My battery keeps draining as it sits for a couple of days. The first battery started to leak acid out the top cap and I though I might had purchased a bad battery. Installed the 2nd and the same happened. I plan to disconnect the negative battery cable and attach a testing light between to see if its drawing current. If so, I plan to pull fuses until I can track down the fault. Has anyone else ever had this happen with their seadoo boat? Do you feel if I disconnect the cannon plug that goes to the MPEM while it sits be ok? Thanks for any advise you can give… I’ve been a long time fan of this site and used it for years…. Finally enrolled so I can ask questions.
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1997 Seadoo challanger 1800 (787) battery keeps draining.
- Thread starter Freight53
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If you have an aftermarket radio or stuff like that check them. My aftermarket radio has a power antenna to help boost the signal and I added a extra switch to kill just the radio so I can keep the bilge running if need be. I have battery disconnect on my boat so I kill the power to it when I done so I can charge the batteries when I get home plus so one one tries to start it.
Update: Installed the 3rd new marine battery yesterday morning and connected the pos and neg leads. I also disconnected the MPEM thinking that would cut all power to the batter; I was wrong… Maybe…
When I went out this morning I noticed the battery started to leak acid out the top cap. Just like the other two batteries did. Cant be the batteries as this specific boat caused three batteries to do that.
Any ideals? It did this while the MPEM was disconnected.
When I went out this morning I noticed the battery started to leak acid out the top cap. Just like the other two batteries did. Cant be the batteries as this specific boat caused three batteries to do that.
Any ideals? It did this while the MPEM was disconnected.
You can put a meter in-line between the battery and the cable. It will show a "load". Then you start pulling fuses or unplugging things. When the load goes away you found the circuit. I'll try to find a link for you.
Here is a cut and paste that will help you.. Do NOT put the test cables on the positive and negative nce you switch it to AMPS as it will blow the internal fuse of the meter..
Testing a system for current drain
To check if something is draining your battery while your bike is turned off you need to test for current, not volts. To do so, do the following:
Digital Volt Meter:
Switch your Digial Multimeter to DC AMPs. Amps is usually indicated by an "A" on the Multimeter Switch. AC is usually shown as a "~" symbol and DC shown as a "-" symbol. You usually have to move the Multimeter positive lead to a separate socket on the Multimeter. Sometimes there are 2 sockets, a high range and a low range. Always test on the highest setting first. For example: high setting on your multimeter may be 10 Amp. Test on the 10 Amp setting first, then if the current drawn is less than your Multimeter Low setting, move to that setting and keep testing. In my example my Multimeter low setting is 0.3 Amps. Also indicated as 300mA (mA x 1000 = A).
WARNING! Once the multimeter is on Amps do not connect it directly across the battery and do not hit the starter button while testing for current Amps. This will cause the internal fuse in the multimeter to blow! A multimeter set on current is a very low resistance, almost a short circuit and will draw as much current as your battery will supply till something melts. Always plug the Multimeter leads back to volts when you have finished testing to avoid blowing the fuse next time you use your multimeter.
Voltage Reading To test for battery drain:
Switch everything off on the bike. Disconnect just one battery lead. For example disconnect the Positive Battery Lead. Set your Multimeter to Amps as described above. Connect the Positive Multimeter Lead to the Battery Positive terminal. Make sure the Positive Lead you removed from the battery does not touch anything grounded, like the Bike frame etc…. Connect the Negative Lead from the Multimeter to the Positive Lead you removed from the Battery. You should now see current drain measured in Amps. Move to the lower Amp setting on your multimeter if the current is lower than the setting on the Multimeter Low setting. Start to unplug the wires or fuses around your bike and see if the current reading goes to zero. This will point you in the direction of the current thief. You can convert to Power measured in Watts by multiplying it by the Battery Voltage. Power = Volts x Amps 4.2Watts or (12Volts x 0.35Amps).
- See more at: https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/art...-for-parasitic-load.html#sthash.DFvTWeEU.dpuf
Here is a cut and paste that will help you.. Do NOT put the test cables on the positive and negative nce you switch it to AMPS as it will blow the internal fuse of the meter..
