definately not Duracell.....

[prince]

OK, so I've now had my Griff for nearly 2 months - and so far no major probs.

My only issue seems to be the battery keeps going flat.
If I use the car on a daily basis everything is fine, but if I leave it standing for around a week - then nothing - totally dead!
I find it hard to believe the battery won't hold a charge for this period of time.
Any ideas as to the cause? - I can't believe this is normal.

[craigalsop]

quote:
My only issue seems to be the battery keeps going flat.
If I use the car on a daily basis everything is fine, but if I leave it standing for around a week - then nothing - totally dead!

Have you checked the battery? 2-3 years seems to be the normal battery life in a TVR....(A battery conditioner can help this)

cheers,
Craig

[simpo one]

TVRs always seem to have a leakage somewhere - even if the alarm/immobiliser is not on, power seems to dissipate somehow.

I got an Airflow battery conditioner - you'll find it with an internet search - for about £45. Well worth it for peace of mind I think - especially since changing the battery in a Griff is such a bastard! Since they have the fag lighter unswitched, you can use that as a very handy power-in socket.

Just one proviso - whilst the conditioner does seem to extend battery life and help avoid that sinking 'will it start' feeling each weekend - it can also give a duff battery an illusion of life. In other words, it will start OK from your garage, then let you down wherever you are the next time you try to start it. I missed out on the mega-Essex Region meeting earlier this year for exactly that reason! I had to call out my breakdown service - and although I think the man really wanted to jump start it and get home, after some pleading he followed me to Halfords, helped me find the right(ish) battery and fitted it for me! A very good £10 beer money I think.

[kevinday]

2-3 years is the normal battery life in any car, not just TVRs.

[david010167]

This may seem odd, but I had the same problem with my Griff, and it always went flat when I left the radio facia plugged in when she was in the garage. I have no idea if that caused the drain or if it was a coincidence, but ever since I have taken it out I have never had a problem.

David M5 TVR

[Griffithy]

quote:OK, so I've now had my Griff for nearly 2 months - and so far no major probs.

My only issue seems to be the battery keeps going flat.
If I use the car on a daily basis everything is fine, but if I leave it standing for around a week - then nothing - totally dead!
I find it hard to believe the battery won't hold a charge for this period of time.
Any ideas as to the cause? - I can't believe this is normal.

My Griff kept going flat after 1 or 2 weeks.
After changing for a new battery it is still going flat after 1 or 2 weeks.
Its not locked or anything while stored.

[chrish]

My advice is buy an Accumate (were called Optimate) 40 pds from Leven Technology and leave it plugged in when you don't use it. I found a week is about all they will stand otherwise.
I fitted a new battery and left it for 2-3 weeks and the volts dropped to 8.5v with no drain except the clock. That upset the immobiliser so it wouldn't work with the key flipper and had to disconnect the battery again to reset it.
If you own a TVR get used to having to do this, it's a fact of life, otherwise you are asking for more trouble as you can see.

[davemorton_eunos]

Accumate is a top idea.

I've just got one mail order from a motor bike place and then the 2.5 metre extension lead from Leven (and so aluminium dash bits). To be honest the saving on the Accumate (£10) wasn't worth the hassle of ringing around 30 bike shops before locating one.

(Don't be tempted to buy an Optimate as they aren't suitable for a 72aH battery according to the main UK supplier)

My plan is the permanently wire the lead and run the extension into the boot for ease of connection.



Dave

[chrish]

I connect mine to a Leven supplied grey plastic jump start style connector block (can't remember the make)I have located on the front chassis member and plug in the Accumate under the car so the bonnet is closed to stop crap going in the engine bay from the garage. It comes with a disconnect block so you can do this fairly easily.

[jon h]

I have a TVR battery conditioner (can't remember who actually makes it, but i picked the slightly wonky TVR sticke off one day out of curiosity, to reveal the makers name underneath). It came from a main dealer, and was cheaper than other products as I remember! It is very easy to use, as it plugs into the fag lighter. So I just drive into the garage and plug it in in 2 seconds. Never had a problem since using it, except when the battery died for good.

Jon H

[prince]

Thanks for all your help people, I already have an accumate conditioner, which has been installed in the boot(previous owner), its just I wasn't expecting to have to use all the time - just for periods of storage.

This might sound silly but I think leaving my LCD Radio pannel on - also seems to effect it -
Guess I'll just learn to live with it -
Must remember NEVER - to leave my jump leads in the boot - and the doors locked with the windows up - when in the garage .I was lucky this time - that at least the drivers window was only part closed!!

[JMorgan]

Something could be dragging it down. Chaffed wire to earth maybe. I know the batteries are in an awkward place but if you put a meter in circuit checking amps, nothing turned on, essential as you can cause damage, a lot. Then look for currant drain. If there is a lot (more than 50 mA?) then pull the fuses/relay's until the drain is less. Then investigate the circuit dragging it down. Not sure what the alarm/immobilser draws but should last 2-3 weeks. Also is there a correct charge going to the battery? 13-14 volts when engine running.

[angusfaldo]

I had no idea so many people were suffering from this. Mine starts every time, even after an 8 week lay up earlier this year. It regularly spends a week to ten days on its own in the dark only for me to jump in and fire it up. Battery is at least 2 years old (was in there when I bought the car).

I would love to know what is causing the battery drain - please keep this thread informed!

[Prince_Charming]

JMorgan said: Something could be dragging it down. Chaffed wire to earth maybe. I know the batteries are in an awkward place but if you put a meter in circuit checking amps, nothing turned on, essential as you can cause damage, a lot. Then look for currant drain. If there is a lot (more than 50 mA?) then pull the fuses/relay's until the drain is less. Then investigate the circuit dragging it down. Not sure what the alarm/immobilser draws but should last 2-3 weeks. Also is there a correct charge going to the battery? 13-14 volts when engine running.

Need a bit of help on this as my battery seems to be dead as a dodo. Is it best to just pull out individual fuses and stick the multimeter in the vacated sockets and measure the individual drawn currents? Or is it best to stick the multimeter in series with the battery and measure the total drawn current. If so, where is the best place to do this? At the terminal itself? i.e. do you remove one terminal connector and stick it via the multimeter to the terminal.

Any help appreciated for this electronics dufus. Have just bought a battery conditioner and hoping that will sort the problem, but somehow doubt it....

[chimburt]

dis-connect one battery terminal and then put one meter lead on the connector and one on the battery. this will reconnect the car to the battery allowing you to see what the car will draw as a whole.
secure the leads if you are doing any more monkeying about to reduce sparking.
then you can start pulling fuses out as described.

just adding that i wouldn't just plug the meter into the vacant fuse slot. you don't want to try and use the meter as a fuse. if you want to look at each circuit then get yourself some bits of wire on the meter probes and have the fuse on one end. this way the circuit is still protected.

all the best.

>> Edited by chimburt on Tuesday 7th January 14:58

[prince_charming]

Cheers mate!