440 Flat Batter (Again!)

[Bruce_T]

I wanted to drive home a lunch.

I checked the battery and it was 12.02 or something. (Batt neg lead was disconnected)

I thought ill start it and drive home as I needed some food.

Started it, check battery getting loads of juice from the alternator.

Drove home. Stopped. Checked battery 12.6v and going down, disconnected neg lead and still dropping.

I got a lift back into work so when im home tonight ill check the battery again and tell you guys what the voltage is.

Regards to current test I did that wrong. I was using AC and not DC.

Battery case thing I did but it didnt read anything so ill check again.

Funny you say that about 2 year batt as mine is a 2 year warranty batt.

I have the recepit yes.

[TicklyT]

I've had two faulty new batteries over the years. I didn't discover the first one was faulty until after I'd fitted a new anternator

[niloc]

Test current drain:

RED probe into 10A terminal on meter

Leave BLACK probe in COM on meter

METER set to 10A DC

All car switched off as if parked and locked

Disconnect batt +ve lead

RED probe to Batt +ve terminal

BLACK probe to +ve lead from car

So:

Batt+ -> red probe -> meter 10A -> black probe -> +ve lead

DO NOT attempt to start the car or operate lights, heaters, fans with the meter in circuit

DO NOT allow the black probe or +ve lead to touch the car body/metalwork while the red probe is on the battery.

DO NOT forget to put the red probe back into the far right terminal of the meter before measuring voltage...

When you get a reading, let us know...

[Bruce_T]

Hi Niloc, please forgive my ignorance;

in Laymans terms;

Disconnect batt +ve lead

Thats the red + off the battery?

RED probe to Batt +ve terminal

Thats the red probe on the + terminal on the battery?

BLACK probe to +ve lead from car

That the black probe on the red lead that goes onto the battery + but its not conencted.

[niloc]

Originally Posted by Bruce_T

Hi Niloc, please forgive my ignorance;

in Laymans terms;

Disconnect batt +ve lead

Thats the red + off the battery?

RED probe to Batt +ve terminal

Thats the red probe on the + terminal on the battery?

BLACK probe to +ve lead from car

That the black probe on the red lead that goes onto the battery + but its not conencted.

Correct Bruce

Make sure you follow all the instructions I gave in my last post.

[Bruce_T]

Will do,

It was just the bits I posted I was not 100% sure on.

The rest I understand fully, better to be safe then sorry!

What kind of figure would be within an acceptable range?

[jlgrosvenor]

I have no idea on the specified current drain. Depends whether you have an alarm, clock, ECU pulling juice, CD changer etc etc.

As a guess I would expect :

0.0something amps is good
More than 0.0something but less than 0.5 amps is moderate to high drain
More than 0.5A drain is very high

[Bruce_T]

No CD Changer.

Alarm (Standard Volvo fitted 2045)
And the anologue dash clock


Rest is normal car stuff, Ecu Info Centre etc

[B20F]

Normal drain would be between 0.025-0.035amp.

[Bruce_T]

Hi guys,

I have the readings for you.

Drain is 0.21A sometimes going to 0.20 to 0.22

Ofcourse since the +ve is not on the battery the alarm/siren internal sensors are not "armed" as such are they?

Ps. battery has not been connected since 1:15pm and its down to 11.93V.