Battery drain with switches left on, key off

[BBoater]

If I leave my battery switches on for a few days, the house battery will be drained quickly. I'll either get a low battery warning or have to flip the switch to join the batteries to get connex to fire up. Is this normal behavior? I thought the newer boats did not have the bilge that ran intermittently. 2022 252xe.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Why do you leave your switch on for a few days?

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Page 138 of your manual



Looked through the manual and can’t find anything about leaving it in the water, other the post operation list of turning the battery switches off.

 

[BBoater]

Just wondering if the draw is normal with nothing on. The batteries stay full when the switches are off so i'm suspicious that my bilge actually operates when the batteries are off. I need to test it.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Just wondering if the draw is normal with nothing on. The batteries stay full when the switches are off so i'm suspicious that my bilge actually operates when the batteries are off. I need to test it.

These are small and super easy to install and will allow you to monitor your battery down to .1 amp. This is the only way to accurately know how much power has been drawn out of your battery on a given charge, and what the state of charge is.

Amazon.com

 

[HangOutdoors]

I was actually looking at this one, not sure if it was any good, better price
TBD-SmartShunt 500 amp Battery Monitor, Connect via Bluetooth, Smart Batteries Detector, Compatible with Android & iOS (500amp) Amazon.com

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I was actually looking at this one, not sure if it was any good, better price
TBD-SmartShunt 500 amp Battery Monitor, Connect via Bluetooth, Smart Batteries Detector, Compatible with Android & iOS (500amp) Amazon.com

Looks like a chinese knock off to me…. I can vouch for the Victron one I bought and installed last year for the trolling motor battery bank. It has worked great and as far as I can tell spot on with accuracy. Victron also makes this one which has an IP65 rating ( https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-SmartShunt-IP65-EN.pdf ) the original as I linked above is IP21 which is fine for the locations that I have put them in, and the IP65 one was not available when I bought mine.

IP rating chart: https://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart/

Edit: Yep. More intellectual property theft. I went and tried to find Fusion Energy on the web, no dice, they do have a fb page, what I was looking for was an IP rating, no where to be found. Kind of important on a boat.

 

[spatty99]

In the shunt install pic it looks like the smaller wire/ring terminal is under the larger one. Do the shunt directions advise to install that way? If not change the connection so the heavier/thicker wires are below the smaller/lighter ones. Otherwise you are effectively throttling the current flow, just like using a 1/2" water main to feed a house with 1" water lines.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

In the shunt install pic it looks like the smaller wire/ring terminal is under the larger one. Do the shunt directions advise to install that way? If not change the connection so the heavier/thicker wires are below the smaller/lighter ones. Otherwise you are effectively throttling the current flow, just like using a 1/2" water main to feed a house with 1" water lines.

No, the directions do not say to install it that way.

I installed the terminals that way as that was the best way they would stack, ideally I need to install a ground buss bar so that both batteries and shunt connections have one lug per connection. As long as the stack is flat and clean there will be little change if any in resistance to all the connections whether they thicker lug is on the bottom. However, your point is well taken and I’ll revisit that connection and see what I can do.

 

[spatty99]

This is how the ABYC standard is written...

10.8.4
Multiple conductors connected to a battery shall be installed with the highest ampacity conductor terminal
closest to the battery, followed by successively smaller ampacity conductor terminals.
10.8.4.1
A maximum of four conductor terminals shall be installed on a single battery terminal (e.g., stud, post).
10.8.5
Flat washers, if used, shall only be installed immediately under the lock washer and nut of the attachment
stud.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

This is how the ABYC standard is written...

10.8.4
Multiple conductors connected to a battery shall be installed with the highest ampacity conductor terminal
closest to the battery, followed by successively smaller ampacity conductor terminals.
10.8.4.1
A maximum of four conductor terminals shall be installed on a single battery terminal (e.g., stud, post).
10.8.5
Flat washers, if used, shall only be installed immediately under the lock washer and nut of the attachment
stud.

And there you have it as far as abyc is concerned. Thank you!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Wah Lah!

 

[BBoater]

Took my boat into the dealer for the gas tank vent recall. They let me know that the light was on in the bathroom area. It's probably been on since I got the boat last year cause I forgot it was even in there. Hopefully that was my phantom draw! I'll have to see if there is any improvement, I need to test the bilge out still with batteries switched off.

I'm still looking at upgrading the batteries for better float time, as the voltage seems to drop quickly on the stereo.

 

[Judge]

Just reviving this thread to provide some additional information.

I have a '22 275SD and the manual states what FSH 210 Sport posted from his manual.... that the bilge pump will work even of the stater and house battery switches are off. It also says that the bilge will run every two minutes (but I think this functionality is only active when the engines are running).

