Battery Drain from VHF and X-15

[ccarlson]

This spring my starting/acc. battery has been drained when I let the boat sit in the garage. The battery is good. So, yesterday I took out each fuse in the fuse panel and tested each one with my volt meter.

I found that the leads to the marine band radio and the lead to my newly installed X 15 were reading a current draw even with the units power off. The VHF drew about a half a volt and the X15 drew the full 12.6 volts. When I unplugged each unit from its power source, the draw stopped on the VHF but slowly trickled down to a small and varying draw on the line running to the X15.

I'm guessing the full power draw has something to do with the GPS ant. of the X15 but the only power I have going to the antennea is through the main power line to the unit. (unlike my 3500 gps which has a separate power to both the unit and the ant.) Any help would be appreciated on how to stop the current full draw as well as the trickle draw of the line when the x 15 is even unplugged.

Other years I have noticed a small drain on the battery in storage which I now assume was the VHF which I've always had in the boat. I just installed the x15 though and now it completely drains the battery in less than a week.

Thanks,

ccarlson

[VMS]

I had the same issue when I installed a stereo. What I found is that I needed a switch between the stereo and the main wiring. I had an accessory switch on my console, and hooked it up through there. Since then, I have no current draw at all.

Funny how when things are off, there is still a current draw. I figured mine was from a clock on the stereo, but that does not explain a quick current draw.

Really goofy why that would occur.

steve