Cranking Battery Draining quickly

[BillRoy]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping there is an electronic genius on here or someone who is VERY familiar with this VERY FRUSTRATING issue...maybe seen it before? Full disclosure: I know very little about the wiring in a bass boat:)
Or wiring at all for that matter.
Details of my boat: 2022 Triton TRX 19 Patriot. 225 Merc Pro XS
2-HDS12 Live's (one rear and one front)

Ok so, everything worked great in the fall when purchased, run all day, no issues at all.
Boat stored, batteries out, and on charge all winter, re installed in spring this year, (very careful to install exactly how they were). Took and had hydraulic jackplate installed-wired direct to crank battery. Upgraded Ghost 360 (software upgrade and new TM transducer- simple).
Went fishing first time this spring and battery died in about 3 1/2 hours- big engine wouldn't start. Used TM to get back to launch.

Got home, had load test done on battery, failed (Turns out this battery was old and likely sit at factory awhile)
Got a new 31m agm interstate under warranty, installed, tested well etc.
Got back On water, and ran electronics fishing, mapping, and active target for about 2 1/2 hours then went to start engine to move, turned key, engine started but low voltage warning flashed on screen.
Now I'm extremely hesitant to go back out for fear of being shut down early again...

So here I am stumped..I'm getting all kinds of feedback that doesn't make sense but coming from people like me who know little about electrical
I feel there's a draw somewhere but I'm not sure. I have new lithium coming , be here in about a week, but I'd like to solve this mystery before I install them

I don't want to put these 4 lithiums in and still have the same problem.
Anyone out there experience anything like this and/or possibly have some simple direction to troubleshoot for an electrically challenged individual such as myself?

Thanks for any assistant you can provide!!

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

not an expert nor an electrical guru....but, I'd agree your assumption of a draw is probably correct. Fully charge your crank battery at home and then disconnect the charger. After 24 hours (resting) check the charge status of the crank battery with everything else still connected as normal (but turned off)... should be somewhere in the 12.6-12.8v range (a guru would know exactly but 12.6-12.8 is close enough ball park). Your AGM might actually be a tad higher. Just because it was brand new does not mean it was fully charged. I used to put new batteries on the charger as soon as I installed them and was surprised at how low some of them were... If your battery is reading less then 12.6 after 24 hours resting there's an issue... possibly a bad battery (load test to confirm) or more likely a drain somewhere that you'll need to figure out. Two graphs should not kill your battery after 2.5-3hrs on the water if your battery is fully charged to start. Guy's running 3, 4, or 5 graphs do need extra power considerations but just two should not die that quickly. If there's is a drain, in the meantime you can turn off the master power (perko switch) until you identify the problem or disconnect the wires when in storage. Just to keep your battery fully charged, storing it partially discharged will drastically shorten the life. Do you have an Active Target module or similar that you're not turning off when not in use in addition to turning off the graphs? If your battery tests good after resting 24 hours then it's possible you don't have a drain and then I'd look into your alternator (unlikely but it's possible). An easy way to see if your alternator is working is just be looking a the voltage display on your graphs when you start the big motor...should jump up to 13.2-14.2 while running... or you can do the same with a tester direct to the battery with the engine running to confirm. Worst case if you can't figure it out is to take it in and pay to have someone troubleshoot

[Mitch]

Need some more details

New boat or Used boat ?
If used, did you buy it from a dealer
You should still have a warrantee
Did you run it last year before storing it
Did it run fine then
Have you added anything electrical since it ran okl
WHO installed it if you did

[BillRoy]

Need some more details

New boat or Used boat ?---New Boat 2022 purchased in fall
If used, did you buy it from a dealer----Yes
You should still have a warrantee----yes but they are about 5 hours from me so hoping I can solve this here rather than make that trip.
Did you run it last year before storing it---yes, ran fine
Did it run fine then
Have you added anything electrical since it ran okl---hydraulic jackplate hooked directly to cranking battery
WHO installed it if you did----dealer

