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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Allen" data-source="post: 124205" data-attributes="member: 389">Ok, so I went out on the river to tool around with all the recreational crowd in my boat, and maybe do a little fishing.The boat was plugged in so the batteries should have been freshly topped off.  After a couple hours of pulling cranks I noticed my older Lowrance LMS 480 was going in and out, and finally shutting itself down.  I started to just think that well, it is 12 years old after all and is finally just in its death throes.  Next thing I know the boat motor (115 Yamaha 4-S) just ups and dies.  I hit the key and nothing, battery is dead. I hooked it up to my 24 volt bank with jumper cables and made it back to the ramp without a hitch.The battery is maybe a year old Interstate starting battery and I go through cleaning of the terminals each spring just to avoid this crap.The batteries are currently being charged as I write this and I am planning on pulling the starting battery to have it tested tonight.So here are my questions in case the battery itself is fine (which I now doubt as we only trolled for a couple hours and the livewell was the biggest electrical draw).1. Is it likely my alternator went out, and how do I as a home mechanic even test an alternator? Or do I just punt and get it an appointment at a shop?2.  How often do Guest onboard chargers go bad.  The starting battery is hooked up to an 8-9 year old Guest that has never before been a problem, is it possible the charger fried the battery?  I'd have thought if that were the case the battery would have been dead at the ramp though.3.  Any other thoughts other than going through the wiring from stem to stern and cleaning contacts?</blockquote>

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