Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

sphelps

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Nov 16, 2011
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Having trouble with battery drainage . I wired a new radio up direct to the fuse panel . I have replaced the battery with a new one . Could the new one just be bad? I did not hook the radio up through the key switch ,well because I was not sure how to . :facepalm: New e-tec ,BRP controls, with just a tach installed ..
Can you check the alternator by removing the neg to the battery while running like in a car . After jump starting the motor and checking the volts at the battery it was still at around 11.53 while running .
I'm not the sharpest dealing with mechanical stuff so any advice would be great ..
The only drain that I can think of would be the radio clock .
 

bruceb58

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Mar 5, 2006
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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

Yes, radio clock will definitely discharge the battery.

Never ever disconnect the battery while the engine is running will kill the alternator and possibly electrical components.

Sounds like your alternator is bad. Should be 13.5V while running. If you did the disconnect the battery trick already, that could be why.
 

sphelps

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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

I did not do the disconnect the battery trick . It was going through my head but was worried I may screw something up ..That's when I figured I better ask you guys . ;)
2014 e-tec still under factory warranty . I took the new battery back to the store and there gunna give it a good charge to see if it's good or not . With it only running at 11.5 while running that made me think it may be the alternator. Or does this motor charge with a magneto ?
 

UncleWillie

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Oct 18, 2011
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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

The clock in the radio will discharge the battery in the boat the same as the clock does in your car.
But it is going to take well over a month or two before it becomes an issue.
A week or more between starts will not be a problem. Six months during the winter warrants disconnecting the Battery.

You should typically see over 14 volts on the battery after the engine has been running for more than a few minutes. It will measure ~13v immediately after shutting the engine OFF, and at least 12.5 for the first day or two. If you start to see below 12.4, you have a drain issue ar a very weak battery.
 

bruceb58

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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

What I am referring to is if the clock display is on. If anything on the radio display is on with the radio turned off, your battery will die fast. Since the radio is connected to an un-switched power source, I am assuming this is the case.
 
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sphelps

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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

It sat for 2 months since I last ran it . I put a different battery in and ran it for about 5 min . The volt meter was reading around 13.05 volts while running . We took the boat out and did not have a battery problem but I did have a fuel line air leak problem .. I have always had problems with the little barb pronged fittings .
 

sphelps

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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

What I am referring to is if the clock display is on. If anything on the radio display is on with the radio turned off, your battery will die fast. Since the radio is connected to an un-switched power source, I am assuming this is the case.

Yep , If I knew witch wire to use coming from the ignition cluster I would hook it up that way . I guess I could just put an inline type switch on it .
 

bruceb58

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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

Yep , If I knew witch wire to use coming from the ignition cluster I would hook it up that way . I guess I could just put an inline type switch on it .
That's what most people do. That's how I have it on both of my boats.
 

sphelps

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Re: Clock on the radio enough to drain battery ?

Update ... It seems I had a bad cell in the new battery after all .
I will still install a cut off switch for the radio though .
Thanks guys !
 
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