View Full Version : Battery drain on 08 X2
Masternorth
06-08-2010, 09:39 AM
Hi,
I have an 08 X2 with MCX. My main battery gets drained completely over a 2 weeks period. Part of it may be the bilge pump as the boat stays in the water but I suspect there might be something else.
For those of you who have the attitude plate i.e. trim tab, do you hear this device start all the time as if it wants to come back in normal position by itself? even when everything is off and boat is in the garage? Is this normal and could that be the cause of my power drain?
Thanks
JGMinano
06-08-2010, 10:37 AM
I have a 07 X2 with the AAP, and have noticed that if I leave the plate in the down position for a while, it will return to the "up" position on its own accord. It does not seem to do it unless the key is in the ignition, nor has it ever drained the battery.
park190
06-08-2010, 10:49 AM
This happened to us in early spring when we weren't riding as frequently. I was advised by my dealer to switch the batteries off when not in use for an extended period of time. Apparently, the VDIG draws a lot of power even when not in use. Do you have the dual battery set up? If so, your switch should be under the rear port side seat. Your settings should still be active when you switch them back on.
Masternorth
06-08-2010, 11:28 AM
This happened to us in early spring when we weren't riding as frequently. I was advised by my dealer to switch the batteries off when not in use for an extended period of time. Apparently, the VDIG draws a lot of power even when not in use. Do you have the dual battery set up? If so, your switch should be under the rear port side seat. Your settings should still be active when you switch them back on.
I thought about this but since the boat is in the water, I don't want to desactivate the bilge pump!!! I might try to turn the battery switch to the off position and see if the bilge pump bypass the switch and still works.
acornellier
06-08-2010, 12:15 PM
I invested in a battery tender,keeps the battery charged all the time.Cost about $50.00.
park190
06-08-2010, 12:34 PM
I thought about this but since the boat is in the water, I don't want to desactivate the bilge pump!!! I might try to turn the battery switch to the off position and see if the bilge pump bypass the switch and still works.
I completely understand. This is why I asked if you had the dual battery set up.
kev88
06-08-2010, 12:46 PM
I invested in a battery tender,keeps the battery charged all the time.Cost about $50.00.
Mine would drain every two weeks. Kept batteries charged with the battery tender over the winter - no problems now - battery tender not connected during the summer.
Masternorth
06-08-2010, 02:33 PM
Thanks for the suggestions. I do have the dual battery set-up and I turn the switch to 1 battery when away so that I have 1 good battery when I come back to start the boat.
The battery tender solution will not work for me as I leave the boat at a dealer during winter and my boat sits in water far from electricity during the summer...
cdevro
06-10-2010, 11:32 AM
You could look into a solar power battery tender.
BNIROOSTER
06-10-2010, 11:54 AM
The auto bilge should work even when the batt is switched off.
Thrall
06-10-2010, 12:11 PM
It's an 08. Isn't it still under warrranty, or have you installed aftermarket stuff that could be causing the batteries to drain?
BNIROOSTER
06-10-2010, 12:50 PM
The auto bilge should work even when the batt is switched off.
Masternorth
06-10-2010, 01:06 PM
The auto bilge should work even when the batt is switched off.
I will make a test of the bilge with the battery off and if this works, it should solve part of the problem. Battery could also start to be weak since it was completely discharged and recharged about 10 times over the past 2 years.
It's an 08. Isn't it still under warrranty, or have you installed aftermarket stuff that could be causing the batteries to drain?
Everything is original from factory and it should still be guaranteed. I had asked the dealer to check for an electrical problem last Fall but it was never done. Problem is my dealer went belly up during the winter and I have a 6 hours round trip to do to go to the closest dealer now. I will have to be a lot more involved with my boat then I was previously.
Thanks for the help!
Thrall
06-10-2010, 05:46 PM
Didn't realize you were so far from the dealer.
If it's similar to my 06 X2, there's 3 main power leads that come off the starting battery. 1 to the engine/starter motor, 1 to the drivers area that controls all the accessories, dash functions, etc and 1 to the ballast pump breakers.
I'd start by disconencting the 2ga wire that goes to the dash as this one controls most of the elect gadgets in the boat. My bilge pumps are wired from under the dash I believe, so that would kill the pumps in my case. Do you think your bilge pumps are cycling alot? They shouldn't. My 06 with the dripless seal for the propshaft doesn't take on an ounce of water unless I take a roller over the bow.
