Battery dead after setting for a week
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 509
Likes: 8
From: Livonia Michigan
Battery dead after setting for a week
1987 coupe. Battery is 2yrs old. When I pull the courtesy light fuse I measure 20ma draw. When the courtesy lights are on I measure 3a current draw. When the lights are out I measure 30ma again.
Is 30ma current draw a good level?
I'm thinking one or more of the door switches are not closing when I shut a door. I have found the courtesy light on a couple of times an hour after getting out of the car. Opening and closing the drivers door in those cases would cause the lights to go out.
Is 30ma current draw a good level?
I'm thinking one or more of the door switches are not closing when I shut a door. I have found the courtesy light on a couple of times an hour after getting out of the car. Opening and closing the drivers door in those cases would cause the lights to go out.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 866
Likes: 220
From: Tampa, FL
1987 coupe. Battery is 2yrs old. When I pull the courtesy light fuse I measure 20ma draw. When the courtesy lights are on I measure 3a current draw. When the lights are out I measure 30ma again.
Is 30ma current draw a good level?
I'm thinking one or more of the door switches are not closing when I shut a door. I have found the courtesy light on a couple of times an hour after getting out of the car. Opening and closing the drivers door in those cases would cause the lights to go out.
Is 30ma current draw a good level?
I'm thinking one or more of the door switches are not closing when I shut a door. I have found the courtesy light on a couple of times an hour after getting out of the car. Opening and closing the drivers door in those cases would cause the lights to go out.
50 milliamps is actualyl quite normal too for modern cars with a CAN BUS system. Yours obviously doesn't have that, but 30ma is still normal.
A draw of 3-3.5 amps is pretty common for things like lights that are stuck on, so my guess is that's probably what's happening. You did all the right things though... and it sounds like you found the issue.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,227
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From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 866
Likes: 220
From: Tampa, FL
30 milliamps is actually quite good. This is a normal draw to keep the ECM powered so that it remembers certain variables it's learned and stored in volatile memory for interacting with the fuel map... plus things like a draw from the radio to power the clock, etc.
50 milliamps is actually quite normal too for modern cars with a CAN BUS system. Yours obviously doesn't have that, but 30ma is still normal.
50 milliamps is actually quite normal too for modern cars with a CAN BUS system. Yours obviously doesn't have that, but 30ma is still normal.
Yours should be less of course...
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,470
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From: Liberty, SC
2023 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 866
Likes: 220
From: Tampa, FL
Side post disconnect
This is like the one i use.
This is like the one i use.
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