Battery Drain

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:20 am

Hi,
Before I take my car to an auto sparky, just wondering if anyone has an idea why my car battery would be going flat in seven days.

I have replaced the battery (which was on the way out) with a brand new one. If the car sits for more than seven days without a drive, the battery will be dead flat.

The only electrical work I have had done in recent times is put some new LED bulbs in and added light up side steps. None of which remain on when the car is off or when the doors are closed. And I'm not even sure that those changes correspond to my current problems. I've also checked all fuses and they are ok.

Any ideas?

Post by **Bennoz** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:43 am

Time to get the old multimetre out & start checking for voltage leaks. Start from the battery & work your way in.

Also, what voltage is the internal gauge reading? May be an indicator that your alternator is going.

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:47 am

Bennoz wrote:Time to get the old multimetre out & start checking for voltage leaks. Start from the battery & work your way in.

Also, what voltage is the internal gauge reading? May be an indicator that your alternator is going.

Hmmm, ok, time to call Dad and get his multimeter

Oh and the Voltage on the internal gauge hasn't dropped since the day I bought the car so I'm pretty sure that's ok.

Post by **I8A4RE** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:02 pm

Yeah my old battery did that, but mine was like every 2 days and it would die. Got a brand new, bigger, kick ass battery and now its sweet.

I would say your battery is just getting old and cant hold the charge like it used to. CHeck to see how old your battery is, when was it last replaced

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:08 pm

I8A4RE wrote:CHeck to see how old your battery is, when was it last replaced

It's about six weeks old

Post by **I8A4RE** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:04 pm

well either its dropped a cell or two or you have definitly got a power drain. Did your car do this before the battery replacement?

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:09 pm

Yeah, that's what prompted me to get a new one. It was only lasting 2 days before going flat. The battery was tested and it was definitely on the way out so I figured there was a 50/50 chance it was just the battery being old causing it.
But alas, even with the new battery, the flat battery still occurs every week if I don't drive it at least once.

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:42 pm

My guess is that you have a switch wire somewhere shorting to ground. Most likely cause is damged insulation on the cable. Maybe happened when running the power cables for your lights.

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:28 am

you have a drain somewhere. Use a multimeter to determine where it is coming from.

Taeivon_Rep · Post by **Taeivon_Rep** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:38 am

I suggest you swing by a sparky or basically anywhere that can check your alternator as mine was going flat overnight everyday with a 2 month old battery and found it to be the alternator that'll need replacing.

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:04 pm

Found the problem (well the auto-sparky did). I had some of those light up door steps fitted (by my mechanic) and they wired them up wrong >:( The auto-sparky is now rewiring them.