Battery discharge

rasbury

@PickleRick
- no, the alternator gauge was not showing volts while at idle. Best I can recall it always did. I tested each battery, at idle to verify they were charging which they are.  I'd assume there is no gray area on an alternator. The main concern with the alternator was checking it for bad diode(s,) so I disconnected the hot wire to the alternator which did not change the draw- so I assume that clears the alternator.

As far as checking, multimeter on 10 amp max setting. Ignition is off- battery switch is off. I have not rechecked battery 2 but it was dead 0 on the draw. The only thing I'm sure i should have done but did not was taking the genset off. Not sure why I think that but would make sense to rule it out. So, the test is remove the neg cable and test between the post and the cable.

The radio is dead and will not turn on. I do not know if the amp is on or not - 4 amps though?

Battery switch during test is off.

As far as other electrical issues-
The spot light is not operating. I thought the control head was bad and replaced it. It was going up and down but now it does nothing. I did not pull the two blade fuses but assume this is not going to be a draw.

No tv plugged in..radio off.  No bilge pumps running.  As mentioned the sump pump is bad or jammed up- i cut the wires to it.

I guess pulling fuses and find the circuit it is comming from?

Ian

@PickleRick An alternator should charge at idle versus a generator that needs to be spun faster.

@rasbury does this have a mercathode system? Maybe it has an issue? Other than that battery isolator faulty feeding back 1 into the other?

rasbury

@Ian, yes, it does have the mercathode system which i know zip about, yet it sounds like. I was talking with someone else who suggested dropping the selector and look for wires connected along with the bat one battery wire. Along the lines of what @Formulaben was saying above- the picture he posted I'm not sure I'm seeing that? One positive term has nothing and I don't see the second clearly enough. It would not make sense to me, for example, if the bilge pump is connected to bat 1 connection to the switch and that battery goes dead I have no pump?
By the time my ownership is done I will be a certified mechanic but old...

PickleRick

Ian said:

@PickleRick An alternator should charge at idle versus a generator that needs to be spun faster.

@rasbury does this have a mercathode system? Maybe it has an issue? Other than that battery isolator faulty feeding back 1 into the other?

I agree.  For some reason mine doesn't "activate" on initial start untill the throttle is bumped.  After that it puts out 13.25-13.5v at idle.