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Member
Posts: 116
| My starting battery keeps draining between outings. I just replaced a one year old battery in March this year because it died over the winter even though I kept it charged and now twice the new battery has been dead when I launched. What are the highest percentage things to chase down? My AM/FM radio, lights, baitwell, livewell and bilge are all killed by the main power switch on the dash. The marine radio, locators and trim on both motors are the only other things I can think of that are direct to the battery and everything has been turned off. I disconnected the positive wire and it arced with everything off. Seems to me that would indicate that there was a draw from somewhere? Any ideas from someone more mechanically inclined than me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! |
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Member
Posts: 650
| many things I guess. main power switch could be bad. probably not. take the motor cover off and give a listen... might hear something running. Does all your trim switches work?? unhook power at marine radio and locators and see if it repeats... Your main motor key switch may be bad too...
not much help but over 20 + years of boats all these things have gone wrong... |
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Member
Posts: 650
| If you have power running to a breaker box that could be the cause too... |
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| Do you have structure scan?? |
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Member
Posts: 116
| No structure scan, yet. |
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Member
Posts: 54
| If you have a Lowrance Network items on the backbone will continue to draw power even after head unit are turned off. If you have GPS module, fuel flow meters, or anything like that will stay "on" unless wired into your main or some other kill switch. Not sure they would draw enough power to run you dead unless it's a week between trips and your not plugged in.
I have the GPS module, two fuel flow meters, and two temp sensors (one in each livewell) on my network which will drain my battery if I don't turn off the power switch or if it isn't plugged in. |
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Posts: 2445
Location: Fremont, Wisconsin | GPS Module. If you have one that needs to be powered up,LGC 2000 it is constantly drawing juice to look for stars whether you have the unit on or not. |
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| Mine did the same thing so I put a switch to turn off the locators, problem solved. |
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Member
Posts: 650
| I disconnected the positive wire and it arced with everything off. Seems to me that would indicate that there was a draw from somewhere?
you need to work backwards from here. start hooking things up one at a time till this repeats... in a well ventilated area... I would start with the big main cables for the engine, with the cover off, and a child with good hearing nearby.
good info above...
Auto bilge??
I unhook my main battery everytime out of the water... even overnight... then charge.
keep us up to date on the progress. |
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Member
Posts: 3899
| Don't just guess on this. Something is drawing currwent, and that is draining your battery.
#1, you need to determine how much current and recoerd it.
#2. You should eliminate loads one by one, and record the current.
#3. Eventually, you will eliminate all the potential loads, and hopefully, have found the culprit.
#4. If you still have current darw, you need to look further, like for a damaged wire(s) that could have a high resistance short, causing the current draw.
Let me know if you need help. Where are you at? |
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Member
Posts: 116
| Thanks for all the info! Very hectic work week left no time for the important things like my boat. Hopefully this weekend I can sequentially zero in on the culprit. As of now, I leave a smart charger on in the garage and bring a portable battery pack just in case for the trip back. Digging out one of my trolling batteries works but is a pain and might not cut it after a few hours on the water. I'm in Oshkosh. |
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Posts: 650
| Shep said it all... get a good meter or somebody who knows how to use one and get this squared away. I'd pull the battery and have it charged/ check proper.
just to be curious, what does your volt gauge say when you got the big motor running?? I had a alt fuse go bad a few years back and motor did not charge battery. noticed it on the water. got back to the ramp safely. |
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Posts: 116
| Great results but I am disappointed in how I got there. Good news is that what ever parasitic discharge I had is now gone! Bad news is after disconnecting everything and adding one item at a time back in I got to the end and the issue is resolved but I'm at a loss for why. I’m hoping it’s resolved and not just in remission. Thanks much for all the suggestions! |
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| there should really be nothing else on your main cranking battery, you should put all your assc, on a seperate battery, and your trolling motor should be on there own batteries, this will prevent you in the future of having a dead starting battery. |
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| ampy - 4/23/2012 10:04 PM
there should really be nothing else on your main cranking battery, you should put all your assc, on a seperate battery, and your trolling motor should be on there own batteries, this will prevent you in the future of having a dead starting battery.
