voltage drain

[skippy]

Hi all,

I have a GT-40 that is losing the battery charge after sitting a week plus. When checking the electrical system with everything off, I am seeing a draw on the battery of about .3 to .4 volts. I have checked grounds, disconnected starter and alternator and one by one disconnected wires at the dash to no avail. Any help would be appreciated.

[NautiqueJeff]

How about the stereo?

Also, do you turn off the main breaker when you are done with the boat for the day?

Was anything installed and wired directly to the battery, bypassing the main breaker?

[skippy]

I checked the stereo at the accessory breaker that it's on, not the stereo itself. Could it be draining even though it goes through the breaker. There's nothing going to the battery other than the positive and negative cables. And yes, I always have turned all the breakers off and the problem has occurred.

[Rick]

There is a chance that the stereo was wired to a hot wire before the breaker to keep the security system or memory alive at all times I would check the back of the stereo and run down each wire. I beleive the wire you are looking for is yellow or red or a combination.

[skippy]

Ok, I'll have to check that out. I guess my next question is, if the stereo is hot-wired to save settings etc, should that draw down the battery in a week or so that it won't start?

[Onthewater]

no it shouldn't drain it that much. our radio is wired direct to the battery and we've gone 3-4 weeks with no effect.

[SWCC-PART-MAN]

boy are you gonna love me. take a test light and have a buddy clip it to the removed negative battery terminal and touch the tip of the test light to the negative battery terminal. with the ignition OFF turn ON all of your breakers the test light should be on. start turning the breakers off one by one until the light goes out then turn back on the breaker that made the light go out to make sure. then you have the demon that has ruined your weekends.

[rocco]

Great ideal from SWCC-part-man....and if that don't do it...Buy a quick-disconect and put it on the battery,,and dis-conect it each time you come in from the water..I did that on my Old 84 for about 5 years,before I got my 2000 Nautique....It works.............

[skippy]

The drain ended up being the memory wire for the stereo.