DB9 Battery Drain

[a98pmalcolm]

Hi all.

I have an issue that I think needs addressing.

I have a 2007 DB9. I don't drive it often. About once a week.

Every time I start it when left for the week it seems the battery has just enough punch to start the car.
I have recently replaced the battery to see if that helps. Not much luck.

If the car isn't started for a few hours or even over night there is no issues and starts spot on.

I do have the AM bluetooth module upgrade and I have read that the modules can drain a little, but that could just internet talk.
The only other electrical modifications is the Aston installations Garmin upgrade and the DivinaTech sequential light system.
I know that these rear lights have a constant power to run the microcontroller. But the use is tiny and would take around 2000 hours before it flattens the battery.

But if memory serves me well I was getting this issue before the light upgrade.

Has anyone else had an issue or have an idea what it could be?

Thanks
Paul

[oilit]

I was always told that if not using the DB9 often the battery will drain - I have always used a battery conditioner that plugs into the socket in the boot and never had a problem.

I seem to remember that one of the reasons I was advised to do so was because apparently if the battery dies with the doors and boot shut you have a problem getting in ?

Aston do one - but I think they are made by CTEK and as long as it has the plug for said socket you should be all set.

Having said all of that - a week does seem a short period of time - I think I have left mine for a month and not had a problem before.

[Oilchange]

Alarm systems will do that, constant drain on the battery as I recall.
I have a CTEK conditioner for the lithium car battery, plugged in year round, good bit of kit.

[Westlondondriver]

I had a 2005 DB9 and even with a new battery it wouldn’t last more than about 10 days without a charge or driving. If I was going away I would put the battery isolator switch on to protect the battery. The CTEK is the answer since it avoids the flat battery problem but also if the battery is being drained almost flat every week and then recharged by the car or a charger it won’t have a very long life expectancy anyway. I definitely got a better life out of an Aston Martin fitted battery than one form another supplier - presumably different spec but still didn’t last long.

[Squaremeal]

If I recall in a previous chat with James from Aston Installations there is a known issue with the tracker as it ages.

It deteriorates(?) in some way that can cause the old version of the tracker to start draining much more power than they should.

Also you may wish to check the age of your battery. If you aren't using it much from my experience the DB 9 an older DB9 battery becomes harder and harder to keep charged and it's a relatively inexpensive fix.

[Westlondondriver]

I had a 2005 DB9 and even with a new battery it wouldn’t last more than about 10 days without a charge or driving. If I was going away I would put the battery isolator switch on to protect the battery. The CTEK is the answer since it avoids the flat battery problem but also if the battery is being drained almost flat every week and then recharged by the car or a charger it won’t have a very long life expectancy anyway. I definitely got a better life out of an Aston Martin fitted battery than one form another supplier - presumably different spec but still didn’t last long.

[SL500UK]

Has the tracker (and its old batteries) got anything to do with this? My Vantage had a battery drain problem a couple of years ago and I got the dealer to disable the tracker.

[a98pmalcolm]

Thanks for the replies all..

Its a new battery (bosch s5) in there and the tracker has been disabled by bramford rose so I would have thought that it shouldn't cause a drain.

Unfortunately a Ctek is not an option as the car is lift on my drive way

[8Tech]

Dont take for granted that the new battery is all ok!

I have purchased a Bosch battery in the past from a very large motor factors and when tested was down to a 55% state of health, (charge capacity) even when brand new. If they have sat on the shelf for a long time then they can be in very poor condition. 44% is considered a failure with replacement required.

I now take my battery tester whenever I buy batteries from a stockist or buy directly from a main distributor.

I suggest you get a proper digital test done on the new battery first.

[a98pmalcolm]

We have one at work as I am in the trade, so I will check the state..

But I went to drive it tonight and its completely flat :-( after 2 days. So I have requested a return to the seller and will order on from our supplier..

I would like to unplug the tracker too. Does anyone know the location of it? Going of the parts list it looks like its under the scuttle or in the dash..

Many thanks

[Beechburn]

Try looking at this type of item by way of a trickle charger. They can be got for car batteries too but I have no idea how effective they are.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/20w-Waterproof-Battery-So...

[oilit]

i use one of these on a truck we use about once every couple of months and they work a treat - just a pita to unplug before you drive off, but a friend has one that is permanently wired in and it seems to work fine.

[gaussianmist]

Squaremeal said:

If I recall in a previous chat with James from Aston Installations there is a known issue with the tracker as it ages.

It deteriorates(?) in some way that can cause the old version of the tracker to start draining much more power than they should.

Also you may wish to check the age of your battery. If you aren't using it much from my experience the DB 9 an older DB9 battery becomes harder and harder to keep charged and it's a relatively inexpensive fix.

I have a 2005 DB9. What's a tracker?

[a98pmalcolm]

Thanks for the time to reply guys.

Does anyone know the location of the tracker?

[Valleyboy76]

My 2007 db9 battery goes flat in six days I measured the current with the car stationary and no keys in the ignition recoding 0.48 amps, the new battery is an AMG 95 a/h Varta which in theory would go dead flat in198 hrs which is 8.24 days. Not very good for a “class car”.
I had a 1997 corvette C5 and left it standing at Luton airport for two months Nov to Jan it was covered in ice and started first time! That’s good design the db9 is like a kit car.

[AM4884]

FWIW, I put an amp meter on my DB9 to see what was going on. IIRC, it was 5 Amps doing nothing, but with key on. Turn the key off it would drop to .5 Amps, and then about 5 minutes later it would drop to .1Amps. That was when I wired it for a trickle charger like my other garage queens.

[Valleyboy76]

So I am not alone, my problem is after downsizing I now keep the car on the drive so the boot would be open when the trickle chargers plugged in it would be a good dea to have a water proof plug socket! Now the filler cap won’t open with the button, any idea which fuse or comes off?

[Oilchange]

Perhaps a big orange battery cut off switch on the dash between the gearstick and the ash tray. Stick it in with some epoxy and a couple of nuts and bolts. Problem solved.

[LTP]

Valleyboy76 said:

Now the filler cap won’t open with the button, any idea which fuse or comes off?

First step RTFM?