Power drain

[VetteLT193]

I have had about zero time this year to actually use the boat but the last 2 times I have been out the batteries have been flat dead. I went out the first weekend in August.... it sat for a few weeks before that. Flat dead. I took the day off last Thursday and Friday to use the boat and it was flat dead on Thursday again. I plugged it in overnight for Friday and of course all was fine including hanging at the sand bar with the stereo on for a few hours.

I know for a fact the battery switches were turned to OFF between the beginning of August until last Thursday. Where should I start to look? Boat is stored inside now. If I use the boat every couple of weeks all seems fine. I am taking an educated guess that I got the boat like this from the factory because I'm on my 3rd set of batteries because of drainage issues.

[MOP]

What you say about having the switches off and still going dead does not make sense, something has to be tied into either the batteries or the switches. The only thing that is suppose to be attached to the batteries is the automatic float switch for the bilge pump, something is not right! are there any other leads besides the heavy leads connected to the switch?

Phil

[VetteLT193]

I can't say if there are any leads on the switches or exactly how it is wired. The switches are under the back seat in a cabinet and I can't recall if you can even see the back side of it from the engine room.

There are two switches, two batteries, two engines. both switches have the typical Off/1/All/2 selections. There is an on board battery charger. The starboard engine seems to be the 'master' of sorts. The Quick and Quiet only works if that ignition is on. I think the Port battery selector is what the accessories go through.

This is the first boat I have had that has 2 battery switches which seems to accomplish nothing other than complicating the wiring.

[MOP]

I would start with getting a look at the backs to see if anything else is hooked to them, it is fine to have extra things on the common post as it is not powered in the off position. There should be no other small wires hooked to the #1 or #2 posts!

Phil

[Tidbart]

Bob,

Take an ammeter or a test light. With the battery switch off, remove the + terminal from a battery, put the meter/light in line (one lead to the + post, the other to the terminal). Now read the meter or see if the lamp lights. This is what you should do first. It will tell you if you have any drain on the batteries at all with the switch off. If you do have a drain, then proceed with finding the cause.

B

[VetteLT193]

Sounds good Bob. This weekend will be the earliest I get down there again. hopefully it holds a charge over the week.