Battery Drain
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3
Battery Drain
I'm experiencing battery drain with my 2000 convertable. The battery will go dead within one to two days. Thus far my solution is to simply disconnect the battery whenever I park the car - for a few hours, overnight or several days.
When I reconnect the battery, I can hear a relay or solenoid energizing ("clicking") in the front area of the engine compartment but have yet to isolate wherethesolenoid is, or what it controls.
I have pulled all the fuses and relays in the engine compartment fuse box - reconnecting the battery each time - and the solenoid still clicks. I have not pulled the fuses under the dash (have not had time).
I have put a multimeter in series with the negative battery lead, and find that the amperage draw is almost two full amps. (I have disconnected the underhood lamp for this test). However, with the current flowing through the multimeter there is apparentlyenough"meter resistance" that theabove solenoid clicks rapidly indicating (to my way of thinking) that there is not enough current flowing through the multimeter to completely energize the solenoid. Or possibly the battery is now in such poor condition that there is not enough voltage to "drive" the current through the multimeter.
So my questions:
Should a solenoid be activating upon connecting the battery?
What are the "specs." for amperage draw when the battery is first connected.
Is there another amperage "spec." after the battery has been reconnected for say, 5 to 10 minutes?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
wesoz
When I reconnect the battery, I can hear a relay or solenoid energizing ("clicking") in the front area of the engine compartment but have yet to isolate wherethesolenoid is, or what it controls.
I have pulled all the fuses and relays in the engine compartment fuse box - reconnecting the battery each time - and the solenoid still clicks. I have not pulled the fuses under the dash (have not had time).
I have put a multimeter in series with the negative battery lead, and find that the amperage draw is almost two full amps. (I have disconnected the underhood lamp for this test). However, with the current flowing through the multimeter there is apparentlyenough"meter resistance" that theabove solenoid clicks rapidly indicating (to my way of thinking) that there is not enough current flowing through the multimeter to completely energize the solenoid. Or possibly the battery is now in such poor condition that there is not enough voltage to "drive" the current through the multimeter.
So my questions:
Should a solenoid be activating upon connecting the battery?
What are the "specs." for amperage draw when the battery is first connected.
Is there another amperage "spec." after the battery has been reconnected for say, 5 to 10 minutes?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
wesoz
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 903
From:
RE: Battery Drain
The average drain in "sleep" (after 10 minutes) mode is about.02 amps, from what I've read. Usually, a clicking noise is indicative of a weak battery, a loose terminal or loose ground connections. I can't imagine what could be pulling 2 amps.
Here's what electrical guru Bill Curlee has to say:
Here's what electrical guru Bill Curlee has to say:
Check the following areas. Heres an extract from my current checking post:
C5's that drain batteries in days or a week have an excessive battery current draw issue. Here are a few places that have proven to be a cause of excessive battery current draw:
Drivers or Passengers seat control multifunction switch. The return spring in the switch gets weak or damaged and the seat sticks in a movement position. The motors are thermally protected by a "circuit breaker" in the passengers foot well and will continuously set and trip until the battery goes dead.
Drivers LUMBAR motor. Same as above!
Interior lights, dash lights, or other interior lights.
Head light motor control module. The module can short inside and draw current even though the lights are down and secure. If you feel the module and its HOT, its bad.
Alternator. The diodes can and do go bad. If hey go bad, the field windings will always be powered and draw current. If you suspect that the alternator is drawing current, remove the field terminal wire from the back of the alternator and insert the AMP Meter in SERIES with the circuit (between the red wire and alternator field terminal). The current draw should be ZERO. If you have current draw, one or more diodes are bad in the alternator. The last alternator that I checked this way was drawing 5 amps.
Bose Amplifier. Theres an amp under the dash on the drivers side dash. The relay for that amp sometimes sticks and the amp remains on even though the car is OFF.
Cell phones, radar detectors, wide band controllers ect... can get left plugged in.
NOTE! If you open the door, or trunk or even remove and then replace a fuse for troubleshooting, it will wake the car up and you will need to wait for it to enter the SLEEP mode again to read the current draw.
If you remove a BCM fuse, it will negate the test because the BCM is controlling the current draw.
Hope this helps figure out the reasons for premature battery failure.
C5's that drain batteries in days or a week have an excessive battery current draw issue. Here are a few places that have proven to be a cause of excessive battery current draw:
Drivers or Passengers seat control multifunction switch. The return spring in the switch gets weak or damaged and the seat sticks in a movement position. The motors are thermally protected by a "circuit breaker" in the passengers foot well and will continuously set and trip until the battery goes dead.
Drivers LUMBAR motor. Same as above!
Interior lights, dash lights, or other interior lights.
Head light motor control module. The module can short inside and draw current even though the lights are down and secure. If you feel the module and its HOT, its bad.
Alternator. The diodes can and do go bad. If hey go bad, the field windings will always be powered and draw current. If you suspect that the alternator is drawing current, remove the field terminal wire from the back of the alternator and insert the AMP Meter in SERIES with the circuit (between the red wire and alternator field terminal). The current draw should be ZERO. If you have current draw, one or more diodes are bad in the alternator. The last alternator that I checked this way was drawing 5 amps.
Bose Amplifier. Theres an amp under the dash on the drivers side dash. The relay for that amp sometimes sticks and the amp remains on even though the car is OFF.
Cell phones, radar detectors, wide band controllers ect... can get left plugged in.
NOTE! If you open the door, or trunk or even remove and then replace a fuse for troubleshooting, it will wake the car up and you will need to wait for it to enter the SLEEP mode again to read the current draw.
If you remove a BCM fuse, it will negate the test because the BCM is controlling the current draw.
Hope this helps figure out the reasons for premature battery failure.
Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 62
RE: Battery Drain
I hade a similiar problem on my 03 coupe. It turned our to be the passenger side seat motor. I could hear it but could not immediately locate the slight noise. When I did find it I noticed the motor was in a small "pouch like"bag hanging from the bottom of the seat.I shook the bag and moved the seat around this resolved the issue. It has not happended since.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 1
84 keeps draining battery
I have an 84 that keeps losing power and completely drains the battery in a couple hours. I have replaced the battery and the starter and i had the alternator tested 3 times. I cannot figure out the problem, and not only am i having withdrawals from my car, but I'm forced to look at it sitting lifeless for the past 2 months....HELP!!!!!
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 903
From:
My advice:
I have an 84 that keeps losing power and completely drains the battery in a couple hours. I have replaced the battery and the starter and i had the alternator tested 3 times. I cannot figure out the problem, and not only am i having withdrawals from my car, but I'm forced to look at it sitting lifeless for the past 2 months....HELP!!!!!
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1
Funny you said that. Put a charger onto my battery, no keys in ignition, doors closed, and heard clicking in the front. Disconnected the headlamp harness and it stopped on the right side, heard less noise on the newly replaced motor on the left side, and it was quiet. Why were these things clicking if they shouldn’t be getting power? Any ideas? One thought I have is disabling the auto dark on option in the headlight settings. Just a guess. 01’ c5 convertible that has 8500 miles. Newest owner
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
