Contacted Scarab!

[Joatmon]

That is what makes this frustrating. The amp draw is coming through the switch with the switch off and even with the radio and bilge wires disconnected.

 

[Beachbummer]

Well.... I see... But what does the switch wiring look like? I bet something else is wired straight in. Looking at the actual connectors on the switch will reveal the truth) Possibilities: The switch is broke and passes current when off. OR It's not wired like it seems it is, and there is some other parasitic drain at the other end of the red wire you are checking, and before the switch.

 

[Joatmon]

I have had the breaker panel off numerous times to see the wire connection side. The positive battery cable, radio memory and bilge are the only wires to the single stud on the hot side of the switch. Usually the contacts on a master switch are positioned such that there cannot be any connection. Maybe the grease used inside has some conductivity. Just thought about that one. Thanks for your help.

 

[Beachbummer]

Does the draw even change when the switch turns on? Best of luck. It's got to be something there.

 

[Joatmon]

Good point. I did not check that to be sure. I do know the master does kill all the power to everything I try to turn on. I'm going to check into a possible master switch leak. It might be the lubrication allowing current between the contacts in the off position.

 

[ScarabBrett]

I'm looking into this issue. I sent you a private message on this. Brett

 

[Beachbummer]

Keep us posted, and let us know if you figure it out!

 

[JetTech72]

Do you have a Medallion screen?
If so, with your multi-meter reading current draw, remove fuse C1 & C3 from the small fuse box that should be located in the helm.

 

[Joatmon]

No I don't. I have the breaker panel as you can see in a picture above. The fuses you are referring are to the stereo and GPS. I do not have a factory GPS, but the only two wires I have on the hot side of the master switch are not drawing any current. Stereo memory and bilge. The current draw is through the master when it is off even with all these wires removed from the hot side.

I did hear from Scarab and they have offered to send me a new master switch. I will change and see what I get. I just hate that I am having to go through all this hassle. I believe the leak is due to a conductive lubricant inside the master switch allowing flow between the disconnected contacts.

Since dealer #2 said I was not getting any amp draw I have to assume they did not have the right meter or did not know how to use it properly. I ended up with a $320 invoice and a torn off breaker boot.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Beachbummer]

Sorry for the harp... Before changing it, test the new one statically... Better be infinity when turned off. And double check yours, you already saw continuity when off, so the switch being the culprit makes total sense.

Best of luck with the new switch, hopefully gets you all set.

 

[PapaBear]

I think i I have same issue... My boat is going in today. I keep getting deaddbatteries... Boat won't even crank today with new battery placed in. So keep us up to tdate plz

 

[Joatmon]

I think i I have same issue... My boat is going in today. I keep getting deaddbatteries... Boat won't even crank today with new battery placed in. So keep us up to tdate plz

Scarab did send me a new master switch. I won’t be able to install until the end of the month. I’ll let you know how what I find.

 

[Joatmon]

I have an update. I installed a new master switch convienced I was getting "leakage" through conductive grease on the internal contacts. This is was not the problem. Old and new master switches have the same continuity readings switched on and off.

I was still getting a milliamp draw with the new switch off so I started removing one wire at a time and tracing until I found the source.

The wires on the non-switched side (power) of the master are to the radio memory, the starboard engine ECU and the port engine ECU. One of the ECU power wires pulls .136 ma and the other one pulls zero. I did not trace the wires back the ECU's to know which engine is drawing the power but one of them is draining my battery.

Scarab is working with me to resolve the problem. They are contacting BRP.

 

[Joatmon]

I think i I have same issue... My boat is going in today. I keep getting deaddbatteries... Boat won't even crank today with new battery placed in. So keep us up to tdate plz

PapaBear,

Sorry I have an update but my post was not a reply to your message so you probably didn't know.

I heard from Scarab today. They contacted BRP and I was asked to check the breaker and relay going to the ECU for corrosion or possible stuck contacts. Maybe causing the power draw. ? More debug.

My boat is in Florida so I won't be able to check for another month when I go back. I'm retiring in June so won't be going back and forth. Can't wait.

What did you find out about your battery issue?

 

[Joatmon]

Update....After working with the Scarab service tech through email the battery draining issue has been identified. The cam positioning sensor on one engine is drawing power when the master switch is off. The ECU's are wired to the unswitched side of the master switch so the .129 amp draw from the cam sensor is enough to drain the battery dead after sitting for a week. I am not sure if the cam sensor positioning indicating device is a proximity sensor and or an encoder. Right now I am waiting for Scarab to talk with local dealer to make arrangements for the replacement repair. The local dealer told me I did not have a battery drain issue so I am nervous about going back to the local dealer.

 

[Beachbummer]

It seems like a bad idea for the ECU to be unswitched.

Is there a reason to keep it that way?

A draw is a draw. Better fully disconnected it would seem.

 

[Joatmon]

Just because it was wired that way originally. I have asked Scarab the same question, but no answer yet. I leave the battery disconnected when parked so the ECU's are not powered. Factory wiring has the two ECU wires, bilge and the stereo channel memory all wired hot to unswitched side. I still have the problem with the cam sensor so hopefully I can get it replaced and not worry about this anymore.

 

[Chad Anderson]

Any update on this? Curious how it turned out.

 

[Joatmon]

Scarab stopped communicating with me. My questions went unanswered and the plan to take the boat to the Florida R&D facility for resolution never come to fruition. I had to resolve the problem myself. It was not the cam positioning sensor draining the battery but a plug-in black module wired to the engine fuse block. The Scarab tech would not answer my question as to function of the black module.

Dennis with CanDoo was a great resource but he could not find anything on the mysterious black module.

I moved the wire to the fuse block with the black module to the switched side of the master battery switch. All good now. I switch the master battery off and have a fully charged battery when I hit the water without having to disconnect the battery. It took a year to get resolved.

The local dealer had told me there was nothing wrong with my boat. And they are the professionals?

 

[JetTech72]

If you disconnect the ECU do you drop the current draw to zero?

You can always get the ECU on the switched power, only reason it's not switch is to prevent issue while writing the drive cycle information internally.
If you do so, just give the system about 1 min, after you have turn ignition swithc off, before turning the battery switch off.