Battery Drain?

Rikki · 22nd August 2017, 16:26

Well despite all the issues Greyscale is still on the road, but now a new problem has arisen.

I had a flat battery a couple weeks ago and traced the drain to the bonnet switch having water in it, got that sorted and all was well.

However went out two days ago and the battery was dead again

checked the bonnet switch that looked Ok but gave it a good dosing of WD40 to be sure. Charged the battery yesterday. Went out this afternoon and its flat again.

Checked the sat nav powers down - it does and the spare wheel well/boot is dry. Cant see anything or hear anything that appears to be on when the cars locked.

Electrickery is a dark art to me - only understood by those from another realm- so any ideas of what could cause the drain or how to trace it. Or should I resign myself to paying a wizard my first born child to do their magic?

Rikki · 22nd August 2017, 16:32

Ps.. after the first time the battery went flat the key fob central locking stopped working ( still unlocks with the key or the button in the car) could these be related to the battery drain

Heddy · 22nd August 2017, 19:00

It's a bit of a pain but if a meter is connected and you pull the fuses one by one you may find the culprit. Quite a few threads on the subject, and testing procedures on You Tube. I do like French Mikes signature 'Testing is Knowing'

rrobson · 22nd August 2017, 19:53

Could be a multitude of things, and may be nothing to do with a drain.
First off how olds the battery?
Second disconnect battery lead and put a multimeter between the lead plane the battery. The drain should be around 30mA any more there's something drawing. Easiest way to diagnose is pull all fuses and read off the amps as you put each fuse back in. If it's not any fused items could be started or alternator.

Avulon · 25th August 2017, 07:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrobson

Could be a multitude of things, and may be nothing to do with a drain.
First off how olds the battery?
Second disconnect battery lead and put a multimeter between the lead plane the battery. The drain should be around 30mA any more there's something drawing. Easiest way to diagnose is pull all fuses and read off the amps as you put each fuse back in. If it's not any fused items could be started or alternator.

A word of warning - the current drawn from the battery will be around 2 amps when the battery is first connected, for around the first 20 minutes then drops in stages. Don't fry your ammeter! (And don't open/shut any doors boot or bonnet while measuring: you'll wake it up again).

SD1too · 25th August 2017, 08:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikki

Charged the battery yesterday. Went out this afternoon and its flat again.

Rikki, for how long did you charge your battery? It will require at least 24 hours connected to a mains powered charger to be restored to full health. However, if the battery has been allowed fully to discharge repeatedly, its lifespan will be affected.

I'm not sure that your bonnet switch would result in a flat battery. You report that the ECUs are entering 'sleep mode' and the central locking/alarm/immobilisation is working which doesn't suggest an 'open bonnet' condition.

Simon

Mike Noc · 25th August 2017, 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avulon

A word of warning - the current drawn from the battery will be around 2 amps when the battery is first connected, for around the first 20 minutes then drops in stages. Don't fry your ammeter! (And don't open/shut any doors boot or bonnet while measuring: you'll wake it up again).

Good points, and make sure you have the meter switched to amps and not volts before connecting in series with the battery.

Also you can add a bypass wire around the meter until all the ECUs have gone to bye-byes for added protection.

Rikki · 29th August 2017, 15:54

Thank You chaps, sorry for the tardy reply, I have been away camping in the other money pit for a few days with the boy so not had a chance yet to investigate. Hopefully a mate of mine who understands electrickery is going to pop round and try to fault trace

Rikki · 1st September 2017, 17:42

Well.
Took the battery off and trickle charged it (2 amp) for 24 hours, until it showed fully charged- stuck it back on the car... turned key to be met by the ominous "Click Click"

used the test diagnosis on the dash (19 then number 9 ) and it shows a figure of 099 I am guessing that's a battery charge of under 10 volts.

When the AA came out and jumped started it a couple weeks ago they did a battery test and said it was OK, but starting to think it may just be goosed and not a drain after all. Unfortunatly the battery off the Land Rover is far too big to swap and test so may just have to bite the bullet and buy a new battery and hope its that.

Westonboy · 1st September 2017, 19:26

I was in the same boat a couple of years ago, I was covinced that I had a battery drain as the car had an 18 month old Unipart battery, eventually found the battery was duff and Unipart had ceased trading, I bought a Yuasa 3000 battery and no further problems.

22nd August 2017, 16:26	#1
Rikki Loves to post MG ZT+ 190, Land Rover Series IIA, KIA Pro C'eed VR7 Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Redcar Posts: 258 Thanks: 151 Thanked 158 Times in 53 Posts	Battery Drain? Well despite all the issues Greyscale is still on the road, but now a new problem has arisen. I had a flat battery a couple weeks ago and traced the drain to the bonnet switch having water in it, got that sorted and all was well. However went out two days ago and the battery was dead again checked the bonnet switch that looked Ok but gave it a good dosing of WD40 to be sure. Charged the battery yesterday. Went out this afternoon and its flat again. Checked the sat nav powers down - it does and the spare wheel well/boot is dry. Cant see anything or hear anything that appears to be on when the cars locked. Electrickery is a dark art to me - only understood by those from another realm- so any ideas of what could cause the drain or how to trace it. Or should I resign myself to paying a wizard my first born child to do their magic? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] *GREYSCALE* Born Monday, 14th July 2003 @ 12:51:51 9,940th ZT to run off the production line, out of 18,894 2,948th ZT 190 + to be made out of 4,023 1,042nd ZT in XPower Grey (code: LEF) to be made out of 3,143 XPower Grey ZTs Done: Cam belt and aux belts. Water pump, pulleys and tensioners, Hunter wheel alignment, New thermostat and housing, Plenum guard mod, refix undertray, Bonnet cable mod, upgraded Balance VIS motor, One empty bank account, one nervous breakdown.

