[tlschneider]

Thank you for your responses. I'm not trained in marine electronics, but I generally try many repairs myself before going to a professional. The multi-meter question was valid, so I checked it on my car as recommended, it works as it should.

The deep cycle starting batteries are only 2 years old, I keep distilled water level up in them. The Gel Mat batteries were also replaced two years ago, I bought the boat 10 years ago and there were gel mat batteries for house batteries in the boat then, expensive, but they lasted 14 years before I replaced them 2 years ago. I've gotten 3-5 years out of the starting batteries.

My VDO voltage gauges always gave me good readings before this issue, now I'm concerned about why both would go bad, first with show below 12 volt, now after I put the multi meter on them they show pegged over 16 volts. A mechanic I know from a tavern I visit, said there must be a bad ground, I looked over things, I could not find anything, but I know when I checked things I did pop the breakers when I checked them, probably crossed the hot & cold spades accidentally because they are so hard to reach. But, when I reset the breaker, that is when the gauges, one at a time started pegging.

I had new belts put on at the beginning of 2013 season.

I'm still looking for advise.