Battery Draining - 95 Sport

[maklen]

Hello! I have a '95 Sport that has an electrical drain problem. If the boat sits for more than a week, the battery is too low to start. I have replaced the battery. The alternator is working properly. It is a single battery. Nothing special or extra other than an aftermarket stereo. Faceplate is off. Ignition and everything else is off. The problem started last season. It worked fine for many years before that. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[s_kelley2000]

When you say the ignition is off, do you mean the key or the ignition breaker button on the dash? Does the aftermarket stereo have an amp as well?

[scottb7]

I would test for parasitic drain by disconnecting negative battery cable and putting a test light inline between battery and the cable. If absolutely everything is off light should be off. If something is pulling power then light will light. Then you can pull fuses to see if light goes off to use process of elimination to find if there is a circuit causing drain.

http://www.alpharubicon.com/bovstuff...almorpheus.htm

There is a lot of stuff on internet for looking for drain if that is what you want to do.

Do you have a battery switch? Could just turn it off (isolate battery) when not using boat.

[Mamigacz]

I've used the same method as scottb7. The only difference is I use an ohm meter instead of a test light.

[maklen]

The ignition switch on the dash is off. They key is also out. There is no amp. Don't have a battery switch, unfortunately. Thanks for the tips and link! - Jamie

[scottb7]

Even a simple switch like this would allow you to keep battery from draining when not in use. Of course any automatic bilge pump won't run either.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=835218_0_0_

[maklen]

Even a simple switch like this would allow you to keep battery from draining when not in use. Of course any automatic bilge pump won't run either.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=835218_0_0_

Not a bad idea. Sure seems easier.

[Mamigacz]

I've used the same method as scottb7. The only difference is I use an ohm meter instead of a test light.

Whoops, I meant amp meter. Measuring current not resistance.

[maklen]

Whoops, I meant amp meter. Measuring current not resistance.

That makes more sense. I assume you were using a needle probe?

[Rick]

I'm guessing your bilge pump is coming on every little bit to check for water, it does that automatically. If it isn't shutting off I think that would be it. Do you have a bilge switch? If you replace the bilge pump and still have a problem, I would get a battery switch or a quick disconnect for it. Good luck

[scarbs]

I had this problem on my old 1995 Sport. It turned out to be a short in the temp sensor. It arced against something and caused it to slowly drain the battery. My mechanic discovered and repaired it during a routine maintenance visit. You might want to take a close look at all the wiring for something fishy.

[Mamigacz]

That makes more sense. I assume you were using a needle probe?

yep. I disconnected the negative cable, used electrical tape to secure one end of the amp meter to the cable. Then I clamped the other end of the amp meter to the negative battery post. When there is a draw, the meter should read how many amps are being drawn. Every time you pull a fuse out, you take note on how many amps are reading on the meter. If they drop or go to zero, you know what circuit is drawing power. After you know what circuit, you need to look at all the devices (loads) in the circuit to see which one is causing the problem.

[maklen]

Thanks for all the good tips! I do have a Bilge Pump switch. Two in fact. One is manual and one is auto. Both are off. And I know the Bilge isn't coming on because it fills up (and stays up) with rain water. It is under a canopy, but a good sideways rain does sneak in. I did find a wire under the dash that had exposed wire. I taped that up with some electrical tape. Maybe the current was leaking out.