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My EH has been slowly losing power from the battery. It is not a battery related issue as I can take the battery out of another vehicle that can sit for six months and still start. If it is in the EH the battery will drain over a period of about two weeks.
I have a stereo, a turbo timer and an immobiliser fitted. Apart from that the other items in the vehicle are all original style.
Question is. What is the exact and correct procedure to test for power drain? How do I actually test each item individually with a multi meter? Is it done on resistance or what setting? Do I start at the fuse box and narrow it down there? |
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Hi Peter,
I'd get a low scale (½ an amp to about 5 amps or thereabouts) ammeter and connect it between the positive terminal on your battery and the positive battery lead.
From memory, about ½ an amp drain is fairly normal. If the drain is over that
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The immobiliser will draw down over that period. Remember if it only draws 1/4 amp/hr it will draw 6 amps a day, 42 amps a week, that is more than enough draw to stop it kicking over.
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Hi Guys.
In my opinion, 1/2 amp is a bit high. I usually use 200 to 300 mA (approx 1/4 amp) as a max figure. Any more than that will drain the battery enough to give you a no-start situation inside a week.
Johnperth, you can't multiply amps by hours |
If at first you don't succeed, just call it Version 1.0 |
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Thanks Terry, my memory was haizy on whether the norm was ½ or ¼ of an amp.
Cheers...Dave
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The oly real power you should be drawing would be if you have a clock fitted or a small amount for radio memory (volatile memory). If your cas has a boot light and or glove box light make sure they go when when their closed.
I would not like my car to be
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Terry if I had a power drain of 75w per day,how long would it take before the battery was flat? It's like having a headlight on, at an average of say 55w for one headlight, not too long before you have a flat battery. (although this is 55wph, not per day)
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All lights are off when key is out. There is no boot or glovebox light, no handbrake light etc.
The only things I can see that could or should use power are the digital clock in the console, the stereo, and the immobiliser. The stereo amp is only on by |
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