electrical drain?
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6242
Printed Date: January-17-2025 at 5:49pm
Topic: electrical drain?
Posted By: 65 'cuda
Subject: electrical drain?
Date Posted: April-08-2007 at 7:06pm
Over the winter the battery in the boat went very flat. (down to 6 volts on a multi meter) I did not have any such problems last season although the longest the boat sat was about a month and it sat for about 4 1/2 months this winter (in a heated warehouse). I don't know if I had a faulty battery or a small drain on the system. The guys at west coast odyssey battery are very helpful, after properly charging the battery, it self discharged from 12.9 volts to 12.2 volts in 6 days, unable to hold a charge, they are sending a free replacement.
The question I have is: If I am armed with an inexpensive multi meter, How can I determine if I have a small currect draw somewhere?
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Gary
http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=941" rel="nofollow - 1965 Barracuda SS
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Replies:
Posted By: emccallum
Date Posted: April-08-2007 at 8:50pm
A simple method to check battery drain is to disconnect the negative battery cable, and place a test light between the the cable and the battery post...if the light glows at all then there is a drain. I would guess you could do the same with a voltmeter,flipping things on/off to to check for draw.
I always remove my battery from the boat during layup...and put it on a battery tender every so often to keep it up. If a battery sits for a while it will go dead every time...no matter how new it is. Check out battery tender on a google search, I have several of them and have all my stuff wired so I just plug them up when not in use.
ernest
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Posted By: duffnit
Date Posted: April-08-2007 at 10:41pm
Gary, nice looking Cuda.
I'd suggest since you have a meter to put the battery back in the boat and prior to hooking it up check your voltage and take note of it. Once you've hooked it back up, check the voltage again and see if it's changed and or continues to drop. Once you determined voltage unconnected and connected you will at least know.
It seems I read something that stated a battery will loose 5% of it's charge a week, if left alone. If you left your battery unattended for over 4 months you may have answered your own question.
Others may have better suggestions, but that's where I'd start. Good luck. d
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Danny
"no offense- but the rate at which you spread bad information is very impressive"
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Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-09-2007 at 5:48am
65, How old was the battery? Even the best ones don't hold up a long time in a marine application. Next time look at a Optima. They are built with a construction that can withstand the pounding a battery sees in a boat. Does you multi meter have a 20 amp range on it?
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/diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow -
54 Atom
/diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique
64 X55 Dunphy
Keep it original, Pete
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Posted By: 65 'cuda
Date Posted: April-09-2007 at 7:30am
The battery was new last fall. It is an odyssey. Similar idea to an optima, unspillable, shock and vibration resistant, mil-spec. It should not have self discharged as it did.
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/
The meter I have does not have a 20 amp range, up to 500 mA.
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Gary
http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=941" rel="nofollow - 1965 Barracuda SS
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Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: April-09-2007 at 7:53am
65, You can use the meter to check for a small drain on the battery as long as you don't turn on any loads. Put the meter is series with one of the battery cable clamps and the battery. It does sound like a bad battery though.
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/diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow -
54 Atom
/diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique
64 X55 Dunphy
Keep it original, Pete
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