flat battery problems

[cabbron]

hi guys,need a little advice please.s1 with new battery and alternator recently checked ok.battery goes flat(dead flat) in 2 days and needs a serious set of cables and running diesel car to start it.even an optimate isnt the answer it seems.had an s1 back in 1999 this lasted about 10 days before flat.is there a known problem and hopefully a cure? cheers in advance.

[moles]

If the battery is new and the alterntor is ok then something must be drawing current when the car is parked up?. On my optimate if you leave a light on or radio on with it connected up the light goes from orange to red indicating a weak battery - does it do this?.

[cabbron]

thanks for the reply,courtesy light off,radio panel in place so no draw off led.when optimate is connected (now given up)it never gets from charge to weak.obviously a huge draw somewhere.other problem is i and the car live permanently in spain and a good auto electrician is virtually impossible.-hence the help plea.

[moles]

I had a problem with a wire arcing onto the chassis inside the cabin, for days I couldn't get the optimate to charge(would go orange for 10 mins then go red)only found it when a relay melted and I managed to trace the wiring back to the break. I'd start by removing one fuse at a time and connecting the optimate up, when you cut the circuit with the problem the optimate will start charging, will take a while but at least will give a better idea to where the problem could be.

[dr al]

good thinking, moles.

you could stick a big ammeter in series with the +ve battery lead, which should confirm the problem, but go no way to finding it.

I spent days chasing round my kit car a few years ago before finding the earthed bit of the loom. - there's a lot more electronics in a lotus than in my kit car!!

good luck, mate!

v heartfelt, cos there's nothing more miserable than tracking down an electrical fault IMHO!

A.

[cabbron]

thanks for your help,will have a go myself with your advice cos i am sick of going out to my pride and joy fancying a spin only to find it flat and needing jump starting and all that involves moving cars etc.cheers guys