Battery Drain

[doshbass]

Dear All,

My 230TE has gone into semi retirement, being used mainly to go to the train station and back. It has always had a problem retaining a decent charge in the battery, but as it was used everyday this was never a problem.

Now I find that it goes flat very quickly. Recently I left it for two weeks after a 90 mile run and it was totally dead. Are there any known major drains on the battery when it is left that could be disconnected. Or any other suggestions?

A drop test on the battery shows it as fine.

 

[television]

There are not any known faults for that on your car, the only way to check is with a ammeter.

 

[kid-jensen]

doshbass,
If the drain check shows currents that are reasonable, you will probably be able to fix the problem with one of those dashboard-top solar chargers.

They just plug into the cigar lighter socket and trickle-charge the battery, usually enough to compensate for small current drains.

CPC do them for about 12 quid or so. You will probably have to make a wire link from the cigar lighter to another 12V power wire because it's likely to be turned off with the ignition key, and you won't get much charge that way.......

I just prodded around with a meter until I found a thick wire that was powered all the time and connected to it......but I wouldn't advocate repeating such bodgery.....

 

[doshbass]

Yes I have one of these, but the drain seems to be greater than the solar panel can cope with.

I have a small multimeter, but have never quite worked out how to measure amps. Do I need to disconnect the battery and have all current flowing through the meter?

If so, what should a normal reading be with the ignition switched off?

 

[doshbass]

just subscibing to this thread

 

[television]

To in sert an ammeter into a cicuit, put the probes into the amp socket on the ammeter, remove one lead from the battery, connect one lead of meter to battery and the other to the large battery clamp, the meter must be switched to amps.

This method is a basic method as the path of any leak is broken