I don't have trim tabs, so don't know if that could be the cause.
I guess start disconnecting things that could be the cause, one at a time, stereo amps, trim tabs, bilge pumps, etc until teh battery doesn't go dead.
I will make a test of the bilge with the battery off and if this works, it should solve part of the problem.
I'm interested in knowing if this is true as well.
Eagle Lake Rebel
06-10-2010, 10:25 PM
In late model MC's bilge will will work with batts turned off. The trim tab moving to the neutral position when engine not running is normal. Even when the tab is in the up position it will cycle itself for a short blip. Not sure about the reason for the tab doing this but it is the normal thing for it to do. I use it as a reminder to turn my batts off when I hear it cycle.
TallRedRider
06-11-2010, 12:38 AM
The auto bilge should work even when the batt is switched off.
It should, but it doesn't. At least on my 06 the bilge pumps were wired to the perko switch and were shut off when the batteries are shut off. I rewired one of mine straight to the battery. MC has made a big booboo in my mind here. My Tige had it wired straight to the battery...and I think there are most other manufacturers that have not overlooked this.
1boarder
06-12-2010, 10:25 AM
My 08 X2 will also drain the battery in roughly 2 weeks. If I do not plan on using it for a week, I will cut the battery switch off. I looked for the drain for a while but I think it is the VDIG. I have not tested if the bilge will work with the batteries off. With the battery switch off, your batteries are ok for weeks. If you find that the bilge pumps do not work with the switches off, your easiest solution may be to rewire you bilge pumps straight to the battery and cut the switch off.
venetrex
06-12-2010, 02:22 PM
I noticed you mentioned you had the battery on the combine setting. If you have the stock blue sea switch, the settings are on off and combine. If you have the switch in the combine setting then your batteries are going to die always . In that setting the automatic charging relay cannot do it's job, combining the batteries only when charging. The combine setting is only if one battery is below 10.8 volts at which point the acr will not activate
Silverdawg
06-12-2010, 05:08 PM
The auto bilge should work even when the batt is switched off.
Just what I was going to say....
So why is it that I can let my 1999 Chevy Tahoe sit for up to 6 months at a time and it will start right up, but my 2008 X-14 will have a completely drained battery after 3 weeks? I have found that it will last 4 weeks before going completely dead if the amp is disconnected.
So why is it that I can let my 1999 Chevy Tahoe sit for up to 6 months at a time and it will start right up, but my 2008 X-14 will have a completely drained battery after 3 weeks? I have found that it will last 4 weeks before going completely dead if the amp is disconnected.
Best way to find the cause is by using a meter to measure current draw and disconnect the breakers or the devices until you determine it.
The auto bilge should work even when the batt is switched off.
I confirmed that this is in fact true this morning with a test, at least on an 09 X2. I hooked up the hose, put it in the foward bildge (left forward and rear bildge switches in the auto position), and turned on the water while the perko battery swtich was in postion 1 (on). Bildge filled up and when the water level reached 3/4 up the Rule Bildge pump, it kicked on and started draining. :D Let it discharge untill the auto disengaged, pulled plug and let the remainin water drain out.
Repeated the above but this time turned the Perko swtich to off, turn on radio and discharged all remaining current. Then put water back on, filled the bildge (switches for forward and rear bildge pumps still in auto position), and when the water level reached 3/4 up the pump, started discharging water again. :D
I didn't test the rear bildge, so I am assuming its the same setup and would function the same as the forward bildge pump. Hope this helps others with similar boats/setup.
TheOneandOnly
03-18-2011, 02:48 PM
Ok, so I hear there was issues with the 08 Vdig's drawing 70-90mA of current with the boat off and after sitting for a couple weeks the batteries would discharge.
Hum- this is now making sense since I have already blew thru 2 batteries in 2 years pretty lame.
Also service manager at dealer says that it is a wire that needs to be put onto the ingnition key switch and that it is not warranty. I find it bullshxx when they have known all about this for a while
Does anyone know what wire color it is so I can do it my self I dont want to pay for a stupid thing...
BTW: im an electrical engineering technician so no issues working with electrical stuff...
rgardjr1
03-18-2011, 03:12 PM
Ok, so I hear there was issues with the 08 Vdig's drawing 70-90mA of current with the boat off and after sitting for a couple weeks the batteries would discharge.
