Tdub Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 So, purchased a brand new top of the line battery. No problems all summer. I have not had the boat out for over a week, went to start, nothing. Luckily, another club member gave it a jump. Here is what makes no sense. The master switch has been in the off position all week. If that switch is off, what can be drawing juice? I will take the battery back and have it checked but I don't think that is the problem. Any thoughts from the BOS folks in the know? Cheers. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdub Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 Forgot, 2004 SN 196. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Killer Posted October 10, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 10, 2019 Those switches Can and do fail. I'm awful with electronics but you should be able to test it with a simple multimeter if it's drawing power in off position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skiinxs Posted October 10, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 10, 2019 I believe that the auto bilge pump is active even with the master off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Killer Posted October 10, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 10, 2019 @skiinxs not typically unless they changed it for later models. It has 3 position. On which powers all functions. Off which shuts off all power to the dash, bilge and engine. And bilge only which powers the auto bilge but not the key pad or accessories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdub Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 @skiinxs I believe you are correct. The all off means just that, all off. So why would a new battery become drained in one week. I will know more once I take the battery back and have it checked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 Pull one cable, put your multi meter in current mode and see what the draw is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MNshortliner Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 How long have you owned the boat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller John Brooks Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 I had a similar situation a while ago, the battery tested fine, the problem was the ground wire connected to the starter. Moral of the story, check your grounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller ScottScott Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 Often the auto bilge pump is independent of the switch, and the only way to completely turn it off is the battery switch. However, if the boat isn't exposed to rain, or sitting in the water with a slow leak, there would be no reason for the bilge pump to run. Shouldn't be any draw if its not running. When you say "master switch" is that ignition switch to the all off, or the main battery switch. If the main battery switch is in an all off position and still draining I would say that switch has gone bad. Its always possible that someone has wired something direct to battery though, but I would think any normal wiring from the factory, if the battery switch is off, it should totally disconnect the battery from everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 Typically the battery switch disconnects - almost everything. There is typically a stereo memory wire attached in a way that by passes the switch, in addition to the bilge pump already mentioned. If you have amplifiers they are typically wired direct to battery and rely on the signal wire from the head unit to switch them on - if the internal relay goes bad they can be drawing power as well. The only way to know for sure is to look at your particular boat for anything that goes straight to the batteries or to the battery side terminals of the shut off switch. Multimeter is the only real way to see if there is a drain and then track it down by pulling fuses or wires until it goes away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Ajskier Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 Hey @T-dub, if you want to test the main switch, I have a spare in my garage. Just let me know and I can drop it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller h2onhk Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 +1 for multi-meter amp draw check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Clydesdale Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 @Tdub i’m No boat expert, but I am an EE. I like the idea of checking the off current with your ammeter/multimeter provided current draw is low, which it probably is. Safer to test currrent with clamp on ammeter first but most of those are pretty high current devices and won’t give you enough resolution to pick up something small. Based on your symptoms I’m pretty sure you’ll see some current draw. At that point its a question of isolating circuits to find the culprit. If it still happens with the master off then It’s either something that bypasses the master, or perhaps some weird current leaking somewhere before the master. Maybe try to disconnect everything that bypasses the master such as the stereo and bilge suggestions. Do these have individual breakers/fuses? If none of these are causing the draw then you could try to follow the line to the master and look for connection points etc that might be a problem. One finally unlikely scenario is current flow across some surface. This really shouldn’t happen but if for example some conductive grease or fluid was on the surface of your battery, solenoid, or something else that’s always live you could have a small current leaking across. Very unlikely in a late model fresh water boat, but if you rule out other possibilities might be worth looking around for something like that. Just some ideas to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted October 11, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 11, 2019 @Clydesdale if the battery post cracked when you brush the lead on it you have high draw. If not go ahead with the multimeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdub Posted October 14, 2019 Author Share Posted October 14, 2019 Thanks to all. I will find a multimeter and check it out. I did notice an additional wire on the positive side. I will look to see where it goes. I did have a new radio installed a few years back. Hmmmm. @MNshortliner. I purchased the boat new. Again, Thanks. I will update when I find the culprit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller vernonreeve Posted October 14, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 14, 2019 I've been thinking about connecting the stereo directly to the battery to prevent the Bluetooth from disconnecting when I turn the ignition switch on/off. Maybe they did the same, and your stereo is still on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted October 14, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 14, 2019 @vernonreeve there should be a source of power that's not ignition switched to the radio that you can tap into but you should not wire that directly to the battery if you have a battery isolator switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MNshortliner Posted October 14, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 14, 2019 Yes I was going to say radio to but if you have had it for a couple of years like that it shouldn’t be the problem but. Red wire is power that hooks to ignition key switch or toggle switch Black wire is negative Yellow wire is the “always hot” wire to remember time and preset stations If the red and yellow wires are hooked together that would cause a slow drain on the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller vernonreeve Posted October 14, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 14, 2019 @BraceMaker I haven't looked in our "new to us" 2003 Response LXI yet, but the 2000 Response didn't have a battery isolater switch. It might be the drop in voltage when starting the engine is causing it to think it shut off. Maybe needs a relay? Or maybe the yellow wire is going through the ignition. Lots of things to play with after some of my other projects are done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller BraceMaker Posted October 14, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 14, 2019 @vernonreeve for an 03 with perfect pass... unplug the PP head unit and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Jerry44 Posted October 15, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 15, 2019 @Tdub Here is a wiring diagram for your boat: https://www.planetnautique.com/CorrectCraftManuals/WiringDiagrams/03-04SEWiringDiagram.pdf Were you able to measure current draw with your multi meter? Some multimeters don't measure current. If not there is another way to do it. I'm pretty sure I can walk you through resolving this. Feel free to PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdub Posted October 15, 2019 Author Share Posted October 15, 2019 Wow, thanks for all of the responses. Since ski season is pretty much over here in Northern Ohio, I plan to winterize soon. One last trip out to "The Pond" to pull the course, so once winterized I will take the "new" battery to the parts store and have it checked, then over the winter, snag a voltmeter and begin troubleshooting using all of the info presented here. I do have one last question. If I jump in the boat now (in my garage) and turn on the battery switch then the ignition switch, what should the in-dash voltmeter read? 12 volts, right? Any lower then I know there is a drain somewhere? Again, Thank you for all of the great info. Cheers. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted October 15, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 15, 2019 Theoretically it should read around 12.8. However dash mounted voltage gauges are always an approximation. Only way to get a reliable number is with a multimeter straight to the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller oldjeep Posted October 15, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 15, 2019 If you don't own a multimeter, this is a decent one that won't break the bank. It doesn't have every feature in the world, but is a decent homeowner level tool. https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Digital-Multimeter-Latest-Version/dp/B00NE9FF40/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=fluke+117&qid=1571147980&sr=8-8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller MNshortliner Posted October 15, 2019 Baller Share Posted October 15, 2019 If the battery isn’t getting a full charge that could be causing your problem as well. Simple to check the alternator. With engine off, your battery should read around 12 volts. With the engine running, most alternators will show 14 and above on the battery. If it is less than I would say 13.5 you need a new alternator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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