Anyway..... I recently upgraded from the Group 24 Interstate Sealed Wet Marine batteries the dealer installed ti two new Group 27 Duracell Marine AGM Batteries. I've had my Noco Gen 5x2 Charger on them and I started noticing one of the batteries was not go into maintenance mode. I was worried that one of the batteries may have been on the shelf longer than the other since there is a difference in the carry handle and terminals between the two batteries even though they have identical model numbers and specs.

So I decided to start doing some troubleshooting. I put the suspect battery into the repair mode but that had no effect. It would still not going into the maintenance mode. I then had both battery switches off over night and this morning when I checked.... same thing.... one battery was in maintenance mode and one was showing all LED's lit with the green LED pulsing.

I then tried one more thing this morning. Last fall I installed an additional marine battery switch on the positive cable at each battery. I turned off the battery switch at each battery... essentially killing all power at the batteries themselves. Less than five minutes later the second battery went into maintenance mode like the other.

I think this confirms that the bilge circuit is always hot.... even if the start and house battery switches are off. Yamaha wants to make sure that boat moored in the water always has a functioning bilge pump regardless of whether the battery switches are off or on in case a boat starts taking on water from rain or a leak.

This does pose some challenges for these newer boats that may sit for a while or may not be on a charger.... especially the ones with power steering and buckets that need fully charged batteries for the electronics to function properly.

I stumbled on this because I am rack storing my boat outdoors and I started thinking about whether I should store it with the battery switches on or off in case the boat takes on water from the Florida summer thunderstorms and the cover comes off, etc. Now I am pretty sure it doesn't matter what I have the marina workers do with the batteries when they store the boat for me. The bilge pump will function if the batteries aren't dead.

I will probably confirm all this by pulling the fuse to the bilge pump and see if the Noco goes into maintenance mode with the starter and house battery switches off and the fuse pulled.

In any case, I'm glad I opted to install a 100W solar panel on my hard top. If the bilge pump is going to slowly drain the batteries over time and I'm not plugged into a charger, the solar should be able to keep the batteries fro running down.

Just something to be aware of if your boat sits for a while and is not on some type of charger.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Just reviving this thread to provide some additional information.

I have a '22 275SD and the manual states what FSH 210 Sport posted from his manual.... that the bilge pump will work even of the stater and house battery switches are off. It also says that the bilge will run every two minutes (but I think this functionality is only active when the engines are running).

Anyway..... I recently upgraded from the Group 24 Interstate Sealed Wet Marine batteries the dealer installed ti two new Group 27 Duracell Marine AGM Batteries. I've had my Noco Gen 5x2 Charger on them and I started noticing one of the batteries was not go into maintenance mode. I was worried that one of the batteries may have been on the shelf longer than the other since there is a difference in the carry handle and terminals between the two batteries even though they have identical model numbers and specs.

So I decided to start doing some troubleshooting. I put the suspect battery into the repair mode but that had no effect. It would still not going into the maintenance mode. I then had both battery switches off over night and this morning when I checked.... same thing.... one battery was in maintenance mode and one was showing all LED's lit with the green LED pulsing.

I then tried one more thing this morning. Last fall I installed an additional marine battery switch on the positive cable at each battery. I turned off the battery switch at each battery... essentially killing all power at the batteries themselves. Less than five minutes later the second battery went into maintenance mode like the other.

I think this confirms that the bilge circuit is always hot.... even if the start and house battery switches are off. Yamaha wants to make sure that boat moored in the water always has a functioning bilge pump regardless of whether the battery switches are off or on in case a boat starts taking on water from rain or a leak.

This does pose some challenges for these newer boats that may sit for a while or may not be on a charger.... especially the ones with power steering and buckets that need fully charged batteries for the electronics to function properly.

I stumbled on this because I am rack storing my boat outdoors and I started thinking about whether I should store it with the battery switches on or off in case the boat takes on water from the Florida summer thunderstorms and the cover comes off, etc. Now I am pretty sure it doesn't matter what I have the marina workers do with the batteries when they store the boat for me. The bilge pump will function if the batteries aren't dead.

I will probably confirm all this by pulling the fuse to the bilge pump and see if the Noco goes into maintenance mode with the starter and house battery switches off and the fuse pulled.

In any case, I'm glad I opted to install a 100W solar panel on my hard top. If the bilge pump is going to slowly drain the batteries over time and I'm not plugged into a charger, the solar should be able to keep the batteries fro running down.

Just something to be aware of if your boat sits for a while and is not on some type of charger.

