Help - my battery is draining

[kitesurf_phil]

I am having starting problems with mine. The stickers on the batteries say they were changed on 11/02/08 but I have only had the truck since last August. It went through last Winter without any problems. Luckily I have a couple of spare batteries (which were given to me brand new in the Summer) which I have trickle charged every couple of weeks to keep them in good nick.

When I checked today, with the trusty old AVO 8, I was seeing 12V with the engine off and around 13.5V with the engine running. The immobiliser and gubbins seem to be drawing around 300mA. I did notice that having the Garmin charger plugged into the ciggy lighter increases the current to 500mA without the Garmin being on charge, which is a bit scary!

I am putting the spare batteries on tomorrow.........

[BUSHWHACKER]

Get yourself one of these Phil....
http://www.bcsc.co.uk/batterybrain.html

[kitesurf_phil]

Get yourself one of these Phil....
http://www.bcsc.co.uk/batterybrain.html

Cheers Vince, I might have to look into that. The solar panel doesn't work too well inside the garage.

Note to self: When I go round to remove both batteries, take the immobiliser code and radio codes with me. I bet I forget.

[tintin]

A very nice guy came and checked the truck this morning, (£50)
All cabling (even my dodgy spotlight wiring) was ok
Alternator working fine.
Both batts are rated at 500a One was showing 320 the other was 180 so conclusion....both batts fubar.
Just been and got a pair from yota's so hopefully no having to charge one every few days this winter!

Alan

[kitesurf_phil]

I am having starting problems with mine. The stickers on the batteries say they were changed on 11/02/08 but I have only had the truck since last August. It went through last Winter without any problems. Luckily I have a couple of spare batteries (which were given to me brand new in the Summer) which I have trickle charged every couple of weeks to keep them in good nick.

When I checked today, with the trusty old AVO 8, I was seeing 12V with the engine off and around 13.5V with the engine running. The immobiliser and gubbins seem to be drawing around 300mA. I did notice that having the Garmin charger plugged into the ciggy lighter increases the current to 500mA without the Garmin being on charge, which is a bit scary!

I am putting the spare batteries on tomorrow.........

That'll teach me to go round the garage without my reading glasses. The above current figures should have been 30mA and 50mA (yep my close-up eyesight is now that bad). With the replacement batteries on and the immobiliser set the resting current is now 45mA.

[MattF]

That'll teach me to go round the garage without my reading glasses. The above current figures should have been 30mA and 50mA (yep my close-up eyesight is now that bad). With the replacement batteries on and the immobiliser set the resting current is now 45mA.

I thought those original figures seemed a bit steep.

[TriniSURF]

Guys i am having some electrical problem, when driving the a/c blower suddenly lowers and the lights get dim, all the gauges go wacko they go up and down, it sometimes happens when i use the switch to send the window glass up. Any idea is greatly appreciated.

[MattF]

Check that all of the battery connections and earth bonding straps are mechanically and electrically sound, as a starting point.

[TriniSURF]

Matt you are right on, the earthing was not good i also installed the second battery.
Thanks again.

[mir1]

Alternator was removed and drain continued. Mechanic has now covered the whole of the engine. The good news is that he's not charging me at the moment. The next step is that he want's to remove Dash. Can anybody advise of any relays etc located underneath. His alternative is to fit an isolator switch although he'd prefer to get to the bottom of this.

[Albannach]

Alternator was removed and drain continued. Mechanic has now covered the whole of the engine. The good news is that he's not charging me at the moment. The next step is that he want's to remove Dash. Can anybody advise of any relays etc located underneath. His alternative is to fit an isolator switch although he'd prefer to get to the bottom of this.

He'd be better isolating things via the fuse boxes first?

[madmanc]

Alternator was removed and drain continued. Mechanic has now covered the whole of the engine. The good news is that he's not charging me at the moment. The next step is that he want's to remove Dash. Can anybody advise of any relays etc located underneath. His alternative is to fit an isolator switch although he'd prefer to get to the bottom of this.

