AtHomeSoda

Ok,

A lot of people have problems with their batteries going dead, so I did some testing. I found it intresting what happens. Here are MY results and findings, on a C6 06 with a A6 Z51 3lt w/Nav

These are Amp readings: Hood light disconnected

First hook to amp meter 6.9 Amps
20 seconds later 4 Amps
20 seconds later 2 Amps
2 min later .22 Amps
4 min later 3.85 Amps
20 seconds later .045 Amps
This is where it stayed for over 1/2 hour.

Now If I had the Cell Phone charger plugged in,
no phone chargeing .065 Amps (that is almost 50% more draw)
Cell Phone Plugged in .57 Amps (that is over 12 times more draw)

Glove Box open:
First open glove box 4 Amps
20 seconds later .48 Amps
Close .21 Amps
2 min later 4 Amps
1 min later .045 Amps

Hood Light
First plug in 4 Amps
20 seconds 1.2 Amps
4 min later Light goes off 3.85 Amps
1 min later .045 Amps

It seems the computer powers up to do controlling.
If Someone else does this test I would like to know what they find.
It seems if your battery keeps going dead, you can find a too
high amp draw. Maybe you have a Bigger Cell phone charger
sucking up power.

** I also put the fob close to the car, and far away, made
no difference to the amp reading.

Good luck!

Craig

MThomas

wow, interesting

AORoads

Not sure about your model year, but mine ('08) the lighter socket is hot all the time. That means, like a house outlet, you plug in anything even tho there's nothing plugged into IT, it's running and using electricity.

That's why in some home energy conservation pieces they're recommending unplugging all chargers not in use.

For my cars, I don't leave my cell phone charger, unused, plugged in since the socket in my dash is always hot.

6spdC6

As a person that HAD a 2005 Vert with many documented DBS problems I find your results interesting. Car was at dealers many times and they had it hooked up to equipment for a couple days at a time, but never got any good results. Finely the computer fix came out and that fixed it I THINK, but soon after I got a 07Z06.

I posted a lot about it and also a lot of posting with a fellow using a volt meter and other equipment. Not much came of it. His name here was Honoose. Do a search and you should find a lot of stuff by him and me,(2005 till the fix came out) maybe it will help you!

HANNY

cool, keep in mind the computer shuts most things down if you leave it on. unless its always hot the the lighter etc..

Bandit1

Good info. Thank for taking the time and posting.

VET4LES

Thanks for the information. I've never had a problem with my 05 MN6 but I know many have. I agree with the above post that most everything gets shut down after 20 minuets. I don't know about the lighter.

cclive

I did not do as thorough a job as you did...I just connected the meter up and then went back and checked it 30 minutes or so later and then a couple more times over the next 12 hours. My draw was not steady but constantly changing between 11 and 17 ma (.011 to .017 amp.) My meter has an analog meter and a digital readout so I could see this movement easily on the analog bar graph.
I have never had a dead battery problem and the longest my car has gone without being driven is 2 -3 weeks. It has no problem starting after that time. If I drive the car, it always goes at least 35 miles.

Also, my car is always in neutral when in my garage.

CH-Z51

Someone has way to much time on there hands.

Seriously, great info. It establishes a good baseline. Once a battery goes dead its never the same.

I still have the origional Delco in my 05 and have never had any battery issues and I have never had it on a tender. I do however, top off my battery with distilled water at each service.

fun12bet

I was reading the manual for my new GS and to my surprise it recommends for the MN6 to put the car in reverse when shutting it off to avoid draining the battery. I thought this was resolved a long time ago and it was no longer necessary to do this.

cclive

My manual says to put the trans in reverse but it doesn't say anything about doing it to avoid draining the battery. Does your manual actually reference battery drain where it says this?

I always assumed that GM says to put it in reverse for liability reasons.

AtHomeSoda

Yours draws about 1/3 of mine.. not sure why... Mine is a A6 and has 3lt options + Nav.. not sure why the difference, but .045 is not way bad.
I have never seen anyone post before.. I don't have problems, but I do DRIVE the car... You only have to Re-Index the windows when done... It was a rainy day... so... I had time.

Bill Dearborn

Usually the lowest gear ratio in a manual transmission is reverse. That is why most cars with manual transmission should be parked with the tranny in reverse. It holds better. When you use reverse you don't need to use the parking brake unless you have a wimp motor or slipping clutch.

Bill

AtHomeSoda

It would seem to me the lower gear would make it easier to turn the engine over? I thought you put in reverse because one wheel wants to go one way, and the other wants to go the other way, so it won't roll. If you jack the car up... turn a wheel... to other tire goes the other way.

Dave Cooper

I just picked up my 2010 6M Saturday. The dealer told me to always park it in reverse otherwise it will drain the battery. I asked him what was drawing current and he didn't know.

6spdC6

Like most dealers he is full of only the 05 HAD to be shutdown in reverse. Other cars it is just a bit safer to be parked to possibly not role.

As a person that had a many time 05 DBS car, that dealers are still telling people that they must park in reverse with a M6 to save battery is crazy.
The hardest thing I had to do at dealers when I owned my 05 was to get them to park it in reverse. They would leave it in first even with the noise from the reminder going off.

Top_Fuel

I just ***umed that having the fob nearby was part of the problem everyone was having.

For anyone who is interested, I did a write-up on a certain blue-oval website for how to check the draw on your electrical system. If your battery is dying on a regular basis, you really want to try this to find out exactly what's going on.

How to verify something is draining your battery when the ignition is off

AtHomeSoda

On your test: Many modern cars have different computer modules that remain “ON” for up to an hour after the ignition is turned off. You need to allow time for these modules to "go to sleep" so they stop draining power from the battery.

To do this, you must place a small jumper wire between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post after you have disconnected the negative battery cable. Let the car sit for at least 1 hour to allow all of the modules to power down. Connect the meter leads between the battery post and the negative cable end...and then remove the jumper wire. Now you can get an accurate parasitic draw reading.

It is way eaiser to just hook the meter up, and leave it.. it will turn off, but you can just turn it back on to read, it does not interrupt the voltage flow. You can use "Chip Clips" to hold the probes of your meter to the battery post, and cable. It is kind of cool to watch your car Power Down...

Top_Fuel

Absolutely...I need to go back over there and update those instructions.

My 2003 Mustang Cobra could sit for 6 months with no battery tender and still fire up on the first try. I can't imagine anyone tolerating a situation where their battery goes dead because their car sits for a week or two!?!? Bust out that meter and find out what's going on!

I will be doing this test on my C6...just as soon as the outside temp is consistently above 50 degrees!

Dave Cooper

Thanks for the input - - I will now shut down in the most appropriate gear.