Sof86

I've been having problems with my battery draining for the last couple of months. The car is driven once a week or every other week (if the weather is decent). I've changed batteries, I've charged them, etc. Nothing is left on...interior lights, deck, etc Any ideas guys? This is really starting to aggravate me.

Thanks.

fleetmgr

Something, somewhere is drawing current with the car off. Are your fans turning off? You're sure no lights are on, not even a dash light?

This can take some time, but you only have a couple of options to find this. One is a clamp on ammeter (expensive) to measure each circuit with the key off. The other is to pull all the fuses, and put them back in one at a time until you find the circuit killing the battery (time consuming). If it's a small draw, you may be able to use the ammeter function of a DMM instead of the clamp on ammeter.

Sof86

Thanks for the reply.

The fans power off when I shut it down. As far as I can tell theres no lights on anywhere (checked in pitch darkness). I guess my only option is to pull the fuses at the moment...it will take a long long time because it drains pretty slow.

Thanks again.

Beaflag VonRathburg

iTrader: (176)

Perhaps your alternator is dying and not charging it all the way every time you drive it.

gregrob

iTrader: (8)

You need I believe a 1ohm 10 watt resistor in line with the ground, and then measure the current draw. If it is small, say 5-30millivolts, it is probably normal and you dont have a current draw.

If you see something higher than that though, say 1-5+ volts, you can start pulling fuses one at a time and watch your DVM to see when the current draw drops back to normal range, then you've isolated the circuit where the short /drain is.

Dadic 78

Do you have an alarm on the car? That would definietely drain it...

I was having the same problem with my car. I bought a battery quick-disconnect from my local parts store. It was about $20. It's bolts directly to the negative terminal on the battery, then you fasten your neg battery cable to it. When you're done driving, pop the hood, turn the **** 1/2 turn, and voila, battery is disconnected, and will last.

You can also remove the ****, which is cool. Nobody's going to steal your car if they can't start it.

hsproyaya

iTrader: (4)

^^ is more of a bandaid then a solution

connect a volt meter then begin pulling fuses, one at a time, to see which one causes the voltage reading to increase. That's probably the culprit

Dadic 78

^^^ Bandaid??? I don't know about that... Plus, it's a hell of a cheap anti-theft device.

Sof86

Late reply here, just too damn busy with work.

Thanks for the suggestions guys...I'll have to get the alternator checked out. Yes my car has an alarm but I never turn it on unless its parked out somewhere (almost never). I think I might just get a battery quick disconnect like you suggested Dadic78....I just don't have the time and patience at the moment to figure this out.

I drove the car last Friday night for about an hour (battery was just barely into the red zone on the gauge). Checked the battery again after I got home and it was reading the same voltage on the gauge as before. I ran it for about 10 mins next day. Go to fire it up 3 mins ago, and its completely dead.

Darth Cypher

I seem to be having the same problem. Especially when I go on TDYs or deployments. The last time this happened was two years ago when I went to the NCO Academy. No problems until I got back from Afghanistan. I had people start the car for me from time to time.

Last time though (Afghanistan deployment), it would only start with a jump start. Had it run for 30 mintues, even drove it around the block, etc. Shut it off and would not start. Of course this happened while I was gone so I didn't see what guages or lights were on/dimming or anything.

Maybe it is time again for the batter to be changed (again, changed it two years ago) but maybe the alternator is going? It's the same one from when I bought the car new. Car doesn't have 60k miles yet.

I do have a sound system but nothing crazy. Just some components in the front powered by an amp and one sub powered by another amp. I think if the car isn't started every few days, it will do this so something is draining it (had sound system for about four years, no problems) or my alternator is going bad and not supplying enough power or something.

Thoughts? I am kind of thinking that changing out the battery is just buying me more time until the alternator eventually completely fails.

twoolley08

iTrader: (7)

I've got the same issue, just started about a week ago. Went to go pull it out a few days ago and it was totally drained. I put it on a slow trickle charge until it was full fine for 2 days then dead again. The battery is fine as is the alternator. It charges good while its running. I do have an alarm but never use it. I havent changed anything on the car in a long time too. What else could put a drain on the battery that its dead in two days?

mrchyzy16

iTrader: (1)

how do you know the alternator and battery is good? I would still check it with a multi-meter to make sure. Looks can be decieving.

moehorsepower

iTrader: (3)

Pulling the fuses is a crude way but it works, I have done it that way and found the problem. also, if you have bad diodes in the alternator, even though it will charge the battery, it will also drain it, Just like pulling fuses, I would first remove the hot wire from the alternator, thus eliminating that source...

wrd1972

iTrader: (12)

I recently found mine was going dead in a week on a rather new Optima battery. Got the meter out and started pulling fuses and detected a 300-400 milliamp draw which is much too much for sitting still. The fuse I pulled that dropped it down to less than 50 milliamps was the one for the power seat and rear window defrost. I have not done any further troubleshooting to hit the heart of the problem.

It also seems to come and go. Right now I dont have the draw.

twoolley08

iTrader: (7)

which setting do you use on a multimeter? I know its not my optima battery, I put 2 different optimas in there as well.

1998 B4C

Do you have a factory AM/FM radio in your car? If so does the clock stay on when you turn off the ignition? If so that is your problem. A friend has a 97 Z28 with that problem and my 98 Z28 is having the same problem. If I let the car sit a few days, the battery is weak. Any longer than a few days then the car probably will not start.

twoolley08

iTrader: (7)

nope mine is all aftermarket. I've had the same sound system for almost 2 years and this issue just started. 2 days and the optimas die.