Electrical problems continue

Spunkymonkey · #1 07-24-2002, 05:10 AM

Ok...everyone....

battery is still going dead!

have to drive her every 2 - 3 days, otherwise....won't start....

I drove her last sunday, and then started her for about 10 minutes on Monday night...

then on Tuesday after work, go to start her...and she's almost dead...making these horrible noises...

thankfully...fuel cut off hadn't come in, so I managed to jump start her without all the other hassles, and took her for a drive....

ok.... the wiring to the battery terminals is all connected properly and tight, battery itself is fine....have had amp checked, and that's ok...

the LED for the immobiliser shouldn't be effecting it that much....

my friend thinks its mostly the alarm draining it...because its a mobile unit...

probably going to call the alarm guy and speak to him tomorrow....

and no...I haven't been playing my stereo loud. I've hardly been playing it at all.

anything else you guys can think of???

Moppie · #2 07-24-2002, 05:19 AM

So you've already got a new battery right?

well then theres clearly a drain on the system some where.

Does the teg have a boot light? could be staying on.

Have you tried a voltmeter accross the batter terminals while the engine is running? this will tell you if there is charge going into the battery.

for example its possible to test the alt and have it put out a good charge, but for some reason, normally a bad earth its not chargine the battery properly.

and heres a question, if you take the earth terminal off the battery does it spark when you put it back on? and if so how badly.
It shouldn't. If it does theres something drawing a lot of current.

Spunkymonkey · #3 07-24-2002, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Moppie
So you've already got a new battery right?

well then theres clearly a drain on the system some where.

Does the teg have a boot light? could be staying on.

Have you tried a voltmeter accross the batter terminals while the engine is running? this will tell you if there is charge going into the battery.

for example its possible to test the alt and have it put out a good charge, but for some reason, normally a bad earth its not chargine the battery properly.

and heres a question, if you take the earth terminal off the battery does it spark when you put it back on? and if so how badly.
It shouldn't. If it does theres something drawing a lot of current.

Yeah...Moppie this is a brand new battery with higher amp.

yeah...it has a boot light, but I'm sure it switches off, when I close the boot.

yeah....2 people checked the voltmeter across the terminals and it was fine.

no the earth doesn't spark either....

my friend checked the stereo setup and voltmeter last week, and said the amp is ok...he thought that might be the problem, but it doesn't look like it....

the main culprit at the moment seems to be the alarm unit...

the problem only started happening when I stopped driving the car as frequently..and because i no longer drive my car to work, and she doesn't get driven every day...its only since then, the problems have started...

a while a go some of the wiring was loose on the terminals which explained it for a while, but that's all fixed, and its all tight..nothing loose.

Oz · #4 07-25-2002, 02:28 AM

Alternator? Have you checked all the wiring in your system? Maybe an amp?

Spunkymonkey · #5 07-25-2002, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ozriceboy
Alternator? Have you checked all the wiring in your system? Maybe an amp?

wiring has all been checked...amp is fine.

called the alarm guy, he suggested I start the car every day for a few minutes to let the battery charge. He said probably cause I'm not driving the car as much, just all the things such as clock, etc will take a bit of juice to keep it going...

looks like I'll just have to start the car, and let it run for 5 - 10 minutes on the days I dont take it out.

Steve also noticed his battery going flat in the rx7 and said also the LED from the immobiliser would be contributing....

so it looks like its a combo of things.

EF6_CR-X · #6 07-25-2002, 06:33 AM

Ideally it would be good to remove one battery terminal and put an ammeter in there to measure the current that is being drawn. Then one by one remove the fuses of things that are supplied with power when the ignition is off, (or just try all of them)
Remove fuse - see if it makes a difference, then reinstall it -> go to the next fuse.

It probably won't take much longer than 20 minutes, but it will tell you exactly where your power is vanishing. If the fuses don't reveal anything, try other devices, (assuming your alarm may have its own fuse somewhere also try that).

Having to start your car everyday for 5-10 mins is crazy, there is no way you should have to do that, I have had a car in storage that started right up after 3 months of no use, and the battery was still connected.

A battery holds a hell of a lot of charge, so the boot light should take days before it affects the starting especially if the battery is new and healthy.

But try the the ammeter trick, (have you got a multimeter?) it should give you an answer.

B16a4me · #7 07-25-2002, 08:02 AM

LED's draw SFA current. It is so low it is hard to measure!!!! A penlight batttery can run a LED constantly for MONTHS!!

Spunkymonkey · #8 07-25-2002, 05:29 PM

Thanks for the help

Spunkymonkey · #9 07-25-2002, 06:21 PM

Argh!!!!!

radiator is leaking coolant now

dejoux · #10 07-25-2002, 07:51 PM

So are you looking for suggestions on that too?

my advice try the simple things first, our Mini was loosing lots of water awhile back, tried a few different things and they all seemed fine, turned out to be the Radiator cap wasnt keeping pressure so simple fix.

Moppie · #11 07-25-2002, 11:43 PM

I was just about to sugest what Dejox said for finding the current drain.

and starting you car uses about 1/2 hours worth of charge.
So theres no point starting it unless your not going to drive it for at least half and hour.
Unless thats your problem
Lots of short trips that are unable to charge the battery are bad!

EF6_CR-X · #12 07-26-2002, 12:04 AM

In addition to my post about current checking b4..

I just checked to see what sort of current my car draws when its just sitting there with the ignition off and doors all shut.

0.02 Amps with alarm off
0.03 Amps with alarm on

You could use that as a reference to work from.

Spunkymonkey · #13 07-26-2002, 03:40 PM

Thanks, will be going to be a volt meter soon.

Got the radiator fixed...top tank cracked.

Oz · #14 07-27-2002, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spunkymonkey
Thanks, will be going to be a volt meter soon.

Got the radiator fixed...top tank cracked.

NO...Q...don't do it! Theres more to live for than that. You can be anything you want to be in life....just not a voltmeter!
:finger:

Spunkymonkey · #15 07-31-2002, 04:28 AM

LOL nice pick up Oz, didn't even realise what I posted

hey perhaps that explains my current "dazed" state :silly2:

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