Battery Drain

[Got2Fish]

I recently replaced my '96 Johnson 60hp with a '96 Evinrude 90. While out on the first run I noticed the battery will completely drain itself within about 10 minutes under WOT. It lasts longer while trolling. When I discovered this, I would simply disconnect the battery after it is started. It seems really odd that anything could drain power that quickly. Is it possibly the started that is drawing??<br /><br />Help...

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Battery Drain

Something's certainly not right there. You have something drawing power from the battery, and you need to find out what it is PDQ, or you'll find yourself out on the lake with no starting power.<br /><br />Make sure the starter isn't running after the engine starts. That's a possibility. Pop the cowling and fire up that bad boy, then see if the starter's still running.<br /><br />Could you have made a wiring error when you switched motors?

 

[Got2Fish]

Re: Battery Drain

I run a 36V 101lb Minn Kota, so there is lots of extra starting power.<br /><br />Wiring error?....that is quite possible as there were a couple of extra wires before, and after...<br /><br />The starter isn't running after it starts.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Battery Drain

Well, it takes a pretty good current to draw a charged battery down in just 10 minutes. So, somewhere, something's drawing some serious amperage from your battery, for sure.<br /><br />Aside from the starter, I'm not really sure what could be drawing that much. Is the battery fresh? I suppose it could be a bad battery, but that seems unlikely.<br /><br />The deal is that anything drawing that many amps is going to get warm, unless it's a wire the size of the main battery cable, and even that would get warm after a few minutes.<br /><br />I'd trace all the wiring again and see where your problem is coming from. Start at the console and work back, one wire at a time. Use a DVM or a test lamp and see what wire is getting power that isn't supposed to have power. <br /><br />You'll find it, perhaps from some melted insulation on one of the wires.