Need help - X Star

[Cyoder1]

Guys,

Need some help. I posted this the other day...

"Perhaps you X Star gurus can help me. I was out today with a friend who hadn't been in my boat yet. He wanted to see the Advanced Wakeboard Setting so I selected it and we ran up the lake a bit so he could say "who is crazy enough to ride that"! We stopped and I drained all the ballast and went back to "Drive" mode. For some reason the boat felt like it was listing a bit and throwing what looked like a decent "surf left" wave. There were no indications of ballast being full or tabs being down.

I went back to the platform and verified all tabs were completely up and the rear bags were empty too. It was just me and one other person in the boat. I tried running in Drive mode with cruise on/off, no auto-launch, with auto-launch, you name it I tried it. Even shutdown and turned batts off thinking the system needed a reset. I did use the manual buttons to run the pump to drain ballast and put tabs up but I don't know if it really did anything because, again, the screen was showing empty ballast and zero tabs.

At one point it even switched sides so that the right wake was massive and the left side washed out just like a surf wave. Makes no sense to me why it would switch! Then all of a sudden things returned to normal and the wake was symmetrical again in Drive with cruise on and auto-launch single tab.

Before I bought the boat the surf tab bulletin was done but as I said in neutral the tabs were completely up.

Has anyone ever seen this before? I don't have pics but if it does it tomorrow when I'm out I will take some and post."

Now today I take the boat out after having a trickle-charger on it for several days. I start it at the ramp and I get a message that I should combine batteries due to low voltage. This message popped up AFTER I started. Alternator is charging at 14V so I'm thinking that's weird right from the start.

Run around the lake a bit and then take a surf set. Everything is fine other than I get the low voltage alarm while filling and draining ballast. Dash shows 11.8V when all pumps are running and that's w motor running 2000 rpm.

Decide to cruise around some more and now the wake is looking like my quote above. Tried everything and can't get the wake to clean up. Boat is definitely listing. Once you get to about 24 mph it's not as bad but you see the rooster tail and it indicates something is awry. Manually tried tabs and ballast. No change.

I finally gave up this afternoon because the kids were getting frustrated so I'm looking for ideas to try next outing. Could there be an electrical gremlin? Checked voltages when I got home and both starting and house batts read just under 13 volts. Turn key on and run stereo and blower and they read 12.2V. Any ideas???

Thanks,

Chris

[maniacmikes]

I can't help much, I have not experienced that issue.

1) new software update means you need to be at less than 1,500 RPM when draining and filing ballast. That will prevent you from getting an alarm, I know the manual says otherwise, but it works.

2) there were issues of dealers putting in batteries that were not up to par....the new boats with all the electronics are sensitive, I have heard even just the wrong brand of battery causes issues, even if it is charged!? I don't know how true that is.

3) try cleaning your touchsceeen? I know on my old boat, seemed like water spots made the boat do weird things.

4) sounds like an electrical gremlin - there have been many updates with electrical stuff on the '18 Xstar, make sure you are working with a good dealer than knows their stuff.

[Cyoder1]

Thanks MM. What brand batts are in your Star? I’m out of town for work so I can’t go look at what’s in my boat. When I took delivery the salesman made a point to tell me to use a trickle charger if not using the boat for a week or two.

Also, I believe the have the latest software but the screen pops up with a message to run at or above 1500 rpm. Can you tell me the latest version number?

I’m hoping this is just battery related. Thanks for the tips!

Chris

[6KidSurf]

FWIW - I had some "gremlins" that caused weird actions similar to your switching side issues. I decided to take a video with my phone and send it to my dealer/MC. They watched it and decided to replace my screen (without a bunch of back and forth and test/retest this or that type conversations). So my .02 is take a video. Like they say, as a picture is worth 1,000 words (and a ton of your time when it comes to warranty claims).