Not really, for a couple reasons. Biggest being that some boats don't have room for 4 batteries. I run 2 sonar/GPS, livewell, VHF radio, and stereo on my main cranking battery all day. Never had an issue, except when my charger for that battery crapped out on me. I run a dual purpose battery, and it has lots of reserve when it's fully charged.
I agree the TM should be the only thing on those batteries.
I also made a set of jumper cables that plug into my rear trolling motor socket, just in case. The cables came in a small bag, and stow nicely in my glove box. Have yet to use them on my boat, but they have been used to start a couple others on the water.
I'm concerned this problem might return. I hate when things just seem to fix themselves. Would have been nice to know which item disconnection dropped the affending current draw.
Edited by Shep 4/24/2012 7:49 AM
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Posts: 650
| Shep hit it all right on the head. I think I spend as much time charging my main battery as the TM's. unhook the pos terminal when I get home. Since I don't have an onboard charger I have room for a spare 4th battery, mainly for an extended fishing trip. Wires are ready to go so all I do is hook it up if needed. Of course I haven't needed it but other people have!!
I'm thinkin' the problem may return. As all boat problems do. right now, I'm looking at that radio and sonars... on/off button on one may be bad... problem may come back when you turn on the culprit.
boats and motors are very stressful. |
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Posts: 116
| I assumed when I bought my boat from a pro that was getting a new boat from his sponsor that it was wired properly. Sounds like that might not be the case or at least not the optimal method? The 3 deep cycle batteries are dedicated to the TM. There are two cranking batteries wired in parallel with all of the accessories connected to one of the two cranking batteries. Would I be better off dedicating one cranking battery to the motor and replacing the other cranking battery with a deep cycle for all of the accessories? |
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Member
Posts: 650
| I'll just add this. not knowing how much you fish, time etc. you should be ok with what you got. alot of guys run with one batt. and have no problem. You need to make sure motor is charging properly and that when you leave the dock your are fully charged. Like i said above I put extra time in my main battery. unhook a pos term when I get off the water and hook up a charger. that works for me cause I'm don't fish as much as some so I got that option. next thing to look at is are these batteries you got OK?... second hand, nuff said.
as Shep said, a big dual purpose battery would be enough for ya. I use an optima d31M. never a problem.
honestly I tell guys that buy used boats, first thing, sell the batteries and get new ones...
hope you don't have to go to that extreme, enjoy the new ride. get out there, catch some fish, and post pics. |
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Posts: 3899
| This doesn't necessarily mean the boat is wired wrong.
If you have two batteries wired in parallel for the cranking and accessories, then you should be good to go with plenty of reserve. It doesn't matter that the motor is connected to one battery, and the accys to the other. The two batteries will share the total load.
However, if one of those two batteries is no good, then it will drain the other one quickly. I'd suggest putting in a battery isolator when using 2 batteries in parallel, to prevent one from discharging the other.
I'd also get both batteries load tested.
Edited by Shep 4/26/2012 12:02 PM
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| Thanks for all of the help! I will add a battery isolator and I'm going to make up a set of jumpers just in case. Hope I do the cables and never have to use them but that sure beats moving one of the deep cycle batteries around should the need arise. Now, where can I get a limit of 18" eyes? Just kidding! |
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Posts: 3899
| I hear Poygan is heating up. Maybe not all 18", but there's no better tasting than a 15" Bago System walleye in the pan!
Did you have your cranking batteries load tested?
Edited by Shep 4/27/2012 10:01 AM
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Posts: 116
| Yes I did. Batteries Plus was happy to test them for me and they tested fine. |
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Posts: 3899
| Great. Thjey should be able to help with the battery isolator. |
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Posts: 13
| Make sure you are using regular cranking batteries with the isolator. It has been noticed that when a isolator has been installed and has been hooked up to Deep cycle batteries the charging system of the main motor will tear up a belt now and then. When I have setup new Verado's, I will use a optima gel cell and then use a regular cranking battery. The gel gets hooked up to the Verado only and the rest gets hooked up to the other cranking battery. |
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Battery keeps draining????