29 replies to this topic

[Mat Jackson]

Ok - getting frustrated that my battery is always going flat and want to understand what is running it down. Car is a weekend toy only, but if not run for a week the battery is flat. Battery is fairly new, and alarm is disconnected. So what else draws on the battery when the car is not in use - sure it never used to be this bad... Have now got a trickle charger, but wanted to understand the cause... Any thoughts...

[techieboy]

Turdo or NA?

 

[smiley]

Did you leave your obd dongle in?

 

[Zoobeef]

Stick a multimeter onto it's amp setup and put it between the battery pos and the pos lead. (Don't try and start it like this) and that will measure the draw. If it's high, then start pulling the fuses one by one untill it drops to see what's taking the power. After connecting the multimeter you may need to leave it a couple of minutes to let it settle. If its a turbo check the condition of the backup battery as that may be tits too.

[Mat Jackson]

NA and no dongle... Will give the multimeter a go

[Tony]

Hi Mat, Must learn to type faster. My n/a is the same, it will drain in 4-5 days. I've put a ammeter into the system a while ago, and pulled the fuses one by one. I see an 0.5 amp drain, on if I remember, fuse 8. When I put the fuse back, the load doesn't always comeback Also a minor drain from the radio circuit, presumably the feed that keeps the stations tuned. I will look further in the new year, until then, like you, I'm using a ctek Cheers Tony.

Edited by Tony, 20 December 2015 - 10:50 PM.

[chez]

If nothing can be draining it then is it a duff battery? I can leave my NA 3-4 weeks and it still starts first push.....

[VX Mark]

After changing mine it cured my flat battery issues. I went from having a flat battery after a week, to starting it 3 months later first go.

[Zoobeef]

A tits battery will hold less power so die quicker. You don't want the car to draw more than 50 milli amps though really (0.05A) if it is then it needs investigation. Fuse 8 feeds a few places - Ecu, immobiliser, alarm, diagnostic socket, instrument panel.

[FLD]

I had this problem on mine and it turned out to be a faulty alternator.  As Zoobeef says, get busy with the multimeter.  I checked all the circuits in my fusebox with the meter to rule out those.  I then used a clamp type meter to check current drain in the main cables.  This pinned it down to the alternator.

[jimmymac]

Is the alarm siren physically disconnected under the PAX headlight i.e. the plug pulled our of the back of the siren, if not I would try doing this?

if not disconnected in this way I'd put money on it being the alarm siren, the soldered on batteries inside it fail and start to demand constant charge draining the car battery. Had this issue myself suffered it for ages and went through 3 car batteries until I puzzled it out.

New siren here if you diagnose it as this http://www.motorspor...larm-Siren.html or your can get the batteries off eBay and solder new ones in or leave it disconnected of course.

 

Edited by jimmymac, 21 December 2015 - 10:07 AM.

[turbo2015]

quick fix for battery drain issues, connect a switch to the battery mount it in the dash, just flick the battery kill switch every time you leave car, harder to nick, and a quick fix for the more complicated electric issues.

[FLD]

That cures the symptom and not the problem. 

[james.a]

Is the alarm siren physically disconnected under the PAX headlight i.e. the plug pulled our of the back of the siren, if not I would try doing this? if not disconnected in this way I'd put money on it being the alarm siren, the soldered on batteries inside it fail and start to demand constant charge draining the car battery. Had this issue myself suffered it for ages and went through 3 car batteries until I puzzled it out. New siren here if you diagnose it as this http://www.motorspor...larm-Siren.html or your can get the batteries off eBay and solder new ones in or leave it disconnected of course.  

AM having battery issues as well, car always sounds like its struggling to start and last night despite living on a battery conditioner, after a short run to the garage it failed to start and the alarm sounded. A kind chap gave me a push and I was on my way. It was fine later in the evening, although a little sluggish. Battery is only 18 months old so I'm not sure it's that (Yuasa with 5yr Guarantee for Halfords) Any ideas welcomed.

[Johnboyhgt]

Do you have a sony radio ?

 

[james.a]

Do you have a sony radio ?

 

No, an Alpine unit.

 

I took the battery out at the weekend and back to Halfords. In fairness they tested it there and then and it came up as 'unstable'. They replaced it there and then and I fitted that and disconnected the alarm siren. touching wood, it's been ok so far and not been on trickle charge.

[Mat Jackson]

I ended up changing the alarm siren and it made a huge difference Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cavturbo]

Did you leave your obd dongle in?
 

Old thread Resurrection sorry. Would this flatten the battery then?

[DJ_SL]

Fwiw my battery drain issues weren't helped by a failing alternator.

I recommend a trickle charger also.

During the summer I've not had issues and not had yo trickle charge. Drive one a week or every two weeks. Let's see how the winter pans out.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[smiley]

 

Did you leave your obd dongle in?
 

Old thread Resurrection sorry. Would this flatten the battery then?

 

 

I believe the general consensus on leak is the alarm system somewhere. (even non armed)
Armed is even worse.
Plugging in something foreign in the odb port may also not help, as some communicate with the ecu without the key in place.

 

 

Edited by smiley, 26 September 2020 - 01:53 PM.