Do you need to turn off the battery after use?

[MIKEP]

hey everyone I just bought my first Yamaha boat (2015 AR240). I'm use to standard I/O's which I never have disconnected the battery between uses. Do you really need to turn the switches to the off position after each use? I leave it at the lake and use it on the weekends. No use during the week. I've never had problems with my boats in the past just curious on why it's needed with the yamaha's? I never disconnect my wave runner battery either only over the winter.

 

[Thor]

Welcome MIKEP, I turn the battery switches off when I am not using the the boat. You can keep the bilge switch on with the batteries off if you leave it in the water.

 

[Speedling]

I don't trust the batteries I have because they are from the PO and I never swapped them out. Kinda waiting for them to die on me but they just don't. I switch it off after every trip on the water, but I also trailer it so it's out of the water and no need for the bilge to run.

 

[Bruce]

@MIKEP, I only turn the battery switches off over the winter. If you are leaving her in the water you want to make sure that the bilge pump has power.

@Speedling, those batteries would be on my pre Bimini upgrades list.

 

[Speedling]

@MIKEP, I only turn the battery switches off over the winter. If you are leaving her in the water you want to make sure that the bilge pump has power.

@Speedling, those batteries would be on my pre Bimini upgrades list.

@Bruce they are part of the winter upgrade list! I bought bigger nicer battery boxes this year as well to accommodate any battery size I want.

 

[dan144k]

My bost has a unfindable battery drain. Dealer told me i was nuts. After a month the battery would uncharge.

I added a second battery with a manual selector switch, no vsr control. Battery 1 is starting. Battery 2 has float bilge wired to it and also backup battery. I run on battery 2 once in a while to exercise it. I always turn off the batteries when on trailer. Week vacation with boat in water, I try leave on and never had a problem.

 

[rkluck]

I turn them both off just to be isolate the batteries. In the winter I also what them off with the trickle charge running. My boat is on a lift.

 

[craigm]

I too never turned them off in my previous Supra, however after picking the AR up at the dealer for the first time and playing with it in the driveway we went out a day or two later. Battery dead and dealer suggests shutting them off between uses. Have since added a battery a replaced original, however am afraid not to now.

 

[davel501]

Turn off the batteries when out of the water. Leave them on when in the water. With the stock bilge you only get about 7 days of battery without charging on the water.

 

[Britboater]

I think its down to personal preference, a boat should not drain a battery, but unlike your car its not used everyday to top up the charge. The worse case scenario is getting to the lake/shore/ramp, launching then finding your batteries are dead, hence why most people turn them off.