All depends on how you are wired. If the bilge is wired directly to the battery then of course it always cycle and run. They do this so on boats so that those whom don't know any better don't swamp their boat if it is wet slipped. If it is not in the water and on a rack pull the drain plug, rewire the bilge to go to the switch and it will not run. If you want the option the put an inline switch on the bilge wire so you have the option to leave the bilge on, as in wet slipping it should be, or shut it off when on trailer in dry rack.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Took my boat into the dealer for the gas tank vent recall. They let me know that the light was on in the bathroom area. It's probably been on since I got the boat last year cause I forgot it was even in there. Hopefully that was my phantom draw! I'll have to see if there is any improvement, I need to test the bilge out still with batteries switched off.

I'm still looking at upgrading the batteries for better float time, as the voltage seems to drop quickly on the stereo.

Did turning off the light help your situation? Improve your float time? Did you ever install an on board battery charger?

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Just reviving this thread to provide some additional information.

I have a '22 275SD and the manual states what FSH 210 Sport posted from his manual.... that the bilge pump will work even of the stater and house battery switches are off. It also says that the bilge will run every two minutes (but I think this functionality is only active when the engines are running).

Anyway..... I recently upgraded from the Group 24 Interstate Sealed Wet Marine batteries the dealer installed ti two new Group 27 Duracell Marine AGM Batteries. I've had my Noco Gen 5x2 Charger on them and I started noticing one of the batteries was not go into maintenance mode. I was worried that one of the batteries may have been on the shelf longer than the other since there is a difference in the carry handle and terminals between the two batteries even though they have identical model numbers and specs.

So I decided to start doing some troubleshooting. I put the suspect battery into the repair mode but that had no effect. It would still not going into the maintenance mode. I then had both battery switches off over night and this morning when I checked.... same thing.... one battery was in maintenance mode and one was showing all LED's lit with the green LED pulsing.

I then tried one more thing this morning. Last fall I installed an additional marine battery switch on the positive cable at each battery. I turned off the battery switch at each battery... essentially killing all power at the batteries themselves. Less than five minutes later the second battery went into maintenance mode like the other.

I think this confirms that the bilge circuit is always hot.... even if the start and house battery switches are off. Yamaha wants to make sure that boat moored in the water always has a functioning bilge pump regardless of whether the battery switches are off or on in case a boat starts taking on water from rain or a leak.

This does pose some challenges for these newer boats that may sit for a while or may not be on a charger.... especially the ones with power steering and buckets that need fully charged batteries for the electronics to function properly.

I stumbled on this because I am rack storing my boat outdoors and I started thinking about whether I should store it with the battery switches on or off in case the boat takes on water from the Florida summer thunderstorms and the cover comes off, etc. Now I am pretty sure it doesn't matter what I have the marina workers do with the batteries when they store the boat for me. The bilge pump will function if the batteries aren't dead.

I will probably confirm all this by pulling the fuse to the bilge pump and see if the Noco goes into maintenance mode with the starter and house battery switches off and the fuse pulled.

In any case, I'm glad I opted to install a 100W solar panel on my hard top. If the bilge pump is going to slowly drain the batteries over time and I'm not plugged into a charger, the solar should be able to keep the batteries fro running down.

Just something to be aware of if your boat sits for a while and is not on some type of charger.

I know on my boat that my factory bilge pump auto circuit is wired directly to one of the batteries, I’m assuming the house battery, BUT the bilge pump does not cycle to check for water there is an internal float / sensor that actuates the pump.

Having those switches on the positive cables is a great idea since you are dry stacking your boat and with your 100 watt solar your batteries should be fully charged each time you go to use your boat.

 

[Judge]

All depends on how you are wired. If the bilge is wired directly to the battery then of course it always cycle and run. They do this so on boats so that those whom don't know any better don't swamp their boat if it is wet slipped. If it is not in the water and on a rack pull the drain plug, rewire the bilge to go to the switch and it will not run. If you want the option the put an inline switch on the bilge wire so you have the option to leave the bilge on, as in wet slipping it should be, or shut it off when on trailer in dry rack.

Correct… but this is the way a lot of the newer boats are wired so it may come as surprise that the house battery can drain even with the battaery switches off on these newer boats because the bilge pump sensor is looking for water.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Correct… but this is the way a lot of the newer boats are wired so it may come as surprise that the house battery can drain even with the battaery switches off on these newer boats because the bilge pump sensor is looking for water.

Yes, I should of mentioned that. All of the new ones are. I have a second one that is wired directly but only kicks on if the float goes off so it doesn't cycle. Mine is kept on trailer.

 

[Emptytemples]

I was having this same issue with batteries draining down. Does anyone else notice that the anchor light flashes about every 2 minutes? Guessing on the actual interval. Also my swim deck radio control backlight stays on when switches are left on. Both are pretty annoying. Might take it in for warranty with a few other items.