On the search for my parasitic battery drain!
Discussion
I have an intermittent battery drain which I think I have located to the alternator,it was drawing 3.5 amps sometimes if the alarm or door was armed/opened.
Now while I was tring to recreate this drain I found that I could make it happen almost every time I connected my multimeter to the neg side of the battery, I got a small arc and the drain appeared,.
Pulling all the fuses and relays one at a time did nothing which lead me to the alternator, with no ignition on I was getting a magnetised pulley, after pulling the small positive lead off the alternator the drain disappeared, Bingo!
But while I was trying to create the drain I found that the big grey flasher type relay under the dash
would cause a drain of 0.16amps if pulled it would disappear also the fourth fuse in on the fuse box which on my diagram say cig lighter and heated mirrors/ seats would do the same?
What is this relay for? Because when I unplugged it every thing seemed to work.
I know it has something to do with the doors / central locking as it clicks when the curtesy light door switch is activated.
Now while I was tring to recreate this drain I found that I could make it happen almost every time I connected my multimeter to the neg side of the battery, I got a small arc and the drain appeared,.
Pulling all the fuses and relays one at a time did nothing which lead me to the alternator, with no ignition on I was getting a magnetised pulley, after pulling the small positive lead off the alternator the drain disappeared, Bingo!
But while I was trying to create the drain I found that the big grey flasher type relay under the dash
would cause a drain of 0.16amps if pulled it would disappear also the fourth fuse in on the fuse box which on my diagram say cig lighter and heated mirrors/ seats would do the same?
What is this relay for? Because when I unplugged it every thing seemed to work.
I know it has something to do with the doors / central locking as it clicks when the curtesy light door switch is activated.
Interesting, sounds like you've got a few possibilities there mate.
A faulty alternator diode will certainly cause a parasitic drain.
Just a thought, but if you pull that grey relay does your panic button on top of the golf ball door release still work?
There's definitely something odd with this circuit, it seems to run through the passenger door courtesy switch.
I had issues with this circuit, resorting to replacing the passenger courtesy switch and creating a better button on the door to activate it.
But no matter what I did the door solenoid would randomly become energised, not sure if it's connected about the same time this all started I lost the little green LED on the panic button.
Like I say there's something odd with the way the passenger door courtesy switch and panic button is wired & it seemed I was getting a dead short somewhere along this circuit.
One day I got so fed up with the chattering solenoid I disconnected the passenger door courtesy switch.
Ok so I lost the panic button function & you cant activate the courtesy light from the passenger side any more, but there was no more chattering solenoid.
No more battery drain either, so it's been left disconnected ever since.
I never did get to the bottom of it but it certainly wasn't the switch, if the courtesy light delay relay was being activated randomly it would have been energised almost permanently.
I now suspect this was the cause of my drain.
Just my ramblings really & I thought the delay relay was yellow not grey, not much help I know.
Good luck with it & keep us updated on how you get on finding that drain.
A faulty alternator diode will certainly cause a parasitic drain.
Just a thought, but if you pull that grey relay does your panic button on top of the golf ball door release still work?
There's definitely something odd with this circuit, it seems to run through the passenger door courtesy switch.
I had issues with this circuit, resorting to replacing the passenger courtesy switch and creating a better button on the door to activate it.
But no matter what I did the door solenoid would randomly become energised, not sure if it's connected about the same time this all started I lost the little green LED on the panic button.
Like I say there's something odd with the way the passenger door courtesy switch and panic button is wired & it seemed I was getting a dead short somewhere along this circuit.
One day I got so fed up with the chattering solenoid I disconnected the passenger door courtesy switch.
Ok so I lost the panic button function & you cant activate the courtesy light from the passenger side any more, but there was no more chattering solenoid.
No more battery drain either, so it's been left disconnected ever since.
I never did get to the bottom of it but it certainly wasn't the switch, if the courtesy light delay relay was being activated randomly it would have been energised almost permanently.
I now suspect this was the cause of my drain.
Just my ramblings really & I thought the delay relay was yellow not grey, not much help I know.
