What should work with no key?

[rderenzy]

1997 Sylvan 19.6 open bow - 4.3L Merc

Newbie question here -
What should work, without the key in or turned?
Currently for me - EVERYTHING! - so I'd like to know what should be able to be used or is powered on when the key is out (such as trim?)

Right now, radio is always on w/o key (ill look to have someone rewire that), trim, horn, blower, nav/lights, even the acc(cig lighter) works (this even works w/o the ACC switch powered on, I'm assuming that ACC switch is only for that port, or radio?)

Possibly too big of draw with all of that and my radio?
Right now if I turn my radio up too loud it cuts out - research shows ground or battery drain

Batt is fully charged, its a 800cca and 120 RC - should I go bigger?

I found the ground, I think, in front of the engine, almost under the back seat - it was very loose and I regrounded that, but no improvement, maybe there is a ground spot I'm over looking?


in summary:
1)what should work/have power w/ no key?
2)should I get a bigger battery?
3) ground on boat?

 

[brian4321]

I think thats normal...trim, blower , navigation lights, and radio should all have power regardless if the key is turned on or not...only way to change that is installing a master kill switch... The more experienced people on here shall correct me if I'm wrong

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Agreed,.... The ignition switch should control the ignition, 'n little else,.....

 

[rderenzy]

ok - well that is a good sign I guess
im just shocked even without a key ,that everything is accessible and powered
can you explain what the ACC switch on my dash if for then? (next to the horn, bilge, blower)

So, the boat radio/CD player, just remains on the whole time, even when boat is not in use? that seems odd.
I figured the ignition key, had an ACC like a car - my boat seems to....
(at least it stops in a section, before turning it over) and in that mode it would run and power the items

 

[brian4321]

If I understand correctly, the ACC switch is for additional accessories... For an example, on my boat I installed LED strip lighting and wired it to the ACC switch...and yes the bilge pump ,blower, trim ,and navigation lights all NEED to have power without turning the key on

 

[rderenzy]

good to know brian, thanks for you help - so your boat, your cd player/radio is just always left on ? so strange to me

 

[Scott Danforth]

most people have a master battery switch that we turn off, therefore effectively disconnecting the battery.

 

[rderenzy]

hmm... that seems ideal. I like that. wouldn't you lose all of your radio settings? clock, stations, etc?

 

[bruceb58]

hmm... that seems ideal. I like that. wouldn't you lose all of your radio settings? clock, stations, etc?

Depending on the radio, yes. The one in my pontoon boat doesn't lose anything

 

[drolds72]

My stereo main power is wired to an acc switch on dash, which is fed from the main battery switch. The stereo memory wire goes direct to the battery thru its own inline fuse. So does power for the auto bilge float switch.

 

[achris]

You should have one feed from each battery to your battery switch. From the output of the battery switch you should have 2 feeds, one to the engine, and one to everything else. Apart from their common source at the battery switch, engine and 'non-engine' should be completely separated. Several advantages to that. When you are trying to diagnose problems it immediately halves the area to look, and more importantly, should you have electrical problems at sea, you will still have either comms (radio) or an engine. Difficult to call for help when an engine electrical problem takes down the entire system and kills your ability to call for help.

And on my boat, the trim system is isolated too. Even if I have a completely dead engine, I can still trim the drive up to trailer it home.

And when the boat's at home, I turn the battery switch to 'BOTH', and hook one of these up. Tops up the batteries, and then maintains them. I always have completely full batteries when I leave home.

Chris........