Battery Failure.

Submitted: Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 12:52

ThreadID: 80145 Views:2772 Replies:11 FollowUps:9

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OREJAP

Following up on my recent post 80101. The auto elect. seems to think brake controller all OK, however something is slowly draining the start battery. If I leave the vehicle sitting for 2-3 days it is slow to start with slow cranking. I recently left the vehicle sitting for 5 days & although showing 12.11 volts on the H/held voltmeter the vehicle started to crank slowly & winding down to nothing!!! I do not know (neither does the auto elect at this stage) what is draining the start battery. I have a ARB dual battery system, Anderson plug with switch & solenoid, tow plug, winch & brake controller. I suppose it's element of elimination. If anyone else has experienced this problem with a vehicle I would be grateful for suggestions & thanks to all those who replied to my previous....much appreciated.

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Reply By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 13:13

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 13:13

How old is the battery? Disconnect a battery terminal. Leave it sit for 2-3 days. Reconnect terminal, does it start. If not battery is sad.

Otherwise use a meter and look for leakage currents. A DC clampmeter makes this very easy if you have one.

AnswerID: 424378

Follow Up By: OREJAP - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 16:37

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 16:37

Battery is 14 mths old. I don't know what a DC clamp is at the moment will find out. Vehicle locked away at car Doctors whom I think is disconnecting accessories one by one as in element of elimination. The vehicle is usually parked in driveway however on this occassion it was parked in rear yard of suburban house. Thanks for all your help Gents.

FollowupID: 694835

Follow Up By: get outmore - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 17:15

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 17:15

yep eliminate the obvious first

at 14 months the battery should be fine but some batteries die alot qucker

FollowupID: 694839

Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 13:45

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 13:45

I have all the things you have except my isolator is a Redarc and I dont have a solenoid on either of my two Anderson plugs.
I dont have a winch.

I would disconnect one thing at a time and leave each for several days and see.

Also if you go to a Battery World they can test the circuits for leakage and perhaps find it that way.

A battery has to be tested under load to be sure of its condition. They can show fully charged but fail under load.

I had my batteries checked last week after 2 years of use and they are in excellent condition.

AnswerID: 424383

Follow Up By: OREJAP - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 16:43

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 16:43

Hi Graham, Thanks for your help with the Brake controller & no haven't fixed it the auto elect. thought it was that but I believe he has ruled it out but still testing. Thanks again

FollowupID: 694836

Reply By: Shaker - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 14:21

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 14:21

What vehicle & where is it parked?

There has been reports of the electricity measuring devices such as 'Cent a Meter' installed in house meter boxes causing battery discharge in vehicles parked in their vicinity.
Apparently, they prevent the vehicle's computer from going to'sleep'.
There was a recent post on this subject at the Australian Land Rover Owners forum.

AnswerID: 424387

Reply By: Colcam42 - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 15:09

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 15:09

Do any of your relays/solenoids for the Anderson plugs stay on with the ignition off? The larger solenoids draw up to 3amp. Just a thought,

Cheers,

AnswerID: 424392

Reply By: Member - Tezza Qld - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 15:20

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 15:20

Hi
I know this does't help with your voltage drop problems but with the ARB Smart solenoid dual battery system you should have a wire running from the smart solenoid to a trigger switch so if the start battery is flat you can start the vehicle from the second battery. I recently had to use this system when my start battery gave up.

Cheers Teza

AnswerID: 424394

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 16:16

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 16:16

Should be bread and butter for an auto electrician.
Did he measure the current being drained when the vehicle is turned off??
If so, he just needs to disconnect each of your accessories one by one.
If its none of these, then it might be something like a stuck brake light switch.

AnswerID: 424400

Follow Up By: OREJAP - Thursday, Jul 22, 2010 at 15:14

Thursday, Jul 22, 2010 at 15:14

Yes he checked when everything turned off....drawing 2.5 amps maybe up to five!!! If brake light switch stuck will b/lights stay on?

FollowupID: 695348

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Thursday, Jul 22, 2010 at 20:47

Thursday, Jul 22, 2010 at 20:47

Yes if stuck on

If he was a decent sparky he would disable one thing at a time till he found it

FollowupID: 695384

Reply By: Member - Christopher P (NSW) - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 17:17

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 17:17

My 4runner, had a slow leakage aswell, after i rebuilt the rear window controller, and would drain the battery over a week. if you have a rear window mechanism i woukd check that!!!!

just a thought

AnswerID: 424407

Reply By: Member - Charlie M (SA) - Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 19:00

Sunday, Jul 18, 2010 at 19:00

Is your switch to solidnoid momentary on or full switch. (Momentary on is spring loaded) If momentary is it a open or closed switch. (open is when pushed it engages to activate to power mode) I had one installed in my other dual battery set up and inadvertaly installed a closed switch that drained over time battery as solidnoid was always on.
Cheers
Charlie

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AnswerID: 424419

Reply By: CraigB - Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 11:30

Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 11:30

Hi,

I note that you have the ARB Dual Battery system.

Question:- Is it wired so that you have a switch to connect the batteries in parallel in case of failure of your cranking battery?

If so then this is most likely your problem.
I had exactly the same thing happen to mine.
Very frustrating to locate the problem.
Eventually tracked it down to the "smart Solenoid"

ARB advised me that they are aware of this problem with the Sure Power models 1314 & 1315.

Simply unplug the wire at the centre pin of the battery separator solenoid leading to your switch.

Regards
Craig

AnswerID: 424599

Follow Up By: OREJAP - Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 23:31

Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 23:31

Hi Craig, There is no switch both batteries are suppose to start the car with a cut off or prevention diode to stop the start battery going flat when I use the auxillary which I did use to run an item & subsequently forgot about it sending the auxillary flat.....I think something else is draining the start battery OR the ARB system failed because the start battery was 12.11. I would think the battery should start the vehicle at 12.11 but it didn't.

FollowupID: 695149

Reply By: Keith_A (Qld) - Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 13:26

Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 13:26

Hi Orejap - Any chance you have an inverter fitted in the back?
When turned on- but no 240V device connected, mine draws about 0.4 amps.
Over 24hrs, that amounts to 9.6 ah and over 5 days almost 50ah.

The idle current in some 12V devices can mount up over several days.
Just a thought........................Keith

AnswerID: 424609

Follow Up By: OREJAP - Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 23:25

Tuesday, Jul 20, 2010 at 23:25

Hi Keith, No inverter fitted. I will check out the ARB dual battery system & see if I can locate the problem. Thanks to everyone trying to help with advice....much appreciated.

FollowupID: 695148

Reply By: Mike DiD - Wednesday, Jul 21, 2010 at 08:19

Wednesday, Jul 21, 2010 at 08:19

If your "Auto Electrician" can't measure exactly how much current is being drained from the battery when everything is switched off, then you really need to change to one who really deserves that title.

Clampmeters can't measure very low currents reliably.

AnswerID: 424700

Follow Up By: OREJAP - Thursday, Jul 22, 2010 at 15:21

Thursday, Jul 22, 2010 at 15:21

G'day mike, He has measured it but doesn't know where it's coming from. All after market gear has been switched off & tested even batteries have been changed for brand new ones & still we have a drain of power....this is really becoming frustrating!!!

FollowupID: 695350