Good luck with it & keep us updated on how you get on finding that drain.
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Friday 17th May 21:55
ChimpOnGas said:
Interesting, sounds like you've got a few possibilities there mate.
A faulty alternator diode will certainly cause a parasitic drain.
Just a thought, but if you pull that grey relay does your panic button on top of the golf ball door release still work?
There's definitely something odd with this circuit, it seems to run through the passenger door courtesy switch.
I had issues with this circuit, resorting to replacing the passenger courtesy switch and creating a better button on the door to activate it.
But no matter what I did the door solenoid would randomly become energised, not sure if it's connected about the same time this all started I lost the little green LED on the panic button.
Like I say there's something odd with the way the passenger door courtesy switch and panic button is wired & it seemed I was getting a dead short somewhere along this circuit.
One day I got so fed up with the chattering solenoid I disconnected the passenger door courtesy switch.
Ok so I lost the panic button function & you cant activate the courtesy light from the passenger side any more, but there was no more chattering solenoid.
No more battery drain either, so it's been left disconnected ever since.
I never did get to the bottom of it but it certainly wasn't the switch, if the courtesy light delay relay was being activated randomly it would have been energised almost permanently.
I now suspect this was the cause of my drain.
Just my ramblings really & I thought the delay relay was yellow not grey, not much help I know.
Good luck with it & keep us updated on how you get on finding that drain.
Good call, I'll check the green light tomorrow morning, A faulty alternator diode will certainly cause a parasitic drain.
Just a thought, but if you pull that grey relay does your panic button on top of the golf ball door release still work?
There's definitely something odd with this circuit, it seems to run through the passenger door courtesy switch.
I had issues with this circuit, resorting to replacing the passenger courtesy switch and creating a better button on the door to activate it.
But no matter what I did the door solenoid would randomly become energised, not sure if it's connected about the same time this all started I lost the little green LED on the panic button.
Like I say there's something odd with the way the passenger door courtesy switch and panic button is wired & it seemed I was getting a dead short somewhere along this circuit.
One day I got so fed up with the chattering solenoid I disconnected the passenger door courtesy switch.
Ok so I lost the panic button function & you cant activate the courtesy light from the passenger side any more, but there was no more chattering solenoid.
No more battery drain either, so it's been left disconnected ever since.
I never did get to the bottom of it but it certainly wasn't the switch, if the courtesy light delay relay was being activated randomly it would have been energised almost permanently.
I now suspect this was the cause of my drain.
Just my ramblings really & I thought the delay relay was yellow not grey, not much help I know.
Good luck with it & keep us updated on how you get on finding that drain.
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Friday 17th May 21:55
Is the alternator reparable? Or just exchange?
Something has just come to me, I'm thinking the extra fan relay might be wired via the alternator and the other day I turn the ignition off and the fan stayed on until I pulled the fuse maybe this is causing the fault and the alternator is ok?
Or could the alternator drain be causing the fan to stay on?
Edited by Discopotatoes on Friday 17th May 22:23
Edited by Discopotatoes on Friday 17th May 22:26
Update!
The grey relay seems to have no function at all, it doesn't affect the panic button in any way!
Found I only have two wires going into the back of the alternator, the main from the battery and a tiny red wire going to the center post nothing on the other small terminal.
And the extra fans are wired to the battery terminal on the alternator, pulling the fuse to the fan didn't stop the drain.
So it's looking like the diode for the alternator
The grey relay seems to have no function at all, it doesn't affect the panic button in any way!
Found I only have two wires going into the back of the alternator, the main from the battery and a tiny red wire going to the center post nothing on the other small terminal.
And the extra fans are wired to the battery terminal on the alternator, pulling the fuse to the fan didn't stop the drain.
So it's looking like the diode for the alternator
Discopotatoes said:
Update!
The grey relay seems to have no function at all, it doesn't affect the panic button in any way!
Found I only have two wires going into the back of the alternator, the main from the battery and a tiny red wire going to the center post nothing on the other small terminal.
