87' 60hp VRO battery drain

[andy6374]

New battery, with the ignition switch turned to "off" the battery got completely drained. The boat has been sitting for about a month and I excepted some slight drain, but it registered less than 3 volts. I have no electrical accessories, so what could it be? Can the ignition switch get stuck?<br /><br />-thanks<br />andy

 

[duke3]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Well andy.<br />The drain-problem can be all over.<br />You must disconnect all wirers from battery " + ".<br />Then start connecting the startmotor-wirer (install an amperimeter between battery and wirer to startmotor). If no amp. reading, then you take the next wirer........etz.

 

[andy6374]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

There are no other wires besides the wire that runs to the starting solenoid (the starter). I know nothing about Jonnyrudes, but was just wondering if older (87 isn't that old) ignition switches have been prone to sticking to the 'on' position, hence giving a constant supply of voltage to the tachometer and temp gauge. Nothing else could be draining the battery.

 

[duke3]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

If there is a fault inside your starter motor, rectifier, starter solenoid, broken wirers etz. it will/can drain your battery.<br />Well, your +12V is all connected at the starter solenoid. A:One wirer is going to battery +, Bne is going to rectifier, and Cne is going up to your remote control box.<br />Control if it is B og C there is making the drain, and let me know the result.<br /><br />And yes, your ign.switch, tach and temp gauge can also be the problem.<br />But first, make the control at B and C.<br />You dont have to use a amperimeter. You can also see, wich wirer there will give a small spark, when you disconnect it.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Have the battery charged to its normal 12 volts.<br /><br />Remove the positive lead from the battery as Duke states. If you do not have a ampere meter handy, attach a volt meter between the battery positive terminal post and whatever wire(s) you disconnected from that terminal. Have the volt meter set to its lowest DC setting.<br /><br />The meter should show a voltage drain.<br /><br />Now, start disconnecting whatever components are wired in with that 12v lead leading to the engine, such as the RED wire leading to the rectifier at the engine's terminal strip for one. You'll need a wiring schematic or the knowledge to enable you to logically trace the circuits where 12 volts would be leading to the components.<br /><br />When you remove the wire that is causing the battery drain, the volt meter will drop to a zero reading. Usually the problem is due to a shorted rectifier. I have never encountered a ignition switch that would cause the problem you describe.<br /><br />Hint.... To eliminate the ignition switch and everything at the dash (console), that is everything but the engine, simply unplug the large RED electrical connector at the engine.

 

[andy6374]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Thanks guys, I will give it a go tonight and report the results.<br /><br />I got the boat and motor for free because the guy said the motor won't run and was crap. Well besides some other stuff, it needed a new rectifier. The red wire from the old rectifier was completely burnt/corroded thru. Connected a new one and everything was good, i.e., battery was charging and charging at the proper voltage.<br /><br />I hate to think it is a shorted rectifier as I just replaced it.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

(Small Rectifier Test)<br />(J. Reeves)<br /><br />Remove the rectifier wires from the terminal block. Using a ohm meter, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the rectifier base (ground), then one by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, then the red wire (some rectifiers may also have a fourth yellow/blue wire. If so connect to that also). Now, reverse the ohm meter leads and check those same wires again. You should get a reading in one direction, and none at all in the other direction. <br /><br />Now, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the red wire. One by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, and if present, the yellow/blue wire. Then reverse the leads, checking the wires again. Once more, you should get a reading in one direction and none in the other. <br /><br />Note that the reading obtained from the red rectifier wire will be lower then what is obtained from the other wires. <br /><br />Any deviation from the "Reading", "No Reading" as above indicates a faulty rectifier. Note that a rectifier will not tolerate reverse polarity. Simply touching the battery with the cables in the reverse order or hooking up a battery charger backwards will blow the diodes in the rectifier assy immediately.

 

[Walker]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

I'd test the battery itself first.

 

[andy6374]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Thanks Joe, I was going to test the diodes tonight as well.<br /><br />Walker, the battery was brand new then like I said it registered < 3 volts. Charged it overnight on trickle charge, 2 amp, and it read 12.8 volts this morning, so I guess the battery is fine. I surprised it survived such a deep draining, however I will tell tonight if it has been able to keep it's charge.

 

[andy6374]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Rectifier tested fine. I found that unless you turn the key counterclockwise firmly, the power to the tach remains. This is what probably drained the battery. Thanks everyone.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Always a first for everything..... In all the years that I've been in this line of work, I have never had a ignition switch fail in that manner.<br /><br />Curious.... Is that switch a regular OMC switch or a third party switch of some kind?

 

[duke3]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Well. Andy6374<br /><br />The gray wirer (12-16V AC) is going to your tach. And then you have + 12V there are comming from the ign.switch through the alarm-horn. And then ground (connected in your controlbox) to battery.<br />If the power to the tach remains, then I believe the fault must be in the ign. switch, or you have some bad crossing wirers some where.<br />But sendt me mail, and Ill sendt you a drawing.<br />kichr@vestas.com

 

[andy6374]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

Its an OMC switch

 

[duke3]

Re: 87' 60hp VRO battery drain

1. Disconnect + on your battery<br />2. Control the resistance thrue the A and B terminal on your OMC switch when it is in Off pos. (high resistance)<br />3. Control the resistance thrue the A and B terminal on your OMC switch when it is in ON pos. (no resistance)<br /><br />You can see pos. A and B on the diagram I have sendt you.