Dead Starting Battery in Boat

[fsh4eye]

It has been about 6 weeks sense I had the boat out. Today I went to trim up the motor in the drive way and I noticed the battery was dead, the motor would not trim up. The master key switch ijn the dash was off and the only thing I can think of that still had power going to it was the motor. The reason I say this is because I noticed in the past that when the main key switch is off I could still trim and tilt the motor. Is there enough draw in from the motor that the battery could go dead in about 6 weeks with out running the motor? What can I do to fix this problem, do I need to start un hooking the battery leads when I am not going to use the boat for a while? Just looking for some ideas that I could do to fix this.

Thanks

[Jack G]

My first thought would not be that there is a problem with the way things are hooked up as long as you have not anything peculiar occur with your battery in the recent past.

If the battery is more than three years old I would be suspect of the battery itself. If the boat has been stored for long periods in hot conditions I would make sure that there was enough fluid in all the cells because it is amazing how much fluid you can lose in prolonged storage in very hot weather.

If everything looks OK you might charge the battery and check it again in about a week to see if it has lost any charge. When my batteries are good they will still show they are fully charged when I hook the charger up to them after a couple weeks or more of storage.

If your battery loses charge just pull it out and take it to a battery dealer who will check the condition of the battery for you.

Jack

[Hot Runr Guy]

Is this a fairly new rig for you, or a long-timer? The newer EFI motors draw a little bit of current all the time, so over time, with a used battery, they could run down the battery as you describe. I've mounted a 1-1/2amp charger like this: http://store.schumachermart.com/se-1-12s.html for my starting battery, and once every couple of weeks or so, plug it in for a few hours.
HRG

[REW]

Fish 4
1. Call your dealer to find if they recommend using a battery disconnect switch on the starting motor. Some of the newer motors have a constant drain on the battery to require a master disconnect switch.

2. If you can't get a good answer from your dealer, use an ammeter, or milliammeter in series with your battery lead going to both the motor as well as to accessories. If you get any drain at all - as shown on a milliammeter, you will eveentually have a dead battery.
If all accessories, and motor is/are off, you will need to add a disconnect switch, unless you find a problem with the motor or accessories.

----------
Just to be sure - you didn't accidentally leave a pump swith or stereo left on did you? Lots of dead batteries are the result of exactly that. i.e. an accessory left on, a stereo left on, with the volume turned down, a pump - livewell, recirculating, or bilge pump left on when the boat was put away.

Take care
REW

[corvette744]

What about fish more,jk-put a dissconnect on the cable to the battery no more problems unless you have a major draw,but it doesnt sound like it.

[SSH]

The easiest solution is to install a battery disconnect switch on your
starting battery. They run about $25.

You will just have to remember to turn it on before using your tilt/trim
or starting tyour engine. I did this over five years ago due to a tilt/trim
switch that would get moisture in it and the trim/tilt would start running
at an unexpected time. The install of this switch was easier than trying to
diagnose which one of the three switches was giving the problem.

[fsh4eye]

Thanks for the feed back. This is on a new boat I just got this past spring. Also I did find out what happened. When I hooked the charger up last night to the battery I noticed a light on one of switches on the dash. It was the accessory power switch. I did not notice this when was first looking around, it was not on because the battery was dead. I do like the idea of putting on a disconnect switch on the main battery.

Did I hurt the battery by leaving this on and letting the battery drain dead? Do I need to get a different battery?
I only have on starting battery and I do not want to get stranded on the lake. I do have some jumper cables in the boat so if I have to I can jump off my trolling motor batteries.


Thanks

[blueicecpa]

I have a 2005 Optimax 225, I know the computer ECU draws current. I put a shut off switch on it. So I know everything is off!

[boat nut]

Originally Posted by fsh4eye

I noticed a light on one of switches on the dash. It was the accessory power switch.

Did I hurt the battery by leaving this on and letting the battery drain dead? Do I need to get a different battery?
I only have on starting battery and I do not want to get stranded on the lake. I do have some jumper cables in the boat so if I have to I can jump off my trolling motor batteries.


Thanks

That is not an uncommon problem, I've done it myself. When you leave your boat for a long time, a master off switch is a good idea. This time of year, most of us don't get to go out often, and even the clock on my Yamaha digital gauge will discharge the battery when its cool out over a few weeks. While its not something you want to do regularly, you did not ruin your battery by killing it dead. Jumper cables are something everyone should have; good thinking.

[CSH Kucinski]

I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me, where I have left something on when coming in off of the lake at 3 in the morning half asleep only to find out the next day that my cranking battery was dead. I installed an addtional cranking battery with a Perco battery switch wired between them. It allows you to use battery # 1, battery # 2 or both at the same time. When I come off of the lake I remember one thing and that is to switch the Perco to the off position. Your system is completely shut down which means no more dead batteries. And of course I never leave without jumper cables!

CSH