And the extra fans are wired to the battery terminal on the alternator, pulling the fuse to the fan didn't stop the drain.
So it's looking like the diode for the alternator
.The grey relay seems to have no function at all, it doesn't affect the panic button in any way!
Found I only have two wires going into the back of the alternator, the main from the battery and a tiny red wire going to the center post nothing on the other small terminal.
And the extra fans are wired to the battery terminal on the alternator, pulling the fuse to the fan didn't stop the drain.
So it's looking like the diode for the alternator
Rich, are you 100% sure the grey relay does nothing?
For example, I think the heated mirrors are activated for a minute every time you start the car.
I believe on most Ford models from the mid nineties that big grey relay with a red "R" on the top of it is used for the heated rear screen element, so it would make sense on a Chimaera this grey relay is for the heated mirrors.
It's not immediately obvious the heated mirrors are on, so an easy one to miss.
What we really need (& I've never seen on here) is an under dash photo with all the relays labelled.
A similar one labelling the relays on the fuse board would be great too.
Both would be a massive help to everyone on here.
I know the wiring changes a bit over the years, but is anyone prepared to take up the challenge?
Here's my basic attempt at the fuse board:
No responsibility held if I've got any of this wrong
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Saturday 18th May 13:32
ChimpOnGas said:
Discopotatoes said:
Update!
The grey relay seems to have no function at all, it doesn't affect the panic button in any way!
Found I only have two wires going into the back of the alternator, the main from the battery and a tiny red wire going to the center post nothing on the other small terminal.
And the extra fans are wired to the battery terminal on the alternator, pulling the fuse to the fan didn't stop the drain.
So it's looking like the diode for the alternator
.The grey relay seems to have no function at all, it doesn't affect the panic button in any way!
Found I only have two wires going into the back of the alternator, the main from the battery and a tiny red wire going to the center post nothing on the other small terminal.
And the extra fans are wired to the battery terminal on the alternator, pulling the fuse to the fan didn't stop the drain.
So it's looking like the diode for the alternator
Rich, are you 100% sure the grey relay does nothing?
For example, I think the heated mirrors are activated for a minute every time you start the car.
I believe on most Ford models from the mid nineties that big grey relay with a red "R" on the top of it is used for the heated rear screen element, so it would make sense on a Chimaera this grey relay is for the heated mirrors.
It's not immediately obvious the heated mirrors are on, so an easy one to miss.
What we really need (& I've never seen on here) is an under dash photo with all the relays labelled.
A similar one labelling the relays on the fuse board would be great too.
Both would be a massive help to everyone on here.
Anyone want to take up this challenge?
jojackson4 said:
There's one in the bible isn't there?
Can anyone label the undefined relays I've numbered one to seven?
Enter the relay function in the table below:
| 1 | CENTRAL LOCKING |
| 2 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 3 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 4 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 5 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 6 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 7 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
Edited by ChimpOnGas on Saturday 18th May 14:09
ChimpOnGas said:
jojackson4 said:
There's one in the bible isn't there?
Can anyone label the undefined relays I've numbered one to seven?Enter the relay function in the table below:
| 1 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 2 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 3 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 4 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 5 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 6 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
| 7 | RELAY FUNCTION? |
No.1 is central locking
Discopotatoes said:
You could be right Dave but it seems to switch on the door curtesy light button !
No.1 is central locking
Cheers, well that's one down.No.1 is central locking
I've added it above.
Happy to be corrected on the grey relay with "R" on top of it, I was pretty sure it would be for the heated mirrors?
Perhaps someone with a Bible can offer some clarification?
ChimpOnGas said:
Discopotatoes said:
You could be right Dave but it seems to switch on the door curtesy light button !
No.1 is central locking
Cheers, well that's one down.No.1 is central locking
I've added it above.
Happy to be corrected on the grey relay with "R" on top of it, I was pretty sure it would be for the heated mirrors?
Perhaps someone with a Bible can offer some clarification?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=109...
Looks like you are right Dave
Edited by Discopotatoes on Saturday 18th May 14:25
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