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        General >> Problems >> Drain on battery
        
(Message started by: tintin on Sep 1^st, 2007, 3:23pm)

Title: Drain on battery
Post by tintin on Sep 1^st, 2007, 3:23pm

ok, so i had water getting into the passenger side, ecu and CCM got wet, car was broken. i fitted new ones and all was well under deluge recently. wet again. dried them off and refitted, car ran fine, but now has a drain that kills the battery overnight.

so, i have disconnected earth lead, and measured across lead and earth terminal 12V. disconnect ECU and CCM, still 12V. disconnect fuse box on drivers side, still 12V. pull all the wee fuses in aux box, still 12V. Pull all the relays, still 12V. disconnect the big fuse, same. cant get the two yellow 60A fuses out.

so what now? am i doing it right?

is it likely to be the aux box itself?

cheers

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by harry.m1byt on Sep 1^st, 2007, 10:10pm

You are using the correct method, apart from the setting of the meter.

If there is even the slightest of loads on the battery, then you will see 12v in the display. The impedence of the meter is around 1MOhm, so even a load of a resistance of 1MOhm (which is a very tiny load) will still show 6v on the meter.

You need to set the meter up to use a current range, or amps. Put the meter in series between battery and the negative lead, as you did before, but set the meter to its highest current setting (10 amps?). Now gradually turn the meters current range down, until you get a sensible current reading.

You need to keep in mind that if you open doors the interior light may come on and overload the meter, but the measured current should be in the milliamp range once things have settled down to sleep mode. Probably something less than 10mA I would guess.

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by jonnycab on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 1:14am

Sorry to be a bit un-technical :) ..... but might the battery be f**ked ;)

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by harry.m1byt on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 1:21am

That is the most likely answer ;D

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by tintin on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 7:23am

not battery, holds the charge for several days, connect the battery, down to 10V in 30mins, so something big is on !! thats why im afraid of the current thing, might blow the meter.

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by harry.m1byt on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 9:17am

OK, another method....

Instead of using a meter, use a 12v lamp in series with the battery lead. Any size will do - either solder some leads directly on the lamp, or use a lampholder. Pull fuses, fusible links and disconnect things until the lamp goes out.

If that is a fully charged battery going down that fast, then I would expect to see a sizeable spark as you connect the battery leads. 60amp/hour battery pulled down in 30 minutes, would suggest a current of around 120amps. The only item which normally draws that level of current is the starter motor. Be it the starter motor or anything else, it would quite quickly produce lots of heat - 120 x 12 = 1440 or 1.5Kw.

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by Snoopy on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 6:32pm

Check the alternator that can have quite a current drain if it breaks down .

BUT others wil more electrical knowledge than I will not doubt advise .

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by Jim on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 6:47pm

I would expect to see something spectacular if it draws that kind of power. Only things that could do that without visible signs would be the starter motor or direct feed back through the alternator. I had a problem with my 2.3 ( not as severe as yours) and replaced battery, alternator, powersaver relay, timer module and finaly the starter motor before it was cured. I think I did have multiple organ failure but wished I had started in reverse order.

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by tintin on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 7:49pm

might be time for an auto electrician ;D pay for the right diagnosis, then plunder my scrapper for free

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by TRACEYS_LIMO on Sep 2^nd, 2007, 8:07pm

you could be cheeky and ask halfords to check your battery, when they checked one of mine they found the power drain and did not charge me

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by tintin on Sep 7^th, 2007, 8:04pm

ok, maybe needs a battery ;D 8V this morning, so jumped it, 150 miles, stopped for petrol, needles went round on start up, but started ok. another 150 miles, got to this end, battery is 12.2V. Alternator is charging at 14.1V.

will see if its still 12.2V tomorrow, if its dropped, new battery, if it hasnt, can something be on that much to stop a battery charging over 5 hours driving?

ps no aircon on the way down, just when i needed it. code 58, low voltage, just HOT HOT air, window down time.....

Title: Re: Drain on battery
Post by tintin on Sep 12^th, 2007, 9:25am

ok, new battery and it started after sitting 2 days. :D

weird one, battery would hold charge when not connected, but lose charge when connected. 0.9A drain when measured, so no drain.

maybe it just dried out something on its long journey ;D