XANTREX reads .6AMPs at rest...is that normal?

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abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
Even when the battery are in the off position I get .5-.6amp discharge. I know the bilge pumps bypasses the battery switch and also the radio has a connection to keep its memmory directly to the battery just like your car. I disconnected shore power cables just in case. Is this a normal rate of discharge reading? I know this has been discussed before...but could not get answeres from the archives. FYU I have 4 27 batteries, 3 are connected to the Xantrex monitor...the other is the starter battery and completely seperated from the 3 house. thanks in advance, abe
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
>5 Amp x 24 hours = 12 ampere -hours x30 days =

360 ampere-hours= dead batteries!
 

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
I guess I have to look for the electrical leak...

Could a bad battery do this?
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
An internal short wouldn't show up on the

monitor.
 
May 5, 2004
181
Hunter 386 Little River, SC
The Xantrex unit itself will draw .1 maybe .2 amps

Also, do you have CO monitors, smoke alarms etc working ? Jeff
 
Jan 5, 2007
101
- - NY
Since you mentioned...

....the direct connection of the bilge pump...Are there ANY wires on your NEGATVE battery terminal other than the main thick cable leading to the Xantrex Shunt. Any other negative wires on the terminal can cause the Xantrx to give false readings. The problem may lie with a real current drain elsewhere...but this is easy to check first.
 

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
FAULTY BATTERY INTEGRATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...it kicked in at a much lower voltage and the solenoid draws .5amps. Funny, the gadget that is suppose to keep your batteries isolated and integrate them when charging to protect you....actually was draining the batteries. thanks all, abe
 

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
I have a 3 way switch too....

...this is the way my new H36 came wired when I upgraded the inverter/charger. abe
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Abe

Sorry abe can't help you but you said you have 4 -27 group batteries and your 36 has an inverter. My new 2007 36 was ordered with an inverter and comes with 3-27 group batteries,is there plenty of room to add a fourth battery in the factory box. Does your 36 list to port,my 36 is now in the commissioning process and thinking of up grading the batteries. Nick
 
T

Tom S

Abe are you talking about a "battery combiner"

when you say "BATTERY INTEGRATOR"? How is that tied into your boat? I am assuming that your 3 Group 27 batteries are hardwired together & the battery combiner is only there to tie into your starter battery and give it charging current when the main bank of Group 27's are above 13.1 Volts (charging state) What brand battery combiner do you have? I have used the "Echo Charger" (non-solenoid battery combiner - its all solid-state) . Obviously if the battery voltage are below 13.1 Volts at rest and that combiner solenoid is activated then there is obviously something wrong with it. Here is one on sale for $60 http://www.yandina.com/c100Info.htm I think there is a lifetime warranty, I also think these guys used to make the ones that West Marine sold
 

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
Newmar BI 100 Integrator....

I guess it is also called a combiner. I have 3-27 for house and 1-27 for starter. When charging the higher voltage causes a solenoid on the integrator to combine all 4 batteries so you do not have to use the selector switch. When the charger is off...or alternator..the lower voltage causes the solenoid to quit functioning and allows the batteries to seperate in 2 banks. In my case, the integrator did not stop integrating untill the voltage was really low...and thus always pulling .5-.6amps keeping both banks together. This integrator is a so that you don't have to place your battery switch in to the both position when charging and into the house bank when not. I hope that explains. When I upgraded my boat to a better inverter, the local hunter dealer added the integrator. abe
 

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
Seadaddler....

Originally my boat came with one box for two batteries. I added a second box in the same compartment for another two batteries. I resolved the listing problem by adding an additional 20gal of water under the starboard dinning settee. Some people have moved their batteries to that site instead..if you do you might consider sealed batteries. Tom, my combiner was combining at 12.7 volts and not letting go till 12.5 volts....guess its time for a new one. abe
 
T

Tom S

Abe, I heard good things from the Combiner

That I linked below from Yandina. For $60 it seems reasonable especially for a lifetime warranty. It is interesting though that they set the combining charging voltage to 13.3 which seems a bit higher than I would have guessed.
 

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
Tom, keep in mind that chargers and alternators.

..will charge at above that point and depending which batteries you have they can start a charge at 13.8 to 14.+ v. The combiner will keep it combined untill the v drops below 12.8. So basically, from the momment you start to charge to the point your batteries get below 12.8 you are combined. abe
 
T

Tom S

Abe thats true

So most times the "combiner" will allow the current to flow to the starter battery (or second bank). The one problem that can occur is when you have a boat tied to shore power all the time. Typically then the 115 VAC charger is just sitting in "float mode" and most float at about 13.1 v (mine does). This is even good 3-Stage chargers. Your boat could be sitting a long time just in "float mode" where the voltage never gets above 13.1 volts, unless its cycled out of that. So in theory your combiner would never be trickling current to your starter battery for a while. Probably not a big deal and probably won't hurt anything, but in a perfect scenario when you leave your boat for a long time (months?) on shore power your starter battery might be getting any charge at all and slowly losing its capacity. Since the combiner keeps everything "combined" down to 12.8 volts then this scenario probably wouldn't happen - I am just trying to think through worst case scenario's
 

abe

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Jan 2, 2007
736
- - channel islands
Tom, I will sell you defective unit and your ....

problem be resolved. abe
 
T

Tom S

LOL. No thats ok ;)

I was just thinking of different scenario's. Obviously 12.8 volts is not what I want either.
 
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