New Battery Losing Charge

[Splash]

Team,

I am after opinions on why my crank battery is losing charge?

I have been told alternator, regulator...

What other possible causes of loss charge could there be?

How do I troubleshoot :
1) 'leaky charge' batteries (if at all)
2) Identify component causing charge loss


SPlash

[TheRealAndy]

could be anything. First thing to check is how much current is being drawn from the battery when everything is switched off.

A good test is to fully charge the battery with nothing connected to it. If it normally goes flat in a day, try reconnecting it after a day and if it still works then you can be assured that the battery is ok.

If the battery is ok then you need to use a process of elimintaion to find the problem. A good multimeter will speed up the process. Isolate each part that could be drawing power. Eventually will find that one part that is causing the problem.

If only the motor is connected to the crank battery, and the battery is ok I would probably suggest an autosparky or the nautical equivelant.

[tunaticer]

As Andy suggests, remove everything from the wiring harness and one by one connect to the battery supply. Check there is no voltage drop with every single connection made. Another thing to check is the battery, disconnect it and check voltage then check again in 24 hours, you should see no drop or extremely little dropin the readings over a 24 hour period. If there is a drop check your regulator/charge system for over-supply.

Jack.

[finga]

Firstly check the battery voltage after a long run.
If the battery isn't charging right then it would 'seem' to loose charge.
In your sounder or GPS there might be a voltage indicator.
Have a look at this too whilst under way and then when your stopped.
Remember if the voltage reading do-dad is in the sounder only turn it on in the water.

Some more details of time frames (ie running, time to go flat etc) and how you've been using the boat (short runs, long runs, lots of starting at home etc) will help as well matey

Have you got a multi-meter matey??
If so does it have a current setting??
Cheers Scott

[rayken1938]

If you do not have access to a multimeter a crude test can be done by using a small festoon bulb preferably a 5 watt one as it will indicate a small leakage.
Disconnect the positive lead from your battery. Battery will have a + sign near terminal and the lead is usually red.
Turn everything off and hold one end of the bulb against the battery terminal and touch the lead to the other end.
If the bulb lights you have a problem and will have to use a process of elimination to locate the faulty circuit.
If the bulb doesnt light I would suspect that the battery is past its use by date.
Where are you I am in redlands and have meter and battery load tester.
Cheers
Ray

[Splash]

Thanks boys.

I have a separate battery for all accessories and only use the crank battery for cranking the motor.

What specs should I look for in a good multimeter?

On average run once / week for around 5 hours.

Splash

[finga]

If the battery is just for the motor I'd say you might have a crook rectifier old mate.

Try the bulb test as Ray has described.
It's a very simple test that works wonders.
You can use just a 12v test lamp if you can't find a bulb.
If it lights even slightly it's a matter of "Huston..we have a problem".

[Splash]

I will grab a multimeter from work.

What should I be testing/looking for when using a multimeter?

Splash

[Splash]

OK _ I now have the multimeter in my hot little hand.

On the bottom it has 4 plug holes 'A', 'mA', 'COM', 'V'.

Which hole should the black lead plug into and dittio for the red lead.

I know a little about these things and have used them before but not tooo sure where these leads ar elugged into when measuring current loss and then voltage loss..?

Am I looking for current loss or voltage loss or both?

SPlash

[finga]

righto then we'll look for current loss
bung a black lead into the COM hole
bung a red lead in the mA or A hole (if it's a DC setting)
bung the little dial thingo or setting onto DCmA or DCA (corresponding setting to the hole you bunged the red lead into) and thusly turning it on.
take the battery connection off one of the battery terminals.
bung one lead on the battery terminal and a lead on the terminal you took off the terminal.
The reading should be zero...zip...nada... or 0
If the reading is anything even minus something then that's the drain showing up.
What brand/model is the multi meter??

[Splash]

Thanks Finga - Your'e funny!

The Multi-meter is called Fluke 87 True RMS Multimeter.

I will do this test tonight.

Does it matter what terminal touches which lead?

If the reading is -ve, what do I measure next (rectifier or other engine component)?

Will the reading ever be +ve?

Can you explain more cleary your statement:
" bung one lead on the battery terminal and a lead on the terminal you took off the terminal..."


Also, should I also test/record actual voltage levels at rest?

Spalsh

[finga]

Mate, that multi meter is crap. Send it too me when your done

Na just kidding...that's a humdinger
Don't matter what terminal touches what lead as any reading other then zero is not so good.
" bung one lead on the battery terminal and a lead on the terminal you took off the terminal..."
Oky dokky...bung the red lead of the multi-meter (now referred to as Luke (the Fluke.... get it???))
Anyways bung Luke's red lead on the battery post and the black lead on the terminal that you took off the battery post.
Luke should read zero.
If Luke says anything else then it will mean further investigation.

[finga]

Forgot to mention...to get dcmA or dcA on Luke the Fluke just put the selector switch on the mA/A setting and push the top left button. That'll get dc and the little crosswise AC squiggle will go off the screen and a cross line with some dashes under it will appear. This is the dc symbol

[Splash]

Hi Finga.

Did the deed with Luke.

Zero mA (black on lose terminal, red on post)
-18mA (red on lose terminal, black on post)

THoughts?

If I leave both terminals on posts for days after a fishing trip, will this drain battery?

Splash

[finga]

mate the readings should be the same value but one + and one -.
Better try it again and see what's the go.
18mA is bugger all though over a week.

Was that with the leads in Luke's A hole or mA hole??
If it was the A hole try the mA hole with the test lead.


Don't know why but that just sounds wrong