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Parasitic battery drain V50

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Old Oct 21st, 2019, 23:19   #21
DraykeBlazey
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Originally Posted by eddieace View Post
Little update, alarm service message now gone off car still has a dead battery when returning to it overnight, figured I’d give the battery a full charge and maybe try a current draw whilst at work, checked for any codes on the off chance and 2 stored, p0380 glow plug heater circuit A and u0301 software incompatible with ECM/PCM

Erased and restarted car, U0301 returns.

Not happy the alternator voltage drops from 14.5 volts to 13.2 (12.8) when electrics are being used.

Looking more and more likely it may need a dealer visit.
Unless someone has seen this u0301 before.
What v50 to you have? If it is a drive model the alternator dose change voltage to keep the battery at 80% charge (maybe prolong battery life) and any thing above 12 volts is charging. I believe the alternator is common to go bad but it is bad if it only produces below 12.1 volts.

Other that, if you are able to drive it some distance the alternator is good. I would check for drain.
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Old Oct 21st, 2019, 23:24   #22
lockstock
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Originally Posted by DraykeBlazey View Post
What v50 to you have? If it is a drive model the alternator dose change voltage to keep the battery at 80% charge (maybe prolong battery life) and any thing above 12 volts is charging. I believe the alternator is common to go bad but it is bad if it only produces below 12.1 volts.

Other that, if you are able to drive it some distance the alternator is good. I would check for drain.
this is definitely not quite correct.. if your alternator is only putting out 12.1 the it is seriously failing or there is another issue. your battery will need at least >12.6 to charge and substantially more to charge fast. 12.6 would be a conditioning voltage perhaps for an almost full battery.....
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 08:31   #23
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Yer your right. I did this late at night. So forgot that.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 12:07   #24
eddieace
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Thanks for all your comments guys.

Multimeter is a cheap screwfix one,

Might have found something, started checking voltage drop on the fuses and came across the glow plugs fuse showing 25 millivolts and not dropping to zero

When touching the glow plug cables get a flurry of solenoid clicks from beneath the passenger side headlight (ecu) maybe?

Anyways unplugged the glow plugs and the millvolts dropped to zero on this fuse, but the solenoid still (randomly) clicks when interfering in this area, when I go to the wiring loom above the gearbox / near airbox, pushing the loom here gently results in 1 click and releasing results in another single click so appears more “controlled”

Thinking wiring loom is goosed? Any comments on this?
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 12:30   #25
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Originally Posted by eddieace View Post
Thanks for all your comments guys.

Multimeter is a cheap screwfix one,

Might have found something, started checking voltage drop on the fuses and came across the glow plugs fuse showing 25 millivolts and not dropping to zero

When touching the glow plug cables get a flurry of solenoid clicks from beneath the passenger side headlight (ecu) maybe?

Anyways unplugged the glow plugs and the millvolts dropped to zero on this fuse, but the solenoid still (randomly) clicks when interfering in this area, when I go to the wiring loom above the gearbox / near airbox, pushing the loom here gently results in 1 click and releasing results in another single click so appears more “controlled”

Thinking wiring loom is goosed? Any comments on this?
definitely suggests something in the loom. when checking for power draw with car off you need to test for current though, not voltage. you can detect voltage difference from capacitors and other components having residual charge, it doesnt really tell you anything. set the meter to current and then test fuses.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 12:46   #26
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Multimeter is a cheap screwfix one
That tells me nothing. Not to worry.

It's never taken me longer than 1 hour to find a drain and the diagnosing procedure in this thread is a mess but without clear basic info, it's not really possible to help.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 14:03   #27
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Used this method

https://youtu.be/JFThdbDYL-c


7mins 50 for the relevant method.



Multimeter - https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-mas83...B&gclsrc=aw.ds
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 14:11   #28
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That tells me nothing. Not to worry.

It's never taken me longer than 1 hour to find a drain and the diagnosing procedure in this thread is a mess but without clear basic info, it's not really possible to help.
Indeed it is, but assumed the alarm battery was first at fault given the dash warning that was displayed, and an abnormally low charge rate threw me another curve ball, electrical fault testing isn’t something I’ve needed to do very much so learning as I go,
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Old Oct 22nd, 2019, 16:14   #29
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Picked up a new multimeter, when i measure the current it starts at 1.2 then drops after 30secs to .66 then .12 for 30 secs then 0.00
You won't be able to safely or accurately view alternator output or charging current with that meter.
You need a current clamp.

As hinted at earlier too, you really need Vida to accurately buy the correct alternator and run more specific output tests.

Quote:
Originally Posted by eddieace View Post
Indeed it is, but assumed the alarm battery was first at fault given the dash warning that was displayed, and an abnormally low charge rate threw me another curve ball, electrical fault testing isn’t something I’ve needed to do very much so learning as I go,
You need to accurately test before and after anyway so never assume anything with parasitic drains.
Unless I've missed it, this parasitic drain thread still doesn't say what drain you actually have when the car is shutdown or the effect on that drain by removing specific fuse or fuses.
Also, as a beginner, the video you've linked to will potentially create more problems than it solves.

You will have to leave the meter settled for 30 minutes minimum so in my video here, I show how you need lead clamps and how a meter with min/max readings helps with recording data when you're not looking at the meter.
2 x multimeters help massively too.
One reasonable spec meter and a cheap crappy one like the one you've bought.
I'm not dissing the cheap meter as I have one too and they have many uses.

I also have videos showing how to accurately test batteries and alternator output and a multimeter buying guide.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2019, 12:29   #30
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I had a similar problem with my car. Alarm randomly sounding and occasional Alarm Service due messages. Eventually my battery went flat after leaving it for a week. From what i have found is that if the rechargeable alarm battery in the alarm sounder is goosed then it reverts to using the main battery to maintain the alarm thus eventually flattening the battery. I bought a replacement rechargeable battery pack and cut open the alarm sounder box and fitted the battery pack. It has been fine for almost 6 months now.
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