not an expert nor an electrical guru....but, I'd agree your assumption of a draw is probably correct. Fully charge your crank battery at home and then disconnect the charger. After 24 hours (resting) check the charge status of the crank battery with everything else still connected as normal (but turned off)... should be somewhere in the 12.6-12.8v range (a guru would know exactly but 12.6-12.8 is close enough ball park). Your AGM might actually be a tad higher. Just because it was brand new does not mean it was fully charged. I used to put new batteries on the charger as soon as I installed them and was surprised at how low some of them were... If your battery is reading less then 12.6 after 24 hours resting there's an issue... possibly a bad battery (load test to confirm) or more likely a drain somewhere that you'll need to figure out. Two graphs should not kill your battery after 2.5-3hrs on the water if your battery is fully charged to start. Guy's running 3, 4, or 5 graphs do need extra power considerations but just two should not die that quickly. If there's is a drain, in the meantime you can turn off the master power (perko switch) until you identify the problem or disconnect the wires when in storage. Just to keep your battery fully charged, storing it partially discharged will drastically shorten the life. Do you have an Active Target module or similar that you're not turning off when not in use in addition to turning off the graphs? If your battery tests good after resting 24 hours then it's possible you don't have a drain and then I'd look into your alternator (unlikely but it's possible). An easy way to see if your alternator is working is just be looking a the voltage display on your graphs when you start the big motor...should jump up to 13.2-14.2 while running... or you can do the same with a tester direct to the battery with the engine running to confirm. Worst case if you can't figure it out is to take it in and pay to have someone troubleshoot

Thanks for this! This is something I can try easily. and yes, when starting big engine, the voltage display does jump to 14-14.2 so This would eliminate alternator? The Active Target module is also turned off when graphs are off via sonar switch.
Bill

[WRB]

Easiest method to solve your problem is another house battery for the electronics and Power poles. Engine on a separate battery and the TM on it’s set of batteries. Each set needs a separate circuit breaker.
Amp hour draw simple math. Add each device amp draw, example sonar 3 each, live scope 5 etc.
Hours units are on X total amp draw = amp hours your battery needs.
Tom

[Kelly Ripa]

I don't know it sounds like an alternator to me. I had some of those same problems in a tournament and just bought a new battery and threw it in the boat and it didn't make it through the next day...It was my Alternator. Do you have Pergo switches that disconnect from the battery all that is going to it? That helped me eliminate a problem between the cranking battery and my electronics which was pretty minor. I don't need separate batteries for only electronics as I get it done all day with my 2 10" HDS electronics and cranking all day...no issues.

[Mitch]

Even tho the dealer is 5 hrs away, you paid him already for the warrantee, let him do the work. They should know what and where to look for the issue. PLUS, if you go POKING around they could throw it back at you saying YOU did something wrong. Its strange that it was fine last time it ran and now isn't holding a charge all day. Electrical problems can be a nightmare to track down !!

[mark poulson]

Even tho the dealer is 5 hrs away, you paid him already for the warrantee, let him do the work. They should know what and where to look for the issue. PLUS, if you go POKING around they could throw it back at you saying YOU did something wrong. Its strange that it was fine last time it ran and now isn't holding a charge all day. Electrical problems can be a nightmare to track down !!

Exactly!

[beezer15]

So only new electrical added was jackplate? Seems like maybe you have a short or exposed wire somewhere that’s draining your battery.

[WRB]

A short would trip a breaker or blow a fuse. Slow drain would show up after a few days with the charger off as the battery looses voltage.
I still think the problem is more amp draw then your battery system can power. 3 to hours is about right for everything the OP has is operating after a short run with the OB running.
Trouble shooting online is impossible, take to your dealer and have the professional do what you paid them for. Lots of good input for you to ask questions.
Tom

[JL]

1. Do you have a battery shutoff switch on your cranking battery?
2. Do leave your electronics installed in the boat?
3. Last item , your jackplate WAS the most recent electrical work done to your boat. I might suspect possibly a electrical draw in that area FIRST. If that checks out good then it's just a process of elimination of any and ALL accessories that could be inadvertently left on or are drawing power while sitting. The battery shutoff switch SHOULD eliminate that if you have one. Good luck on finding your issue! As others have stated, these type of problems can be frustrating.

[fastcat]

Make sure your eng teeminals are first to go on battery postthen charger ect on top of them. Always use a nut not a wing nut. This is most comon low voltage issue ive seen. If that mlbot it I'm in sacramento if your close
916 532 2508

[drdetroit3]

Check the alternator on the motor that was my problem..

[jiggin4bass]

Billroy after reading some of these answer to your questions I wouldn't count on finding the answer here. You need to take it to a professional mechanic to get your problem taken care of. It may cost you some money but in the long run it will be worth it. I just lost my mechanic to health problem (heart). He closed his business Central valley. I found another mechanic in Modesto for my lower unit service on my 1976 merc 850 thunderbolt. Not many shops will do service on a motor that old. It still run great after all these years.

