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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Battery saga once again
        
(Message started by: dana on Jun 18^th, 2007, 6:25pm)

Title: Battery saga once again
Post by dana on Jun 18^th, 2007, 6:25pm

Hi everyone!

You may remember I posted a couple of weeks back that my battery kept draining when I hadn't used my car for a while. I got the glove compartment light checked and that seemed to be causing the problem and the car was okay for a while. However, it's done it again!

Should I get a new battery?

Thanks for any help :)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by TiberiuS on Jun 18^th, 2007, 6:29pm

If it's still the same one it might be an idea ;)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by Tompion on Jun 18^th, 2007, 6:41pm

How was the glovebox fixed, could it be doing it again?

Dave

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by Highlander on Jun 18^th, 2007, 6:45pm

could be the alternator too

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by dana on Jun 18^th, 2007, 6:48pm

on 06/18/07 at 18:41:08, Tompion wrote:

How was the glovebox fixed, could it be doing it again?

The bulb was just taken out so it should still be okay I guess.

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by dana on Jun 18^th, 2007, 6:50pm

on 06/18/07 at 18:45:02, Highlander wrote:

could be the alternator too

The battery held its charge for a while and I had the alternator replaced not too long ago so I hope it isn't that, but thanks for the idea Highlander and I'll make sure it gets checked again.

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by Simmo on Jun 19^th, 2007, 7:03am

Check the cigar lighter socket as well. These can cause problems.

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by dana on Jun 19^th, 2007, 9:04am

on 06/19/07 at 07:03:30, Simmo wrote:

Check the cigar lighter socket as well. These can cause problems.

Cheers Simmo, will do. Anyone else got any ideas? ???

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by Spannerdemon on Jun 19^th, 2007, 10:57am

Check the light in the boot as well. If it stays on when the lid's closed and the car's parked, it will drain the battery. ;)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by pat on Jun 21^st, 2007, 2:49am

It's probably no help or consolation but 'er indoors' does it as well. I've checked all the usual things AND it's had a new battery AND it still does it for no apparent reason. Were Scorps designed for the sole purpose of driving people round the twist? :(

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by harry.m1byt on Jun 21^st, 2007, 8:41pm

I can't recall the correct module name, but there is a battery saver system. It only allows the glove box, boot light and interior lights to remain on for 20 minutes after the ignition is turned off. So discharge by these lamps should not occur.

Try an amp meter in series with one of the battery leads with everything off, reading should fall to around 10mA or less - but start on a 20amp range first and work down just in case.

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by Simmo on Jun 22^nd, 2007, 7:53am

There is a relay...No.16 in the auxillary fusebox, passenger side, which controls the power saver and fuse 36 in the same box. :)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by petehull on Jun 22^nd, 2007, 8:11am

Light on? ???

A way of being able to tell if the boot or glove compartment light or even the "Fridge" light is on when the door is closed is to get a piece of fibre optic strand and apply it near the bulb with the end poking out, you should be able to see the light through the strand.

8) pete ;D

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by mindofitsown on Jun 22^nd, 2007, 3:31pm

For the boot light you could also of course open the rear seats from inside and peer into the boot.

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by petehull on Jun 22^nd, 2007, 8:09pm

::)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by TiberiuS on Jun 22^nd, 2007, 9:11pm

on 06/22/07 at 15:31:53, mindofitsown wrote:

For the boot light you could also of course open the rear seats from inside and peer into the boot.

Or use the occasion to kidnap your bank manager and stuff him into the cavernous boot in the Scorpio ;)

Just remember to ask him whether the light goes out before you clobber him over the head with a sock full of sand ::)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by dan_the_man on Jun 24^th, 2007, 5:25pm

check if your vehicle is charging and at what voltage by depressing and Holding in the trip clock button on the dash for '10' seconds or so, the display will look as though it is broke ! then press and let go quickly to scroll through a list of engine type, relays speed in km/pr hr and charge rate in volts. My bus gives 13.6/7 volts and I have no battery issues yet ! thanks to snoopy for showing me that trick. Ps it works on all models, I have the exec. low spec.

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by dana on Jun 26^th, 2007, 11:05am

Thanks for all your advice everyone :D

I had my Scorp checked out by a mechanic dude and he said it's something to do with the internal lights, cos the battery was draining even when they were all switched off. He reckons it's either the relay for the internal lights or the whole system is faulty, the latter being expensive to fix.

So for now he's removed the relay and I have no internal lights. But at least my battery should stay charged for about three weeks which makes me happy ;D

Oh and I've put a torch in the glove compartment ;)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by macw on Jul 20^th, 2007, 7:59pm

My 2.3 is draining heavily and I noticed the fog lamp indicator was glowing when the car was off and the fog lamp switch off, and no fog lights on). I pulled the fog light fuses and they had no effect. I pulled the relay and the indicator light went brighter. Unfortuntely the vehicle came back from an extended engine repair and service with a loose main fuse box lid and I am concerned that the water may have got into the box and it is shorting, I haven't tried to see how this might affect the fog light indicator light by tracing the wire. I put this in on the off chance it might be happening to yours (when it's dark it is a good idea to look for any source of light) and to see if anyone has any comments on these symptoms. As a further note does anyone know when the "batery saver" relay cuts in? It would be good if it could cut in before the battery got too low to start the car but I'm not a battery expert. My battery is a new Halfords 600A Cadmium brute (halfords were the only people opne when it went first)

Title: Re: Battery saga once again
Post by scorpio_man on Jul 21^st, 2007, 10:49am

hi there

the battery saver switches the interior lights off after 20 mins.

it does sound like water in one of the layers in the fusebox(s).