Malibu Boats 21 VLX, Owner'S Manual

Page: 260 / 309

A battery terminal brush may be necessary to remove corrosion from the inside of the battery terminals. Use
the same type of baking-soda-and-water mix and rinse with fresh water. Dry with a clean rag.
Check the box in which the battery is held to be certain that it is not showing signs of corrosion or dirt. Clean,
if necessary, as with the above instructions for cleaning the battery. Be sure that the holding box is dry prior to
reinstalling the battery.
Repeat with the steps with the second battery.
After placing the battery back in the holding box, reconnect the hold-down. Then reconnect the positive (+)
red battery cable connection first. Follow with the negative (-) black battery cable connection.
Tighten both terminals and then coat with a thin covering of marine dielectric grease. Be sure that the
positive terminal rubber boot completely covers the terminal.
If it becomes necessary to re-charge a battery from an external source, DO
NOT attempt to charge using automotive battery cables or use another
boat battery as the source for charging. Some amounts of hydrogen gas are
emitted during the charging process. This can be very dangerous. It is critical to
keep all sparks, including smoking cigarettes, lighters or any type of flame, well away from a charging battery.
Use the optional battery charger sold by authorized Malibu dealers, or a similar aftermarket battery charger.
Using the wrong type of charging procedure or improperly charging a battery can result in an explosion and/or
fire that could lead to serious injury or death.
Check for Odors
An unexpected or strong odor can be the first sign of leakage. Both exhaust and fuel leaks have distinctive
odors and should never be ignored. If either is present, do not start the engine until the source of the odor has
been determined and corrected.
Because gasoline is highly flammable and vapors are more dangerous than
the actual liquid fuel, never introduce flame, spark or electrical ignition into
an unknown source of a fuel emission or leak. Always verify the source of
and correct any leakages prior to use of the boat.
2020 Malibu Boats LLC • Owner’s Manual • Page 246