Hum- this is now making sense since I have already blew thru 2 batteries in 2 years pretty lame.
Also service manager at dealer says that it is a wire that needs to be put onto the ingnition key switch and that it is not warranty. I find it bullshxx when they have known all about this for a while
Does anyone know what wire color it is so I can do it my self I dont want to pay for a stupid thing...
BTW: im an electrical engineering technician so no issues working with electrical stuff...
I'm guessing that the dealer wants to change the power to the VDIG from constant power to switched power? If so I would look at the breakers and see if anything is labeled VDIG and try to confirm that this wired to be always hot. If it is then change it over to a switched source. I have a 2006 and my bilge pumps did not stay hot when I turned the battery switch to off. I pulled the breaker panel and ran constant hot lead to the input side of the breaker for my bilge pumps. I think you'd be doing the same thing except you want to replace a constant power with a switched power source.
Ok, so I hear there was issues with the 08 Vdig's drawing 70-90mA of current with the boat off and after sitting for a couple weeks the batteries would discharge.
Hum- this is now making sense since I have already blew thru 2 batteries in 2 years pretty lame.
Also service manager at dealer says that it is a wire that needs to be put onto the ingnition key switch and that it is not warranty. I find it bullshxx when they have known all about this for a while
Does anyone know what wire color it is so I can do it my self I dont want to pay for a stupid thing...
BTW: im an electrical engineering technician so no issues working with electrical stuff...
I'd call MC, but that's me speaking as a former MC mechanic.
Have you measured current draw and determined where it is?
TheOneandOnly
03-19-2011, 09:41 AM
I'd call MC, but that's me speaking as a former MC mechanic.
Have you measured current draw and determined where it is?
No, I haven't done anything yet figured I could get some info on what I had to do before doing it. Call Mastercraft in TN?
Anyone know are they just cutting the PWR wire and tieing it into switch IGN?
No, i haven't measured current draw (will do when i get into it) but the display was on by itself a couple times without the keys turned ON. I even had the battery PWR switch turned too OFF. This is a known problem that they have (per one mechanic that I talked to).
TheOneandOnly
03-19-2011, 09:50 AM
I'm guessing that the dealer wants to change the power to the VDIG from constant power to switched power? If so I would look at the breakers and see if anything is labeled VDIG and try to confirm that this wired to be always hot. If it is then change it over to a switched source. I have a 2006 and my bilge pumps did not stay hot when I turned the battery switch to off. I pulled the breaker panel and ran constant hot lead to the input side of the breaker for my bilge pumps. I think you'd be doing the same thing except you want to replace a constant power with a switched power source.
Supposedly the mechanic I talked to says there is a IGN wire that they can connect to switch power so I figured someone already probably has ran into this and knew the wire color. Or maybe they are just switching the PWR lead to switch PWR? Anyone?
No, I haven't done anything yet figured I could get some info on what I had to do before doing it. Call Mastercraft in TN?
Anyone know are they just cutting the PWR wire and tieing it into switch IGN?
I meant that you might want to call MC so you can find out if they know of an issue with this and compare what they say with what the dealer said. The first step would be to do what I asked about- measure how much current draw is occurring at rest and find out if it's indeed the VDIG that's the culprit. If you do the math, .090mA over 24 hours only comes to 2.16AH and over 2 weeks, that shouldn't discharge the battery. I think you have something else causing the problem.
If you have a battery switch, the easy way to keep this from happening is to turn it off when you're not using the boat but the correct way to address it is to measure the current craw, identify the cause and if something is staying on/mis-wired/defective, repair or replace it. If it's actually the VDIG, find out if it needs a constant voltage source to work as designed (memory circuit, etc)- if it does, it should have been designed with non-volatile memory or internal battery and if it doesn't, it would be better to discuss the repair with MC because it's their warranty that you run the risk of voiding by modifying it, yourself.
If they tell you to go ahead and which wire needs to be re-connected, the easiest/most reliable way will be to find a switched lead and a ground wire that aren't being used (a couple of accessory connections should be under the dash), connect:
Tab 30- Constant 12DVC source (the battery side of the VDIG would be fine)
Tab 87- the VDIG side of the cut wire
Tab 85- Ground
Tab 86- switched 12VDC wire. Tie the relay up so it can't move and it will no longer draw current when the key is off.