Hope this helps

[snork]

I was driving a friends 50th XStar back to the dock empty and at ~30mph the boat took a hard turn to starboard without any input. Don't let your guard down and keep a safe distance from others, JS

[bturner2]

My fears with electronics and boats seems to becoming based more in fact than fiction. Repair of these systems (especially older ones) may become a good hobby business in the coming years.

[maniacmikes]

Need help - X Star

Thanks MM. What brand batts are in your Star? I’m out of town for work so I can’t go look at what’s in my boat. When I took delivery the salesman made a point to tell me to use a trickle charger if not using the boat for a week or two.



Also, I believe the have the latest software but the screen pops up with a message to run at or above 1500 rpm. Can you tell me the latest version number?



I’m hoping this is just battery related. Thanks for the tips!



Chris

Chris,

Mine are interstate batteries...but I am working out some of my own electrical issues...so not saying those are right either. If you are getting the pop up window about 1,500 rpms your software is way out of date (I would guess). I have not seen that pop up on the last two software updates.

The software version numbers are in date format. The latest is from December 2018...so it will be like 12072018...or something like that...but I don’t remember off the top of my head.

Yesterday was a weird day for my boat. Touchscreen was dead- had to unplug it from the harness and it eventually worked. But then the boat wouldn’t crank. Reset battery and it fired right up. When out on the lake, the depth finder was going crazy, flashing numbers rapidly and showing 100 feet in 30’ of water. Then when wakeboarding the boat would roll hard left during take off, like the surf tab was down, but then level out once you got up to speed.

Still working with my dealer on it.


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[Cyoder1]

Thanks. Spoke with the dealer who told me MC is recommending Optima Bluetop batteries. I will have to check software version when I’m back home on Monday.

I sent a video to the dealer showing the list/strange wake. They told me to occasionally go into reverse and that will reset the tabs to zero. I’ll have to try that next time out.

Let you know as I try and/or hear more. Sorry you’re seeing some gremlins as well. Dealer did say ‘20 models will be equipped with higher output alternators that WILL NOT be offered as a retrofit to older models.

Chris

[Kbrouder]

FYI - My completely different boat/electronics (2018 NXT 20) did the same thing after the service bulletin. It has only happened once, but I am positive in my case it was a tab being deployed. Screen showed all at 0, my boat doesnt have autolaunch or anything like that, came back to idle, shut the boat off, etc still did it. Only once I had it on my lift did I see the tab was still down and held down the "Up" button to bring it up (I have manual rocker switches for the tabs as well, no fancy presets on this boat).

Hasn't done it since, and we have been out quite a bit. Curious to see what you find as this seems like it could create a dangerous scenario.

[maniacmikes]

Thanks. Spoke with the dealer who told me MC is recommending Optima Bluetop batteries. I will have to check software version when I’m back home on Monday.

I sent a video to the dealer showing the list/strange wake. They told me to occasionally go into reverse and that will reset the tabs to zero. I’ll have to try that next time out.

Let you know as I try and/or hear more. Sorry you’re seeing some gremlins as well. Dealer did say ‘20 models will be equipped with higher output alternators that WILL NOT be offered as a retrofit to older models.

Chris

Any update on your issues? I had the tech out last week - they found a broken stud on the back of the battery switch- the wire and nut were tight, but the stud was loose. They put a new battery switch in.

They also found loose wire on the main battery relay. Since then, I have not had any starting or screen issues. Curiously enough, I now get the acknowledgment about 1500RPM while filling ballast. I did not get it before - so I am wondering if there is a setting somewhere to turn that off. I have not gotten the low voltage alarm when running the pumps, just the pop up when you hit the "fill" buttons.

[Cyoder1]

Hey MM,

No real breakthroughs. It seems that going into reverse might help the issue with the tabs. Not calling it problem solved yet.

Haven't been out in a week due to work and weather. Last time out though no low voltage issues. That after no charger on the batts for a week. Go figure. I'll have to check the connections at the battery switch. Good catch by the techs.

Chris