MrRalphMan Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Ello all, I hope that someone can give me an idea of what might be wrong. About a month ago, I started having problems starting the car. I don't get to use the car that much and after about a week, the car would be dead, nothing just some dull lights. I purchased a new battery and everything was fine for a while, but last night it wouldn't start again. I hadn't used the car for about a week and a half. I got in, nice bright lights. Turned the key and got a quick succession of clicks (click.click.click.click you get the picture). After a couple of tries I didn't even get this and I started to get a slow clicking, which I think was the alarm trying to go off. Any idea on what might be draining the battery? I know that's not much to go on, but any idea might help. My suspicion is that it is the alarm draining it. Still, let me know what you think. Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gzaerojon Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 i had the same thing once, i only use mine at weekends. went to start it and a relay just kept clicking. my AA mate popped round with his booster box and tester, we started it up and ran it for about 10 mins, then turned it all off. when he tested it, he noticed something was drawing a very small amount of amps (he said that it would be enough to drain the battery in a week) so we went over the car and the only thing we found was the stereo pannel being on (but not playing a cd) when turning it off, the amps being drawn dropped almost to zero. now i make sure its off and its been no probs ever since. hope this helps mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class One Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Not being a techie but a guess would be your alarm. Mine takes about 10-12 days of non usage to drain the battery but I know one guy who gets a flat battery in about 2 days so he always carries a spare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 I've had the alarm drain it in a week :thumbdown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Disconnect the alarm, it's almost certainly that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanK Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 or your lights on in the boot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShox Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 gzaerojon has hit the nail on the head with this one - I was having exactly the same problem as you guys. I thought it was the alarm but it took a little while, but i noticed that the blue light on the outer edge of my CD player remained on - I previously thought it was just made of some reflective type material and ignored it. you'll need to simply remove your dash panels and either re-wire or unplug the connector feeding the light. Another source of constant drain may be the green ring light around your ignition - check to see if that remains on constantly too. must admit, mine is ok now even though it is still draining a little too fast. trouble is, when the battery drains the alarm keeps going off and since that has its own little backup - unplugging the main batt doesn't help!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl0s Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 slightly off topic, but I have been surprised to find that if I sit in the car with the ignition set to ACC and the radio on quietly for 45mins, my car will only-just start. But as I use the car every day, it's fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobyg Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 I work on on Oil rig 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. I find that it drains easy with the standard UK alarm. I often need to recharge it after my 2 weeks away, even with a new battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmatty Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Mines beginning to die after a monday to friday sit......Only runs 2 led's I think thats enough thuough now! Will buy a new one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShox Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 magicmatty - do you have your LEDs wired to the positive that only draws power when the ignition is on? It seems like a common problem and so that's good to know. Even though I've reduced the current drain it still seems a little high. I still have the warranty on my alarm/immobiliser so I might call the guy and ask a few eleccy questions cos we may all be having the same problem. As I'm not electrically minded at all, any suggestions what i should ask, like "how much drain should there be?" D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 thing is though he bought a new battery and that solved the problem for a while. I'd be inclined to see what power your alternator is putting out. Might be that its just not charging the battery enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShox Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 yup i bought a new batt too - a massive one but when you connect electrodes from a meter, the actual drain is high. Unfortunately I can't give numbers cos a) i cant remember b) my dad knows about this sort of stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soonto_HAS_soop Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Just connect your battery up, put a meter across to see what the drain is, then start pulling individual fuses, and then you can pretty much see which circuit your problem is on. Start with the alarms individual fuse though incase it is that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmatty Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Sorry - I have 2 leds - as part of my alarm systems, and they merrily flash all night and day when the car is locked.... I s'pose I could leave it unlocked.!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShox Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 ah well there it is...i connected mine so they turn on when the ignition turns. good idea with fuse pulling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk-rich Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 doubt its leds draining the system, the power they use is very very small Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted September 19, 2005 Author Share Posted September 19, 2005 Arrrgghhhh... went to go out in her tonight and she let me down again. In I get and all I get is a very quick clicking from the right hand side of the dash (maybe in the engine bay, but sounded like from within the car). Anyone know a good Car Sparky in Essex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShox Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 they all click - this is where you are turning the key for the solenoid to turn the bigger starter motor - with no umph in the batt the solenoid simply clicks in and out. sounds like a common issue with soops and batts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted September 19, 2005 Author Share Posted September 19, 2005 Thanks Dude... Still rather hacked off though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 You had your alternator checked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted September 19, 2005 Author Share Posted September 19, 2005 Not yet, think I might get a volt meter and check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShox Posted September 20, 2005 Share Posted September 20, 2005 mine just coming off charge now eheh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted September 20, 2005 Share Posted September 20, 2005 It's always the alarm..... Well, actually, it isn't. In fact it's very rarely the alarm. This is something we get very frequently. Mostly from the bloody AA. in at least 90% of cases its the battery. People seem to be unwilling to accept that a battery that's only a couple of years old could possibly be knackered. In the case of the Supra. If it's not your every day car, and it's likely to not be used for a week or two, disconnect the battery. Every time a normal car battery is flattened, it gets weakened. It's called 'deep cycling'. Normal lead acid batteries HATE being deep cycled. It kills the electrodes inside the battery, and will irreversably weaken the battery. As a rough guide, if you deep cycle a battery about 5 times, it will only last a few days without going flat. 10 times and you'll be lucky if it survives a night. I've got all sorts of gizmos in my car which can cause drain issues and it can easily be left for 2-3 weeks with no problem. (I will always recharge it after 3 weeks regardless). Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 20, 2005 Share Posted September 20, 2005 Yeah but he said he bought a new battery recently and that the problem went away for a short while then came back thats why I thought of a dodgy alternator. If the alternators not outputting enough power the battery will slowly drain and then eventually the little things will flatten it over a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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