22nd August 2017, 16:32	#2
Rikki Loves to post MG ZT+ 190, Land Rover Series IIA, KIA Pro C'eed VR7 Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Redcar Posts: 258 Thanks: 151 Thanked 158 Times in 53 Posts	Ps.. after the first time the battery went flat the key fob central locking stopped working ( still unlocks with the key or the button in the car) could these be related to the battery drain __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] *GREYSCALE* Born Monday, 14th July 2003 @ 12:51:51 9,940th ZT to run off the production line, out of 18,894 2,948th ZT 190 + to be made out of 4,023 1,042nd ZT in XPower Grey (code: LEF) to be made out of 3,143 XPower Grey ZTs Done: Cam belt and aux belts. Water pump, pulleys and tensioners, Hunter wheel alignment, New thermostat and housing, Plenum guard mod, refix undertray, Bonnet cable mod, upgraded Balance VIS motor, One empty bank account, one nervous breakdown.

22nd August 2017, 19:53	#4
rrobson I really should get out more....... 75 tourer cdti, MG ZS 180, nissan terrano & 1.8t rover 25 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pontefract Posts: 2,644 Thanks: 17 Thanked 295 Times in 218 Posts	Could be a multitude of things, and may be nothing to do with a drain. First off how olds the battery? Second disconnect battery lead and put a multimeter between the lead plane the battery. The drain should be around 30mA any more there's something drawing. Easiest way to diagnose is pull all fuses and read off the amps as you put each fuse back in. If it's not any fused items could be started or alternator. __________________ How to view a car - everything you need to help you inspect a used car VIS motor tester avalible to local members Injector removal tool and auto gearbox pressure tester now available

29th August 2017, 15:54	#8
Rikki Loves to post MG ZT+ 190, Land Rover Series IIA, KIA Pro C'eed VR7 Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Redcar Posts: 258 Thanks: 151 Thanked 158 Times in 53 Posts	Thank You chaps, sorry for the tardy reply, I have been away camping in the other money pit for a few days with the boy so not had a chance yet to investigate. Hopefully a mate of mine who understands electrickery is going to pop round and try to fault trace __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] *GREYSCALE* Born Monday, 14th July 2003 @ 12:51:51 9,940th ZT to run off the production line, out of 18,894 2,948th ZT 190 + to be made out of 4,023 1,042nd ZT in XPower Grey (code: LEF) to be made out of 3,143 XPower Grey ZTs Done: Cam belt and aux belts. Water pump, pulleys and tensioners, Hunter wheel alignment, New thermostat and housing, Plenum guard mod, refix undertray, Bonnet cable mod, upgraded Balance VIS motor, One empty bank account, one nervous breakdown.

1st September 2017, 17:42	#9
Rikki Loves to post MG ZT+ 190, Land Rover Series IIA, KIA Pro C'eed VR7 Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Redcar Posts: 258 Thanks: 151 Thanked 158 Times in 53 Posts	Well. Took the battery off and trickle charged it (2 amp) for 24 hours, until it showed fully charged- stuck it back on the car... turned key to be met by the ominous "Click Click" used the test diagnosis on the dash (19 then number 9 ) and it shows a figure of 099 I am guessing that's a battery charge of under 10 volts. When the AA came out and jumped started it a couple weeks ago they did a battery test and said it was OK, but starting to think it may just be goosed and not a drain after all. Unfortunatly the battery off the Land Rover is far too big to swap and test so may just have to bite the bullet and buy a new battery and hope its that. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] *GREYSCALE* Born Monday, 14th July 2003 @ 12:51:51 9,940th ZT to run off the production line, out of 18,894 2,948th ZT 190 + to be made out of 4,023 1,042nd ZT in XPower Grey (code: LEF) to be made out of 3,143 XPower Grey ZTs Done: Cam belt and aux belts. Water pump, pulleys and tensioners, Hunter wheel alignment, New thermostat and housing, Plenum guard mod, refix undertray, Bonnet cable mod, upgraded Balance VIS motor, One empty bank account, one nervous breakdown.

22nd August 2017, 19:00	#3
Heddy This is my second home None Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: None Posts: 5,556 Thanks: 465 Thanked 1,161 Times in 924 Posts	It's a bit of a pain but if a meter is connected and you pull the fuses one by one you may find the culprit. Quite a few threads on the subject, and testing procedures on You Tube. I do like French Mikes signature 'Testing is Knowing'

1st September 2017, 19:26	#10
Westonboy Posted a thing or two Honda Jazz Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Llangollen Posts: 1,025 Thanks: 301 Thanked 344 Times in 158 Posts	I was in the same boat a couple of years ago, I was covinced that I had a battery drain as the car had an 18 month old Unipart battery, eventually found the battery was duff and Unipart had ceased trading, I bought a Yuasa 3000 battery and no further problems.