Flat Battery

[Soeley]

Just got back from a week in France, I had left the iQ at Leeds Bradford Airport. Got back and Battery was totally drained. Interior light was set to off, so the only suspects are the BlackView or ScanGauge II.

The Blackview has the PowerMagic Pro attached that is supposed to switch the camera off if the Battery voltage drops to 11.7v (could be faulty though). The ScanGauge shuts down after a few seconds (the display does anyway).

On the plus side the RAC came and gave me a jump start in half an hour of phoning them :)

[johnan]

There are other systems running while the car is "shut down" such as the alarm and the sensors for the unlocking which must always be on the lookout for a signal, but a week is a bit of a short time for a Battery to go flat in that way.

I have left mine for 6 days and there was no sign of any less life in the Battery than usual when I went to start it again.

Could be one of those batteries that is fine when kept topped up, but quickly run down when not being charged, or obviously as you suggest something draining it that you haven't thought of.

The Blackvue sounds a likely culprit, I don't use that system on mine that keeps it on when the car is shut down because I had the feeling something like that could happen.

John

[Soeley]

Just checked the footage from the BlackView and the last recorded event triggered by motion sensor was on the morning of the 6th day. So it nearly lasted lol, but not looked into what could have drained it yet.

[craggle]

What triggered it to record, Aircraft noise perhaps?

I recently flew out of Heathrow and we used the car park right under the end of the runway and when a plane took off over head all you could hear in the car park was car alarms screaming!

Luckily my friends car that we were in was a 1990 ish Nissan Micra so no alarm fitted, Not even sure we locked it come to think of it! :)

Craig.

[Soeley]

Ok just checked for Battery leakage with my Gunsons multimeter. Something is draining too much power! Disconnected the Scangauge - no difference, disconnected the BlackView - no difference

I disconnected everything, i have fitted electrical wise and it made no difference, so come Friday I will be pulling fuses one by one to see which circuit is the culprit.

[Soeley]

What triggered it to record, Aircraft noise perhaps?

I recently flew out of Heathrow and we used the car park right under the end of the runway and when a plane took off over head all you could hear in the car park was car alarms screaming!

Luckily my friends car that we were in was a 1990 ish Nissan Micra so no alarm fitted, Not even sure we locked it come to think of it! :)

Craig.

No, all the activation's were cars/people going passed. I did wonder it the aircraft noise could have been triggering the alarm, but whilst waiting for the RAC not a single alarm went off when planes took off or landed.

[craggle]

How many milliamps or amps is being drawn at rest?

Craig.

[craggle]

I think the car alarm on the iQ is a pretty basic one just using door sensors to activate the alarm. I have left windows open before and locked it as normal and it's never gone off. Not sure if there is a motion sensor that goes off if you rock the car either, never tried it?

Craig.

[Soeley]

How many milliamps or amps is being drawn at rest?

Craig.

Will have to get back to you on that. It's an oldish analogue meter with a Green band for excepted draw for things like clock & alarm, then a red band, it was showing well into the red. I didn't take not of the readings on the scale :o

[Soeley]

Just had a look at the scale and by the looks of it it was drawing 2 to 3 amps, which seems quite a lot ?

[craggle]

It does seem a lot. At that rate I'd expect the car to not start overnight.

I wonder if the car needs time to sleep once you have locked it up? My Range Rover used to draw a couple of amps for about 30 seconds after locking the doors. Eventually it would go to sleep once the computers Etc. had powered down and would then settle at a few milliamp's drawn from the Battery.

Craig.

[Soeley]

I'll have a proper look at it on Friday and let you know, thanks for your input :)

[dash]

Our iQ2 - manual (59 plate) had new Battery fitted last year (just under 3 years old and replaced under warranty); old one had lost its ability to hold charge

Possible due to lots of short journeys (and few long ones) leading to messing the battery's cells up

Dave

[tarquin]

That is a lot. Should be in the low ma

Having said that mine was fully charged and was dead in the morning. My heads up display fed from the OBD socket may not have gone asleep. Have disconnected it and has been ok since. Aldo a few times when out, i have stopped and the car has just about turned over. Then ok again.I dont trust these batteries

David

[tarquin]

I have a non intrusive clamp meter will let you know what mine is pulling idle

David

[bobkneale]

My IQ has sat for over a week, no problem with the Battery, something else other than normal alarm systems etc is draining yours.

[Soeley]

OK, now I am confused.

I put my meter back on the Battery and one by one I have removed each fuse. Not one of them shut down a circuit to stop the Battery drain. Now I say every fuse there are a few I couldn't get out in the RH engine bay fuse box (the bigger square type) so I pulled each multi-pin connector from the fuse box (I am presuming that the fuses on the box protect the circuits that those connectors are used on?).

I tried the LH engine bay fuse box, only two fuses in that one - no joy.

Then I went inside the car and tried all the fuses behind the LH passenger knee panel (RH drive) - still no joy so I unplugged each connector going to that.

The next thing I tried was the two main cables on the Battery +ve terminal, they are both on ring connectors, looks like one is direct to battery and the other after the two fuses on the +ve battery clamp - no joy.

I then noticed two multi-connectors underneath the back of the clamp, pulled the small one, no difference. Pulled the big one and for some reason the drain went off the scale??

So my only thought now is:

Can a bad earth cause some high resistance (well I know it can but..) and that in turn cause more battery drain?

Any thoughts/comment or suggestions appreciated.

Oh a picture of the meter scale to give you an idea of the draw. We are looking at scale 3, it should be in the green 'Utilities' band :o

[craggle]

Can you show or tell us how the meter is connected to the Battery? Do you disconnect one of the Battery cables then connect the meter between the cable and the Battery terminal?

Was the interior light on as well?

Craig.

[Soeley]

Disconnect the Battery +ve.

Connect red lead from meter to batter +ve post.

Connect black lead from meter to +ve terminal lead.

No, light was off, ScanGauge unplugged from OBDII port (I even set the wipers and headlights to off - not automatic)

[craggle]

Hmmm, Okay. Just been looking at the instructions online for the Gunsons Testune and that sounds correct. Something odd is going on but I think you already know that. I'm lost at this point without seeing the car myself.

Have you tried connecting the meter leaving the bonnet open then closing the car doors and locking the car? Watch the meter for a few minutes and see if it changes at all.

Craig.

[craggle]

I can't quite decide what scale I'm looking at. Are you reading near 7 amps draw?

http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/showimage.aspx?gid=617160&ppid=1122ℑ=671469992&images=671468843,671469003,671469113,671469246,671469992,671470153,671470345,671470701&formats=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0&format=0

Picture 2 shows the dial nicely

Craig.

[Soeley]

Yeah I can see wher you might think that. If you look back the the picture I put up at scale 3. It is just under the -2 amp marker. It says in the red band 'Excessive Leakage'.

But having just clicked on your link and looking at the pictures it reminded me that it has a Battery. I'd better check that to see if a dead Battery in the meter can effect the readings. :o

[tarquin]

Its a tricky one this because as the Battery discharges in develops a internal low resistance and can show excessive current drawn

What was the Battery voltage under this test?

Tomorrow I will put a current clamp on mine and give you different readings based on whats on

david

[Soeley]

David when you say 'under test' do you just mean voltage across the terminals? The Scangauge gives a reading of 12.9v when I get in the car before switching on.

[tarquin]

I meant are you able to read the voltage across the Battery whilst measuring 7a

David