whats the best way to find a short

[karayj]

should i do the old battery post thing which is take the positive connectors off put a test light on the battery post then on the positive cables with them off and see if the lights come on or is it the negitive cbales I take off and connect the the aligator clip to the negative cables with them off and then with the needle end of the test light touch the negitive post and see if a light comes on?? the reason I ask is 1 the battery always drains after a week and when i try to pull the boat on the trailer while the boat is in the water and i touch the metal rail on my boat and push my finder real hard on the metal rail I get shock if I touch it lightly nothing

 

[tylerin]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

That might be your trailer. You should try another forum catagory

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

Sounds like a short.<br /><br />Shut all your switches off, etc.<br /><br />Remove the neg wire from bat term.<br /><br />Insert test light or current meter between neg wire and bat term<br /><br />start pulling fuses one-by-one until the current drops or the light goes out. That's the circuit with the short.<br /><br />If you do that and your still drawing current then you have to locate the circuits that are direct connect that is, the ones that are avoiding your central fuse panel. Anything hooked up after the boat was made or not worked on by a pro is a candidate.<br /><br />For your info, you should never have any circuit in a boat that is not fused and the fuse (or breakers) easily identified and located.

 

[karayj]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

i have done that I took of the neg wire put one end of the test light on the post and the other one on the wires and the light did not go on ???? so i could not locate the short cause the light never went on showing me a short

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

You used a little test light right? Like the little 12V auto test lights? That's what you need.<br /><br />Do you have a battery switch and was it on?<br /><br />If all the above is true then you may not have a short but just a bad battery that is not fully charging. Pull the battery and see if you can get it to full charge on a charger or take it someple like Autozone and have it tested.<br /><br />The other paossibility is that one of you accessories is defective and/or shorting and will draw a lot of current when it is turned on. The best way to do that is with current meter and measure how much current is being drawn when you turn each accessories on. A simple light won't be good enough in that case. For example, let's say you put your fishfinder on and it starts drawing 10A well you know you have a problem becuase it is rated for less than 1A...Make sense?

 

[karayj]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

yes Im using a 12 volt test light no accessories on are on there is no battery swithc and it fine for a few days after cahrging it for a few days 3-4 so its draws a little could be the battery not holding a draw but the rail giving me a shock in confusing??? again with the boat ignition off and when I'm putting it on the trailier the rail give me a shock

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

It could be the difference in potential between the ground of the boat and the ground of the trailer - ground is not an absolute - it is relative.<br /><br />When you put it on the trailer are all the accessories off?<br /><br />Next time, disconnect the battery before you load it and see of it goes away.<br /><br />You could also have an intermittent short - only happens sometimes. The movement of putting it on the trailer may be enough to get the sort to appear. These sorts of shorts tend to be frayed wire insulator or a pos termial close to a ground and briefly touches.<br /><br />They are tough to find and the best way to start is to inspect every circuit.

 

[karayj]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

I just notice your from boston area too I think your right it may be something frayed hitting the rail area i will look at it tonight it may be that causing the battery to die after a few days I hate shorts they are so hard to find.... I figure the best thing to do is after a day in the water before i get off the boat is too disconnect the neg cables.....

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: whats the best way to find a short

Ya I'm down on the South Shore. I launch out of Weymouth.<br /><br />You should consider a simple on/off battery switch to make your like a little easier. <br /><br />Let me know how you make out.