! THanks for the info.

Garland

[Extreme Measures]

Here is the solution.I just made up set for my 33ZX,You can lift the hatch,boost your boat etc.It is with the use of those electric fork lift cable connectors.All you need is to visit your local fork lift guy and get the cable ends they plug together,go to local car shop and get 1 positive terminal for the batteries and 1 negitive terminal,then off to your local welding shop to purchaes some #4 cable in the lenght you need. Put it all together and your ready to go.Mine is AWESOME and now all my friends want them.

Your Friends In Boating

Extreme Measures