.5 amp draw. All is off.

[mariner36bob]

Installed a battery monitor today. I was wicked proud that the monitor is working as it should. Then I shut everything off and get ready to split when I see a draw of -0.5A on the monitor.

The cool thing was the monitor told me the new batteries could handle this for a couple hundred hours, but I’ve got to get to the bottom of it. Only three fixtures have always hot leads; a Johnson bilge pump (built in float), a stereo memory and the new monitor itself (Victron 602s).

Before I spend tomorrow evening pulling fuses and chasing my tail, do you think these three items could be pulling that kind of draw at "standby"? I was thinking I might have a ground not making contact somewhere.
Thank you.

[a64pilot]

Disconnect one at a time and see,

[Wyoming pirate]

My suggestion is to connect an ammeter (newer inductive type is easiest) to the battery bank, then flip off all breakers. If you still have the draw, move the ammeter systematically through the output lead of each breaker until you find the leak. I find this type of draw is usually a clock or stereo. If you do not find it this way, go to the batteries and follow the leads towards the panel looking for a wire that has been added and check them too. Become a detective and leave no stone unturned, an ammeter would be my weapon of choice. May the force be...

[Jim Cate]

Another thought: measure that current independently of the monitor. Not all ampmeters are so exactly balanced that a true no current reads "zero" on the display.

Jim

Edit: Looks like the above post says much the same thing!

[Cuttyhunk]

My boat has a battery charging distribution thing (15 years old) that draws about a half amp all the time. Getting rid of it is high on the list. I'd make sure you don't have something similar hiding in a locker. Mine is hidden well; it took me a while to find the source of my mystery draw.

[bornyesterday]

Manual (on line)says holding the select button for 3 seconds zero's the display.
Be sure the current draw really is zero though.
Manual also says device's own current draw should be 4mA with backlight off.
0.5A is 500mA.
If you followed the installation instructions you should check with a multimeter (ammeter).

[mariner36bob]

And a combiner relay also. That makes 4 fixtures always hot. Thanks Cuttyhunk (my favorite striper paradise).

Right, logic dictates to take these off line first and keep going if necessary.

I suppose I'd like to hear if, based on your experience this is a draw to be expected with these (now 4) items hot. It's fine, i can live with it. Or should i start chasing it down as has been suggested.

Yep, read the zero display prompt, but like you said need to be sure before doing that. I'm not sure.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Cuttyhunk

My boat has a battery charging distribution thing (15 years old) that draws about a half amp all the time. Getting rid of it is high on the list. I'd make sure you don't have something similar hiding in a locker. Mine is hidden well; it took me a while to find the source of my mystery draw.

Same here - Mine is the battery combiner relay. The system wants to hold it on all the time. Soon to be gone.

[Stu Jackson]

RTFM. It covers parasitic loads, most likely the backlighting on the monitor.

[mariner36bob]

Rtfm?

[LuckySkunk]

Read The ___ Manual (insert your favorite explitive)

[sandy stone]

I think he's urging you to read the manual.

[Stu Jackson]

Read the Funny manual.

The Largest List of Chat Acronyms and Text Message Shorthand (IM, SMS) found of the Web - kept current and up-to-date by NetLingo The Internet Dictionary: Online Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms, Acronyms, Text Messaging, Smileys ;-)

Have fun.

[mariner36bob]

Got it. Thanks.

Yeah it's not entirely the monitor. As indicated above and the manual it is quite minimal. (4mA)

This bilge pump is the johnson type with "two finger" test. Suppose to work by an electrical current sensing as opposed to a float making contact. Any idea what that may draw?

I've read tonight the stereo is in the neighborhood of 10mA so i've got like 95% more phantom to find.
I'm researching while posting so bear with me.

[bornyesterday]

These are all just guesses - I'm reasonably familiar with my own system but not much marine experience outside that. I would definitely check with a multimeter on DC Amps first to confirm that the current drain is actually there.

A few things might be "always on" or "standby," have a quiescent current draw or may have been connected outside your main panels.

Bilge pump you already mentioned - is there also a bilge alarm? Gas alarm? CO? Smoke? VHF? Aerial splitter? Inverter? Radar on a quick-start setting? Bilge blower?

Don't rely on equipment switches, pull fuses where you can.
Good luck and let us know how it works out