2001 Launch Battery Draw

[solo]

I bought a 2001 Launch Pro last year, and the battery keeps going dead. I have to crank my boat at least every week, if I miss a week, it will not crank. The dealer has installed four batteries inmy boat over the last year. I have even bought an Optima battery and it was dead in the same amonut of time as the original. Has anyone else experienced this problem. I feel like a dum---, when I invite friends to go boarding, and they see this $35,000 Plus boat setting in the water that will not crank.

[Tig]

I had the same thing occur on my 2001 Moomba Outback. My battery would drain down if it was inactive for over a week and I left the removable faceplate on the stereo while in storage. Once I started removing the faceplate after each use, I had no problems. I now have a 2002 Launch SSV. It has a breaker switch that isolates the battery (and eliminates this issue). I vaguely remember my dealer mentioning that this was new for the 2002. Anyway, I forgot to hit the breaker once and wound up killing the battery due to "radio drain".

I would also suggest looking at the sound system first. With our factory Kenwood system, although you can get the face to say "OFF', it really isn't unless it goes totally blank and out. This is accomplished by holding the src button down for a few seconds.

If this doesn't fix your problem, you can isolate the drawing circuit by putting a volt meter between the ground cable and the battery ground (with the cable taken off the battery). By eliminating each circuit until the draw is taken care of (thereby identifying the circuit that is the culprit).

[solo]

I guess I failed to mention that I have tried removing the face plate on the radio. My dealer also found out, with the radio I have, a Kenwood version, you have to hold the power power button down to completely turn the unit off and the amp off. These two solutions did not solve the problem either.

[dmgx]

You have a master breaker on your boat as well. I would turn it off while not in use, that willeliminate any drain on the battery. Jay Warren

[solo]

DMGX,

I have tried that as well, the battery still goes dead, and also the if I am correct, the master switch kills the bilge pump as well, and I would like to leave the bilge pump active.

[Dan Birchler]

If you disconnect the battery from the boat at the ground and put a volt meter in line between the two, you will detect voltage draw on the meter. This should allow you to track down the circuit that is causing your problem. Also, if one of the positive diodes fail in an alternator, you will have a draw on the battery and the alternator will still charge (this is not common but can happen).

[H2Oman]

I had the same problem. My stereo and amp were wired in "pre" master switch. They will continue to pull voltage even if they are off and the master is off. I had to have the dealer rewire them "post" master switch. Have them check all accessories added to your boat.