Battery discharge!!!
Discussion
Mine used to get very arsey if neglected for a couple of weeks - I put it down to the alarm draining current, as it was a fancy Clifford model with all the bells and whistles. Happened regardless of whether the battery was recent or not (got through about 5 for various reasons over 2 years!)
I had this on mine - killed the freshly charged battery dead after a day or so - traced to failed alternator diodes, causing total current drain. Result - recon alternator and new battery. It might be worth getting yours checked by an autoelectrician, unless it's down to a faulty alarm or something?
Didn't leave the lights on did you
Didn't leave the lights on did you
Assuming there are no faults it would take the alarm system months to completely flatten the battery, I've just tried to start my Griff after 4 weeks and guess what yep totally flat and the alarm was not armed, it does this about once a year, i tend to agree with the dodgy alternator theory.
Tim
Tim
2 sheds said:
Assuming there are no faults it would take the alarm system months to completely flatten the battery, I've just tried to start my Griff after 4 weeks and guess what yep totally flat and the alarm was not armed, it does this about once a year, i tend to agree with the dodgy alternator theory.
Tim
Mine does that too! I'm on the verge of buying a new alternator, incase that is the problem, however I do now have an optimate on board, which is solving the issue.
Is this getting close to the "they all do that sir" reply??
Edt said:
I've a battery kill switch fitted.. when I shove the 500 in the garage I pop out the switch & that's that.. hey presto a completely dead car. Last battery lasted 5 year. IMO well worth it
Regards, Ed
That's what I've been doing to, but if you want to go anyway away from home, for any length of time, it's not really practical to do this
My Griffith has started to suffer from the same symptoms. I got it out to clean it last week, and it was working fine when I put it back in the garage. tried to drive it two days later, and the battery was totally dead, even though I'd had the trickle charger connected!! I disconnected the battery and charged it for 24 hours, and although the battery charged in excess of 80% (indicated on the charger), the charger never switched on the 'Fully Charged' indicator.
Anyway, I reconnected the battery and drove the car around on Sunday, when it started straight away each time, but went to drive it last night, and the battery is totally dead again! When I was driving it, the battery meter was displaying no abnormal readings, and the alternator light was not on.
If the diode pack is faulty, could this have damaged the battery, and prevent it from being fully charged? Or could the battery just be duff? The battery is only a year and two months old, and it has a 3 year guarantee, so I'm hoping it's that, but obviously I want to check out the other stuff before connecting a new battery and knackering that!
Is there a way to test the diode pack?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dan.
Anyway, I reconnected the battery and drove the car around on Sunday, when it started straight away each time, but went to drive it last night, and the battery is totally dead again! When I was driving it, the battery meter was displaying no abnormal readings, and the alternator light was not on.
If the diode pack is faulty, could this have damaged the battery, and prevent it from being fully charged? Or could the battery just be duff? The battery is only a year and two months old, and it has a 3 year guarantee, so I'm hoping it's that, but obviously I want to check out the other stuff before connecting a new battery and knackering that!
Is there a way to test the diode pack?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dan.
Edt said:
I've a battery kill switch fitted.. when I shove the 500 in the garage I pop out the switch & that's that.. hey presto a completely dead car. Last battery lasted 5 year. IMO well worth it
Regards, Ed
Ed - doesn't that mean that the ECU resets itself each time you drive off?
Dave
From memory 
the way it was explained to me is the alternator produces AC current as it generates, the diodes are electrical 'one-way' valves that convert the AC into DC current to charge the battery - on mine, the diodes were faulty, so the battery drains back out into the alternator windings because the one-way diodes don't work or something.
I looked for a pool of electricity under the car, but couldn't spot the leak
>> Edited by andy43 on Wednesday 19th May 10:49
the way it was explained to me is the alternator produces AC current as it generates, the diodes are electrical 'one-way' valves that convert the AC into DC current to charge the battery - on mine, the diodes were faulty, so the battery drains back out into the alternator windings because the one-way diodes don't work or something. I looked for a pool of electricity under the car, but couldn't spot the leak
>> Edited by andy43 on Wednesday 19th May 10:49
Tis not quite as simple as that as there is also voltage regulators in there to ensure the alternator doesn't generate 20+ volts and to support the self starting. The diode pack is a bit of a misnomer as it not just the diodes.
You won't find a pool of electricity as the current will make it flow to a different 'ohm.... Is that an AMPle explanation?
You won't find a pool of electricity as the current will make it flow to a different 'ohm.... Is that an AMPle explanation?
Ed - doesn't that mean that the ECU resets itself each time you drive off?
Dave
I've also got a battery isolator key fitted, so I switch it off in the garage and battery lasts all winter without charge and starts fine.
If the ECU is re-setting itself there's no evidence - it runs fine
Tony
Dave
I've also got a battery isolator key fitted, so I switch it off in the garage and battery lasts all winter without charge and starts fine.
If the ECU is re-setting itself there's no evidence - it runs fine
Tony
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