Help! Please view pic and help me with battery charge settings for Optima yellow top

  • Well I’m screwed.


    The battery is dead every three days. I don’t have a voltmeter so I can’t do the testing. I am leading 15 Slingshots on a ride to the coast this Sunday. Damn it.

    You will be riding it daily, so you shouldn't have an issue with the battery, so don't give into despair just yet. If you have a Harbor Freight nearby, they are super cheap, or just simply do a two day Amazon purchase. The most expensive option would be purchasing a battery but I wouldn't do that without knowing what the true issue of the parasitic drain. You could remove the battery and take it to where you purchased it from for testing, they will let you know if you actually have a good battery or not. If they give you the green light that the battery is good, reinstall it and have Advance Auto, O'reilly's, Pep Boys or the automotive store of your choosing check your charging system (make sure your alternator is good and no loose connections, etc.). I know you'd like to lead that ride with confidence in your SS's ability to start every time. You have this!

  • How would I change the radio from always on to only on with ignition? I don’t know if that would make any difference. I’m 99% sure it’s the radio. It can’t be any5hing else as all was fine until the radio install and air ride install. But the air ride only draws for a digital clock. That won’t drain a battery in three days.

  • How would I change the radio from always on to only on with ignition? I don’t know if that would make any difference. I’m 99% sure it’s the radio. It can’t be any5hing else as all was fine until the radio install and air ride install. But the air ride only draws for a digital clock. That won’t drain a battery in three days.

    Yikes! That's an installer rookie mistake! Your installer would have to go back in and see if he needs to deal with only the head unit (HU) and/or the amplifier remote on wiring. Normally, I'd never install a radio always on because this is what can happen. It could be as easy as seeing where the amplifier power is being hooked up in the fuse box and switching it to an accessory fuse location. Without actually knowing your installers setup or seeing it, I can't give you a solution. I'm sorry. I can tell you that if it's in a constant on--that's your drain aka "the problem" with almost certainty.

  • Yikes! That's an installer rookie mistake! Your installer would have to go back in and see if he needs to deal with only the head unit (HU) and/or the amplifier remote on wiring. Normally, I'd never install a radio always on because this is what can happen. It could be as easy as seeing where the amplifier power is being hooked up in the fuse box and switching it to an accessory fuse location. Without actually knowing your installers setup or seeing it, I can't give you a solution. I'm sorry. I can tell you that if it's in a constant on--that's your drain aka "the problem" with almost certainty.

    I have a feeling that when she is saying always on she means you can turn it on without turning on the ignition or turning to accessory. I agree I dont like that idea but...its possible that even though she is turning off the radio...the AMPS are still on and are not shutting off. I recommended to remove the fuse from the stereo and amps until its gets looked at and figured out to keep from draining the battery any further.


    SSREAPER

    :BLACKSS: 2016 SL LE BLACK PEARL :HEADERSS::COLDAIRSS::COILOVERSS::MOTOROILSS::OILFILTERSS:

  • Always on, in 12V normally means someone didn't wire it to the accy switch but to a constant power source. So, my response for clarity was that the installer shouldn't have wired it to a constant power source. I understood her but my response could have caused confusion, so thanks for helping me respond to offer clarity.


    Accessory isn't an always on position but a hardwired constant on power source, where your audio is upgraded audio is hooked up to--is the "always on". Simple solution as noted and suggested is to pull the fuse or fuses. Simple way with less issues would be to pull the fuse in the fuse box but you could always pull the fuse to the + amp cable..or progress from there and pull the fuses from the amps or head units if you're determined lol


    Thanks @SSREAPER

  • if the amps are always hot even in standby mode with the head unit off that could easily be enough draw to kill a battery - hopefully the guy didnt just run the hot from the amp straight to the positive of the battery with just a line fuse. I have seen idiots do this in the past when there isnt a free spot in the fuse box.

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

  • if the amps are always hot even in standby mode with the head unit off that could easily be enough draw to kill a battery - hopefully the guy didnt just run the hot from the amp straight to the positive of the battery with just a line fuse. I have seen idiots do this in the past when there isnt a free spot in the fuse box.

    Im guessing that may be what happened...either that or the amps are usually turned on and off from the remote wire from the radio...if the radio is still sending a signal even though it is "turned off"...that will keep the amps turned on so possibly a bad radio or they connected the remote wire from the amp to a hot wire and that is keeping them on.


    @Zorasmiles you definitely know your stuff Sir. Always like bouncing ideas around with you!!


    Were all pulling for you @studiopeg


    SSREAPER

    :BLACKSS: 2016 SL LE BLACK PEARL :HEADERSS::COLDAIRSS::COILOVERSS::MOTOROILSS::OILFILTERSS:

  • The audio place owner assured me the amps turn off when the radio turns off, but I'm not so sure. I have an appointment tomorrow at the dealership but I just talked to them and they said they really don't want to mess with it and asked that I go back to the audio place to have them fix the wiring to only come on when the ignition is on.


    The amps are behind the radio. I don't want to mess with it either, I don't know much about electronics.


    So for now the radio fuse is out. The battery was actually draining in 2 days. So when I get home from work tonight, if it isn't half drained then it's definitely the radio. I'll just leave the fuse out until Sunday's ride, then have them fix the wiring after that.

  • Rock and a hard place. Most dealerships won't touch an electrical problem without you first disconnecting all non-OEM aftermarket equipment for them to check the system. Trust me, I had this issue with Chrysler once and had to disconnect all of our aftermarket stereo equipment and head units, only for them to find out it was a bad alternator. Afterwards I had to hook everything back up. OH, biggest pain of all was disabling the alarm/auto start system!


    So, if you return home and there's no drain on the system. You have a case for the audio place who did the install. You can politely ask them to check your system as Polaris is refusing based on the issue did not exist until after the installation of the audio equipment. Ask them as a courtesy to rule out any bad grounds, hook ups to a constant power source, etc., you'd appreciate them giving a once over. I'm hoping they understand and just ask you to drop it back off, as you've been patient and you have done a lot of the leg work. Good luck.

  • Home from work, radio fuse out all day, battery at 100%.


    Well that didn't take long to determine for sure...


    I will call the audio installer tomorrow and tell him I need an appointment for them to re-wire the electronics correctly. Sheesh I paid top dollar to go to this place because that's all they do, electronics installs in cars and motorcycles. you'd think it would have been done right............

  • Home from work, radio fuse out all day, battery at 100%.


    Well that didn't take long to determine for sure...


    I will call the audio installer tomorrow and tell him I need an appointment for them to re-wire the electronics correctly. Sheesh I paid top dollar to go to this place because that's all they do, electronics installs in cars and motorcycles. you'd think it would have been done right............

    well at least you know what the problem is and now you can take your ride without having to wonder if your battery will make it - not perfect but better than not knowing :/

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

  • well at least you know what the problem is and now you can take your ride without having to wonder if your battery will make it - not perfect but better than not knowing :/

    guys.... I need the radio on during the ride for the navigation. It should be fine because the sling is running, right?

  • @SSREAPER that smooch was for having the matches on standby LOL Thanks for giving her the correct answer of "no fear" of the battery dying while riding though. I'm sure that took a load off. Now, let's see the installers sweat bullets as they battle with a woman with even more knowledge and empirical knowledge to boot of why her sling was dying LOL I'm sure there will be some stuttering followed by zero apologies but we took a look but didn't find anything---which is code for "we corrected our mistake but won't tell you" LOL