15 HP Electric Start Evinrude 1991 battery required?

I’ve never had a smaller kicker with the electric start option.
my question - if test running it do you require a battery to be hooked up even if you’re starting with the pull start?
i’m thinking that an electric start also has a means of generating current to recharge the battery.
does this current have to have somewhere to go i.e. the battery?
if it doesn’t have anywhere to go are you in danger of damaging any components?

No, not in this case. No problems. Of course..... just don't let the positive short to ground, ha!

If you put it in the water , the fish come to you.

Yes you do need a battery connected. The rectifier uses the battery as a voltage regulator.

Edchris177 said:

I’ve never had a smaller kicker with the electric start option.
my question - if test running it do you require a battery to be hooked up even if you’re starting with the pull start?
i’m thinking that an electric start also has a means of generating current to recharge the battery.
does this current have to have somewhere to go i.e. the battery?
if it doesn’t have anywhere to go are you in danger of damaging any components?

Click to expand...

I think you will find that electric start models have an electrically operated primer If you do not have a battery connected you will have to operate the primer manually by turning the red lever to the manual position before rope starting.

You are right. The electric start model has a stator coil and rectifier for recharging the battery. You should not damage anything by not having the battery connected but it is a non regulated rectifier so I would not have any sensitive electronics connected to it without the battery. eg VHF, GPS, echosounder / fish finder , autopilot etc

These used to come with a wee red rubber cover for the positive lead.------You put that in place and run without the battery all day long.

Agreed....got em. In the bush we often leave the battery at camp. Our 30 HP motors are equipped with pull cords and also elec. start. Thanks, Scott, Vic, Racer. Also added alternators to 15's w/o elec. start, they have the red covers too. Just used one the other day. Battery is for sonars. Trolled all day and battery at 12.65 volts.

Thanks everyone for the intel. I went to look at this motor, he had it hooked up to a battery, (I brought one with me just in case).
There were no smoking guns, nothing stood out huge, but a bunch of unknowns, that could have been expensive, so I gave it a pass.
Thanks to Racer, who counselled me on this particular motor.