Something draining battery
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Indy
Something draining battery
Recently, after my 2001 sets for 7-10 days, my new battery goes dead.
I never use the radio when the engine is not running.
DIC says "Low Voltage".
I recently had Best Buy install a hard wire modulator to the stereo so I could use my satellite radio.
I watched him work and I believe that he powered the unit from the pink wire behind the ignition switch.
The modulator works, but the stereo volume has to be increased (not the issue).
Is it possible that the pink wire is an "always hot" wire and that the modulator is slowly draining my battery?
The tech consulted some tech site online before wiring.
I am going to clean up some battery acid residue around my battery today (prev. thread). I am going to check the grounds.
The battery has not gone dead until recently.
My car only has 25k miles. Apparently it has set a lot inside in the past.
I never use the radio when the engine is not running.
DIC says "Low Voltage".
I recently had Best Buy install a hard wire modulator to the stereo so I could use my satellite radio.
I watched him work and I believe that he powered the unit from the pink wire behind the ignition switch.
The modulator works, but the stereo volume has to be increased (not the issue).
Is it possible that the pink wire is an "always hot" wire and that the modulator is slowly draining my battery?
The tech consulted some tech site online before wiring.
I am going to clean up some battery acid residue around my battery today (prev. thread). I am going to check the grounds.
The battery has not gone dead until recently.
My car only has 25k miles. Apparently it has set a lot inside in the past.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
You have to get the BATTERY CURRENT DRAW value measured!
Without that data, your shooting in the dark. Put a DC Current tester/meter in series with the NEGATIVE BATTERY terminal/battery cable and see what the BCM Sleep Current Draw is after the BCM goes to sleep (approx 5-12 min)
It should be right around 20 milliamps (0.02 amps) If its High,, something is staying on that shouldnt.
Having the meter in the circuit will allow you to turn off, disconnect or check specific circuits.
REMEMBER!!!!!! Each time you wake up the BCM, you will have to wait till it goes back to sleep to get an accurate reading.
My 02 ZO6 never has a dead battery and a couple monts ago, outof no where, battery was dead.
Something stayed on that shouldnt. After I charged the battery, all was back to normal.
Accomplish the following:
Do the current draw test and see where your at.
Fully charge the battery and go have it fully tested to rule the healt of the battery out as a possible problem.
Bill
Without that data, your shooting in the dark. Put a DC Current tester/meter in series with the NEGATIVE BATTERY terminal/battery cable and see what the BCM Sleep Current Draw is after the BCM goes to sleep (approx 5-12 min)
It should be right around 20 milliamps (0.02 amps) If its High,, something is staying on that shouldnt.
Having the meter in the circuit will allow you to turn off, disconnect or check specific circuits.
REMEMBER!!!!!! Each time you wake up the BCM, you will have to wait till it goes back to sleep to get an accurate reading.
My 02 ZO6 never has a dead battery and a couple monts ago, outof no where, battery was dead.
Something stayed on that shouldnt. After I charged the battery, all was back to normal.
Accomplish the following:
Do the current draw test and see where your at.
Fully charge the battery and go have it fully tested to rule the healt of the battery out as a possible problem.
Bill
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Indy
I took the battery out today and fully charged it.
I will check current flow tomorrow per your suggestion.
It could be a coincidence, but the dead battery thing didn't happen until after I had the radio modulator installed at Best Buy.
That modulator has an in-line fuse, but I need to find it. Taking out the fuse will eliminate it as a possibility.
Thanks.
I will check current flow tomorrow per your suggestion.
It could be a coincidence, but the dead battery thing didn't happen until after I had the radio modulator installed at Best Buy.
That modulator has an in-line fuse, but I need to find it. Taking out the fuse will eliminate it as a possibility.
Thanks.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Indy
something draining battery
I put the charged battery back in the car and attached both cables , the car started fine, then I turned off the ignition switch for a half hour or more to let it sleep.
Then I removed the negative cable, I placed one lead of my digital tester on the negative battery post of the battery and the other lead on the negative battery cable.
I tried all (3) ma scales. They all recorded "00".
There was no message on the DIC.
Then I removed the negative cable, I placed one lead of my digital tester on the negative battery post of the battery and the other lead on the negative battery cable.
I tried all (3) ma scales. They all recorded "00".
There was no message on the DIC.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
You have to put the METER LEADS in the AMP terminal on the meter and the meter MUST be in SERIES in the circuit.
When you complete the circuit with the meter,, That is when the timer starts.
BC
When you complete the circuit with the meter,, That is when the timer starts.
BC
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
From: Indy
Bill-
My multimeter has integral leads coming out from the case, not sockets on the outside.
All I had to do was set the dial into the "DCA" section of the dial as I described before.
Are you saying that I need to hold the tester leads against the battery post and negative cable (completing the circuit) for the 15 minutes before an accurate reading will appear on the tester?
I took a reading with the tester in series after the computer was asleep for 15 minutes.
What am I missing?
My multimeter has integral leads coming out from the case, not sockets on the outside.
All I had to do was set the dial into the "DCA" section of the dial as I described before.
Are you saying that I need to hold the tester leads against the battery post and negative cable (completing the circuit) for the 15 minutes before an accurate reading will appear on the tester?
I took a reading with the tester in series after the computer was asleep for 15 minutes.
What am I missing?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
First test the meter.. Read resistance by shorting the meter leads and making positive you have a good meter.. Measure battery voltage and then see if it will read on the AMPS scale
Disconnect the neg terminal and put the neg and pos meter leads between the battert neg and neg cable.
Once its connected, 6-12 min later it should read min current readings
IF,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,, you do something to wake the bcm ( like open the door) you have to wait the full 12 min for sleep mode!
Disconnect the neg terminal and put the neg and pos meter leads between the battert neg and neg cable.
Once its connected, 6-12 min later it should read min current readings
IF,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,, you do something to wake the bcm ( like open the door) you have to wait the full 12 min for sleep mode!
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