battery drain

[Guest]

I just bought a new pontoon boat that has a CD player and clock that runs off of the starting battery. I have been told that this may drain the battery as it always draws a small amount of current. Other than unhooking the battery cables every night how can I prevent this battery drain. Some suggested I install a toggle switch (what the heck is that and how do you install one?)
Thanks,
Tom

[Grabs]

A quick and easy solution is to just pull the fuse when your boat will be stored for long periods of time in between uses. Or buy a small battery charger, just a low current trickle charger and leave it plugged in when you store your boat.

A toggle switch is just a switch with an on and off position. You would put this in line with the power wire to your stereo. You should assemble it between the stereo and the fuse box, but again pulling the fuse will do the same thing and is pretty easy to do.

[Dave]

I wouldn't worry about it since they draw such a small amount of current. If you cut power, you'll have to reset the clock and channels each time you power it up.

[Guest]

Is this what you were told, or what you are experiencing? I highly doubt a new pontoon manufacturer would build an electrical system that drains the battery when not in use.

You don't have a main power shut-off switch anywhere near the dashboard on this craft? This is basically a "toggle" switch. Almost every boat these days have a main power switch.

Radios are rigged with a secondary power wire that allows the main power to be completely turned off and still maintain memory with the secondary power wire connected to another "hot" power source.

If it is only a clock that is left on, I wouldn't worry about that at all. If the radio stays on, that's a different story.

[gofishingtom]

had a friend of mine put in a new cd player in his boat.. and believe it or not if drew enough jiuce to run his battery down in 4 to 5 days if not used.. so he took it in and had a toggle switch put on it so he could turn off the cd player and clock when he get out of boat and hasnt had any problem since.. and he never had any problem until he put the cd unit in.. so the new cd player must draw more juice then the old cassette players... hope this helps

[JIM PAYNE]

IF THAT CD PLAYER IS DRAWING THAT MUCH POWER I WOULD TAKE IT BACK. THERE IS NO WAY THAT CLOCK SHOULD DRAIN THE BATTERY EVEN AFTER A MONTH OF SITTING. I WOULLD CONTACT THE BOAT DEALER AND HAVE THEM FIX THE PROBLEM AND DO NOT LET THEM TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY THAT SHOULD HAPPEN. GOOD LUCK

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JIM PAYNE

[united jigsticker]

The clock should draw less power then a single small Christmas tree light.

To give a reference, I once made a makeshift nightlight for the children out of a single Christmas tree light [the small ones with two wires coming out the bottom] and an old "C" cell alkaline battery.

The "nightlight" stayed lit 24/7 for 3 months before dimming out.

If the clock drains a 115 am hour marine battery there must be a wiring short somewhere or the battery is bad.

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Good fishing,
UJ
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 08-06-2003).]

[Dave]

gofishingtom, I'll have to agree with the others. Take a look at radios in automobiles. CD's clocks, cell phones plugged in, etc.....Auto's can sits for months without draining a battery. There's something wrong with your friends system/radio.

Keeping the clock running in an auto radio is similar to keep your watch running on your wrist. How long does a wrist watch battery last? Something to think about.