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

just for info... Lowrance HDS 12's have a rated amp draw of 2.3 each and Active Target is 1.5.... 6.1 combined. Your Interstate group 31 AGM has a reserve capacity of 200 minutes (assuming the better model) which works out to about 83ah (200 divided by 60 then multiplied by 25). So, while fishing, assuming you're just using your TM and your electronics (not powering anything else like live well) you should be able to run your electronics about 13.66 hours until the battery is completely drained..... so figure about 6.5 hours of actual use time (sitting in one spot without firing up the big motor) since you don't want to drain your battery below 50% .....

[BillRoy]

Thanks all for this info, I really appreciate it and the only thing I can think of (and I don't know much), that may be out of sorts is the arrangement/sequence of connections to the posts...
I did however drop the boat to a local mechanic yesterday and it's going in shop tomorrow to troubleshoot. Not the place of purchase but a licensed dealer/tech.
I'm skeptical they will find the issue from our conversation but worth a try before I make that trip back to place of purchase.
Thanks again and I will post here the problem if I find it...or a pic of the new boat after I trash this one!!!

[JVGondal]

Billroy after reading some of these answer to your questions I wouldn't count on finding the answer here. You need to take it to a professional mechanic to get your problem taken care of. It may cost you some money but in the long run it will be worth it. I just lost my mechanic to health problem (heart). He closed his business Central valley. I found another mechanic in Modesto for my lower unit service on my 1976 merc 850 thunderbolt. Not many shops will do service on a motor that old. It still run great after all these years.

That old thunderbolt is basically a chainsaw engine. Any half *ss shade tree mechanic can work on it

[jiggin4bass]

It's ok I'll stick with my shade tree mechanic I've never been towed off the water on any lake I've ever fished and my boats 47 years old. And never missed going fishing because of any issue with my boat. But I've sure towed my share of newer bass boats and ski boats to the docks in the last 10 years
So I'm good with my Old Monark it still looks good and runs good and as long as the parts are still being made I'll keep running my old motor. My mechanic not retiring after all he just took time off to get his health back in order. So that's good for all his customers that relay on him for service. I know he been good for me all these years.

[JVGondal]

That is a great outboard. I wish still made them like that I would buy one

[jiggin4bass]

They were called the Tower of power back in the days.

[hydro]

Couple of things ...
I was having a similar issue with my cranking battery running down if I fished for extended periods without starting the outboard . Never had my motor fail to start just shut the graphs down due to low voltage under cranking . I had replaced the cranking battery with the same rated battery that came from the factory so I was thinking I was all good . With the new motors like my Optimax they are not only turning the engine over when cranking / starting but also have the additional drag of a belt driven air compressor and alternator .

Mercury Marine has put out revised battery rating requirements for the 3 liter Optimax motors and after consulting the chart (I am attaching a link to below ) discovered my cranking battery was in fact too small and replaced it with the recommended rated size .
https://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.ph ... eries+meet

If you have one now or boat has had one in the past with flooded cell cranking batteries one of the symptoms when they are going bad is excessive gassing occurs in the bilge during charging . The hydrogen gas coming from a battery is highly corrosive and can resulting in corroded electrical connections . This corrosion can result in battery current tracking across open switches or Pos & Neg terminals that are within reach so this is a possibility
.
If you have access to a multimeter with a DC current probe you can check for leakage current at the cranking battery terminal(s) with everything off without having to disconnect any wiring . If leakage current is detected you remove the fuses for each load one at a time and recheck until you find which the faulty circuit and then focus your efforts there .

[WRB]

Thanks all for this info, I really appreciate it and the only thing I can think of (and I don't know much), that may be out of sorts is the arrangement/sequence of connections to the posts...
I did however drop the boat to a local mechanic yesterday and it's going in shop tomorrow to troubleshoot. Not the place of purchase but a licensed dealer/tech.
I'm skeptical they will find the issue from our conversation but worth a try before I make that trip back to place of purchase.
Thanks again and I will post here the problem if I find it...or a pic of the new boat after I trash this one!!!

Update?

[mark poulson]

Thanks all for this info, I really appreciate it and the only thing I can think of (and I don't know much), that may be out of sorts is the arrangement/sequence of connections to the posts...
I did however drop the boat to a local mechanic yesterday and it's going in shop tomorrow to troubleshoot. Not the place of purchase but a licensed dealer/tech.
I'm skeptical they will find the issue from our conversation but worth a try before I make that trip back to place of purchase.
Thanks again and I will post here the problem if I find it...or a pic of the new boat after I trash this one!!!

Update?