Testing a system for current drain
To check if something is draining your battery while your bike is turned off you need to test for current, not volts. To do so, do the following:
Digital Volt Meter:
Switch your Digial Multimeter to DC AMPs. Amps is usually indicated by an "A" on the Multimeter Switch. AC is usually shown as a "~" symbol and DC shown as a "-" symbol. You usually have to move the Multimeter positive lead to a separate socket on the Multimeter. Sometimes there are 2 sockets, a high range and a low range. Always test on the highest setting first. For example: high setting on your multimeter may be 10 Amp. Test on the 10 Amp setting first, then if the current drawn is less than your Multimeter Low setting, move to that setting and keep testing. In my example my Multimeter low setting is 0.3 Amps. Also indicated as 300mA (mA x 1000 = A).
WARNING! Once the multimeter is on Amps do not connect it directly across the battery and do not hit the starter button while testing for current Amps. This will cause the internal fuse in the multimeter to blow! A multimeter set on current is a very low resistance, almost a short circuit and will draw as much current as your battery will supply till something melts. Always plug the Multimeter leads back to volts when you have finished testing to avoid blowing the fuse next time you use your multimeter.
Voltage Reading To test for battery drain:
Switch everything off on the bike. Disconnect just one battery lead. For example disconnect the Positive Battery Lead. Set your Multimeter to Amps as described above. Connect the Positive Multimeter Lead to the Battery Positive terminal. Make sure the Positive Lead you removed from the battery does not touch anything grounded, like the Bike frame etc…. Connect the Negative Lead from the Multimeter to the Positive Lead you removed from the Battery. You should now see current drain measured in Amps. Move to the lower Amp setting on your multimeter if the current is lower than the setting on the Multimeter Low setting. Start to unplug the wires or fuses around your bike and see if the current reading goes to zero. This will point you in the direction of the current thief. You can convert to Power measured in Watts by multiplying it by the Battery Voltage. Power = Volts x Amps 4.2Watts or (12Volts x 0.35Amps).
- See more at: https://www.batterystuff.com/kb/art...-for-parasitic-load.html#sthash.DFvTWeEU.dpuf
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Performed all that is mentioned in your post. Pulling the bilge pump fuse dropped voltage as well as two others. It appears the light switch on the dash was pulling current as well. Lastly, there is a 5 amp fuse on the MPEM that is also drawing current. Pulling all those fuses dropped the meter to 00.2 volts. I need to find out what that 5 amp fuse on the MPEM is now.
Half an Amp to .6 is not unrealistic... Above that, something is drawing more than what I call "idle amps" such as a radio memory and the MPEM for example.
Does your bilge pump work? It make be stuck but also be ON,,,
At least you now have a clue as to where the issue is. I have used this test methods HUNDREDS of times on customers cars...
Funny story,, bought a Type 10 Cavalier from the insurance company that seven repair shops could not fix. It had a short no one could find.
I bought the car for $500. Found two shorts. One was the dome light and the other was the cigarette lighter. Replaced the lighter as it was shorted with a dime sitting in the bottom of it. Pulled the dome light and found a frayed wire. Repaired it.
Drove the car for two-years and sold it for $1100...
Does your bilge pump work? It make be stuck but also be ON,,,
At least you now have a clue as to where the issue is. I have used this test methods HUNDREDS of times on customers cars...
Funny story,, bought a Type 10 Cavalier from the insurance company that seven repair shops could not fix. It had a short no one could find.
I bought the car for $500. Found two shorts. One was the dome light and the other was the cigarette lighter. Replaced the lighter as it was shorted with a dime sitting in the bottom of it. Pulled the dome light and found a frayed wire. Repaired it.
Drove the car for two-years and sold it for $1100...
When I first hooked up the meter I was at 11.00 volts. Started flipping switches and pulling fuses and got it minimized down. Ill get a battery disconnect and see how that does. Bilge pump work but I have had it disconnected for the time. This weekend I plan to take her to the lake and tune the carbs... Fingers crossed everything checks as I've been working on this boat for 7 plus months. Ready for some excitement.
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