Erm i had something very similar on mine the other week.. I also had a tail light out (reason for refrence comming soon). Well i checked all the connections tightened them up still nothing so i took everything off to allow the batteries to recover. Greased the terminials and re-connected the batteries. Still nothing but a lovely tick (Starter Motor Relay). Sent for my very good Mechanic friend who at the time was busy but would get to me asap.
Well i thought lets have a look at the tail light just to make sure it was a standard twin bulb (brake light and tail light) all fine i now know what to buy when i go to the shop.. Me being me wanted to have a look at both tail light to make sure there was not corrosion. Took the housing off and wtf is that!!!

I have a tow bar fitted and some clown has put a piazo sounder on a circuit board with all the rest of the indicators and reversing lights for the tow bar. That in itself is not realy a problem until you notice that the whole things was open to the air with no insulation.... I did not know what is was for initially so attempted to put it back. as soon as i checked the indicators still worked it blew the fuse. so after removal insulated all the wires from the tow bar i have had no problems at all.

Upon replacing the fuse i again though lets give the starter a quick try and hey presto it worked.

I dont know if this is gona help but it might be worth seeing if you have any small voltage losses and trace anything that is non standard.

[MattF]

He'd be better isolating things via the fuse boxes first?

That would be the sensible way to do it. Whip the fuse out and pop an ammeter on the connections.

[mir1]

Long story - short !
Had the car at home for a few days - so decided to match up the batteries by putting in one of the spares I had purchased sometime ago (which had also drained ).
Now had model 069 + 068
pulled fuses from footwell area and no drain overnight - thought that's where the problem lies. replaced fuses and left overnight but the surf started. Originally Surf was draining within 10hrs.
Left for 17hrs and started 1st time
Left Overnight (13hrs) and decided to test at 06:00am and it worked.

Car OK - then went to work for a few days no problem
Then went to work , left for normal 10hrs and just about turned over in cold. drove home that night about 8 miles and parked up.
In morning wouldn't start (1 click) - jumpstarted and after 5 hours at work came down and warmed it up for a couple of mins (no problem). Came back 5 hours later and car wouldn't start (17:00).

Had a closer look at the batteries I had purchased
069 12v 70AH DIN 315A
068 12v 60AH DIN 250A

Strangely enough I complained that my new batteries weren't working sometime ago and a replacement 068 was sent. I've now got a spare 068.
However I just noticed that the 068's differ !!

I have now replaced the 068 with a 70AH DIN 315A.

I'm hoping that this may help in solving the problem - because at the moment it seems that cold/moist weather seems to be a problem.

Car is due to go to electrician's on Monday but I will test over the next few days. Can anybody advise wattage is high enough for colder weather ?

Thanks for your patience

Reza

[charvell]

Long story - short !
Had the car at home for a few days - so decided to match up the batteries by putting in one of the spares I had purchased sometime ago (which had also drained ).
Now had model 069 + 068
pulled fuses from footwell area and no drain overnight - thought that's where the problem lies. replaced fuses and left overnight but the surf started. Originally Surf was draining within 10hrs.
Left for 17hrs and started 1st time
Left Overnight (13hrs) and decided to test at 06:00am and it worked.

Car OK - then went to work for a few days no problem
Then went to work , left for normal 10hrs and just about turned over in cold. drove home that night about 8 miles and parked up.
In morning wouldn't start (1 click) - jumpstarted and after 5 hours at work came down and warmed it up for a couple of mins (no problem). Came back 5 hours later and car wouldn't start (17:00).

Had a closer look at the batteries I had purchased
069 12v 70AH DIN 315A
068 12v 60AH DIN 250A

Strangely enough I complained that my new batteries weren't working sometime ago and a replacement 068 was sent. I've now got a spare 068.
However I just noticed that the 068's differ !!

I have now replaced the 068 with a 70AH DIN 315A.

I'm hoping that this may help in solving the problem - because at the moment it seems that cold/moist weather seems to be a problem.

Car is due to go to electrician's on Monday but I will test over the next few days. Can anybody advise wattage is high enough for colder weather ?

Thanks for your patience

Reza

have you checked the parking switch? when it does it again keep the key truned to the statr position and slip it into N if it starts then its probably the switch.