Battery Drain

[perry386]

So I just got my boat back from the dealer and my Starboard battery is dead. Yay. But it got me wondering why it went dead in the first place. I started fiddling and I noticed that my battery selector switch doesn't have any function at all. My boat will start and run like normal even when it is in the off position. I really would like to have use of that switch so that I don't have to replace my batteries all the time. Does anyone know of a way I can fix this? Does your stereo have to be ran in line with the selector switch in order to be turned off with that switch? On a side note, does the relay/breaker labeled PME control that red switch? Because if it does I might just try replacing that relay.

[HS]

Sounds to me like your Perko switch was bypassed?

[MLA]

1st, what switch is it? 2nd, is this switch and dual battery setup OEM? 3rd, has there been some substantial stereo upgrades done that would have involved all new amp cabling?

[perry386]

1st, what switch is it? 2nd, is this switch and dual battery setup OEM? 3rd, has there been some substantial stereo upgrades done that would have involved all new amp cabling?

I'm talking about the OEM Perko switch in the starboard trunk. And yes, there has been substantial stereo changes made.

[MLA]

I'm talking about the OEM Perko switch in the starboard trunk. And yes, there has been substantial stereo changes made.

yes, I understand you are talking about the battery switch, but I do not recall CC ever using a Perko brand switch as their OEM dual-battery switch. Without knowing what switch you have i.e. ON/OFF or OFF/1/BOTH/2 or Dual Circuit Plus, etc, there's no way to begin to point you in the right direction. Is the dual-bank the OEM setup? If so, then the additional amps would not have altered the switch configuration unless the goal of the upgrades was to also change how battery bank was to be used. If an ACR/VSR was installed, then the switch configuration could have changed. it certainly sounds as if the switch is wired incorrectly, but how to correct would be pure speculation with out knowing some details, sorry.

[EarmarkMarine]

Post a pic of the battery switch. If it's a version of a Perko, Blue Sea conventional dual battery switch, or Blue Sea dual circuit switch, we can tell be looking at the front of the switch.
My feeling is that if the switch was rendered useless then there might be the coincidence of another wiring issue at the core of the problem.
But as Mike (MLA) mentioned, the speculation could get protracted. Some concise info, knowledge of additional components (such as an ACR), digging into the wiring for confirmation and laying out the scheme as it is wired now is the only way to trace the down the cause. This is going to get effort-intensive and hands-on. A multimeter is going to be particularly helpful.

David

[perry386]

Sorry the picture isn't great but I think you still get the idea. It is the OEM switch with Off, 1, 2, 1+2 settings.

[EarmarkMarine]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]22796[/ATTACH]

Sorry the picture isn't great but I think you still get the idea. It is the OEM switch with Off, 1, 2, 1+2 settings.

That looks like a conventional Blue Sea dual battery switch.

[MLA]

Awesome, that helps. This may not solve the battery drain just yet, but fallowing the B+ battery cables from both batteries to where they end may help solve the mystery as to why the switch seems to not be part of the loop.

With a traditional dual battery switch like you have, the batteries B+ cables should go to the "1" post and the "2" post on the back of the switch. Connected to the each B+ post of the batteries should be absolutely nothing but that cable going to the switch and the auto bilge B+ on at least one of the batteries. ALL boat loads: engine, helm, stereo/amps, etc, etc, should connect to the "C" post of the switch. This will have the switch as an intergral part of the system, as well as isolate all loads from the batteries when the switch is off. I would start by physically tracing cables.

[perry386]

Awesome, that helps. This may not solve the battery drain just yet, but fallowing the B+ battery cables from both batteries to where they end may help solve the mystery as to why the switch seems to not be part of the loop.

With a traditional dual battery switch like you have, the batteries B+ cables should go to the "1" post and the "2" post on the back of the switch. Connected to the each B+ post of the batteries should be absolutely nothing but that cable going to the switch and the auto bilge B+ on at least one of the batteries. ALL boat loads: engine, helm, stereo/amps, etc, etc, should connect to the "C" post of the switch. This will have the switch as an intergral part of the system, as well as isolate all loads from the batteries when the switch is off. I would start by physically tracing cables.

Ok, so the B+ from all of my stereo and accessories should be connected to the "C" post of the switch? If this is the case then do I just put the ground directly on the battery?

Also, It's not just that the switch doesn't shut off my stereo and stuff. It doesn't work AT ALL. I can start and run my boat and stereo like normal while the switch is in the "off" position.

[MLA]

Yes, all the stereo and ACC B+ leads as well as all boat B+ leads, except the auto bilge B+, connect to the "C" post of the switch. Sounds like most if not all your loads are connected to either 1 or 2 posts of the switch, which is directly to the batteries. Pull the 4 screws that hold the plastic switch/breaker box to the wall and tilt it down and see.