Current draw

[KevinWI]

Well.... I believe I figure this out. out of the water there is no issue...I left it for weeks and cranks just fine....I have the plug out so boat drains during rain.
I think....the bilge float switch sticks sometimes with pine needles after a rain and inadvertently drains the battery running all night.
A guest called me with a drained battery....said when he plugged in the charger, the bilge turned on.

 

[thill]

That is a common issue. Glad you found it!

Pine needles are a pain. A shop-vac can get them, IF you can reach all areas under there.
Thats why I cover my boat, even if just with a cheap tarp. Got tired of all the leaves and needles causing trouble.

 

[thill]

The biggest thing is to recharge your batteries immediately after use.

I personally don't use a trickle charger, except for a boat in the water in the wintertime. If you have a voltage leak in your boat, put in a battery switch. Your batteries should not just drop voltage for no reason.

Something I've noticed is that guys I know who constantly use trickle chargers always seem to be replacing batteries and having issues. I've been over their place and heard something. Look in the back and their batteries were bubbling. This is days after their last use of their boat.

I've talked a couple of guys out of using them, and they have much fewer battery issues as a result. Use, charge and leave them alone until you use again. A top-off charge to your TM batteries is not a bad idea, but just leaving current connected to your batteries is not my choice.

That being said, I've heard that some of the newer tenders don't boil batteries as much as the older ones. To each their own.

 

[airshot]

That is a common issue. Glad you found it!

Pine needles are a pain. A shop-vac can get them, IF you can reach all areas under there.
Thats why I cover my boat, even if just with a cheap tarp. Got tired of all the leaves and needles causing trouble.

I hear ya....hate having a boat full of debris, especially leaves and needles !! After a few years of fighting tarps and covers, went permanent with a big barn. Even before that, created lean to's off my garage, even made a lean to off a 6' tall privacy fence. One place had one of those arched roof type portable sheds to keep my boat under. Keeping your boat out of mother nature's abuse, makes a hugh difference on having less problems !!

 

[thill]

I had a portable garage with a tarp roof from HFT, and LOVED it. It was this one:
https://www.harborfreight.com/autom.../10-ft-x-20-ft-portable-car-canopy-63054.html
Then came a surprise 14" snowfall overnight and it got destroyed. Was supposed to be an inch or two, said the weatherman. I would have just taken it down, had I known.

I still haven't replaced it. Waiting for the 10x20 to go back on sale for $99, but it hasn't happened recently.