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Topic: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS (Read 2634 times) |
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ashley
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BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« on: Mar 1st, 2012, 12:55pm » |
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Hi All, as I have mentioned before I have had a battery drain problem for some time, as my battery seemed not to be holding its charge to well I replaced it with a new one. All was fine for about 3 weeks then yesterday the needles flicked over once more and the battery was reading 11.8 volts. I put my meter in line as suggested and I found it was reading either 1.4 amps or maybe 140 milliamps hard to figure out with this old meter of mine. I know both are too high. I therefore started to remove one fuse at a time to try and find the effected circuit it turned out to be fuse 24 (FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE AUDIO EQUIPMENT.), on removing this fuse the meter fell back to zero. On examination of the interior lights and radio all seem well apart from the display on the radio is working when it wants and the bulb had blown in the glove box passenger side. Everything else seemed to be working as it should. After opening the door and closing it again, the reading on the meter showed 2.7 and it took 25 minutes or so to drop back to 1.4. Well thats it anyone got any thoughts. Thanks Ashley
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Simmo
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #1 on: Mar 1st, 2012, 2:36pm » |
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Ashley. Relay 16 in the battery side fusebox is the battery saver relay. This should 'close down' things after about half and hour so I wonder if that is faulty? Seems strange that there is drop after about that time though. Just a thought.  Is the glove box bulb a clue? Has it burnt out because it has been on when the door is shut?.Is the boot light going off?. Fuse 36 also covers the battery saver. 
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ashley
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #2 on: Mar 1st, 2012, 3:39pm » |
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Hi Simmo thanks for the reply I will work backwards the boot light is going off, I thought the battery saver must be working as the amps did drop after 20 to 25 mins but it looks like something is still left on so I will look at that relay. Anything is worth a try Thanks Ashley
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Simmo
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #3 on: Mar 1st, 2012, 3:53pm » |
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I have a note in my file from 2008 which relates to an electrical problem and the interior light seems also to be affected by Fuse 17 as does the clock the heater controls and the heater blower switch. Worth a try?.
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ashley
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #4 on: Mar 1st, 2012, 4:55pm » |
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hi again and thanks for your help I tried every fuse in the battery side fuse box and all in the central fuse box until I found that 24 dropped the meter there was only one fuse to try other than this and they all had no effect apart from fuse 24. Do you think that this in itself could be a clue. Ashley
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Tompion
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1997 2.3 Ultima estate.
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #5 on: Mar 1st, 2012, 5:09pm » |
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Just in case it’s of use to you, relay 5 is listed as heated rear screen but it’s for the interior lights. Without it the lights still work manually via the roof switches but don’t work via the door switches, remote etc – so presumably isolates them from the central timer.
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ashley
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #6 on: Mar 1st, 2012, 6:40pm » |
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Hi thats sounds as if it may be part of the problem I will remove it and see what happens thanks.
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Mike H
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Renault Clio
 
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #7 on: Mar 2nd, 2012, 3:05pm » |
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FWIW yes glovebox light can stay on if switch won't go off, means glovebox 'lid' catch going slack and won't push the switch in far enough; my neighbour who had it before me had battery going mysteriously flat a few times then 'magically stopped', when I eventually looked at the glovebox bulb it had blown, that's why it had stopped draining the battery then. 
I have removed both glovebox & boot bulbs to make absolutely sure, also I usually leave the interior lights in the 'off' position.
Other things that are always on are the computer (ECU) - 'least I think it's that - which doubles as the alarm, also the radio receiver for the key fob remote which is only turned off at 150 hours.
Oh and radio (audio equipment) which needs constant power for its memory.
Check also no water / damp in the fuse boxes causing a electrical drain.
Also short journeys of just a few minutes each a couple of times a week will drain the battery eventually, which is what (to me) the 'after 3 weeks' sounds like, if so maybe need put a mains charger on once a month?
BTW taking someone else's advice I recently got one of them Maplin 4.8W solar panel chargers, seems quite good, all the while the car's at home it sits on the back parcel shelf and plugged into the rear cigar lighter socket.
HTH
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Mike H
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Pianoman
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24v Ultima Saloon & 2.0 16v Ultima Estate
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #8 on: Mar 3rd, 2012, 5:17pm » |
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@Mike H
How does the Maplin 4.8W solar panel charger work then ? is it permanently connected to the battery or do you have to disconnect it when use the car. Also do the connectors fit under the battery cover etc. I have tried looking this up but cant find much info.
Thanks
Tony
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Simmo
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #9 on: Mar 3rd, 2012, 5:52pm » |
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It fits in the cigar lighter. 
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Mike H
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Renault Clio
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #10 on: Mar 4th, 2012, 1:31pm » |
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quote "sits on the back parcel shelf and plugged into the rear cigar lighter socket" unquote
Instructions recommend unplug it before starting the car, also good idea to take it off the parcel shelf anyway as it's just loose.
If I remember ..
Supplied with cigar socket plug & croc clips
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Mike H
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gost
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #12 on: Mar 4th, 2012, 3:38pm » |
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I only use scorp once a week now for shopping, had flat battery yesterday, called AA started first time on his booster, he suggested solar trickle charger, so i bought the cheap one from maplin, only 1.5 w but will let you all know if car starts nex week, plugs straight into cigar lighter
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2.3 ultima
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Pianoman
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24v Ultima Saloon & 2.0 16v Ultima Estate
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #13 on: Mar 4th, 2012, 4:13pm » |
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Thanks, so the battery clips in the picture are only if you want to connect the panel direct to a battery?
Tony
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gost
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #14 on: Mar 4th, 2012, 4:44pm » |
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yes
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2.3 ultima
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Mike H
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Renault Clio
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #15 on: Mar 4th, 2012, 6:44pm » |
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on Mar 4th, 2012, 3:38pm, gost wrote:I only use scorp once a week now for shopping, had flat battery yesterday,
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That's the sort of problem I have too
Quote:| called AA started first time on his booster, he suggested solar trickle charger, so i bought the cheap one from maplin, only 1.5 w but will let you all know if car starts nex week, plugs straight into cigar lighter |
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That's what I was using before, not quite up to it unless you get a lot of direct sunshine. Even then only prolongs the inevitable which is stick a mains charger on, on average once a month.
Might still have to do that at some point, will find out later.
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Mike H
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Mike H
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Re: BATTERY DRAIN PROBLEMS
« Reply #16 on: Mar 4th, 2012, 6:48pm » |
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on Mar 4th, 2012, 4:13pm, Pianoman wrote:Thanks, so the battery clips in the picture are only if you want to connect the panel direct to a battery?
Tony |
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on Mar 4th, 2012, 4:44pm, gost wrote:
Make sure the 2-pin plug receptacle contacts are tight, had to squeeze mine with pliers so that they were.
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Mike H
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