chinkamon Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Hi all Had a new battery on the Tina as the old one wasn't holding charge, as I don't use it everyday an its on a dynamo I have a trickle charger I used on my hot rod, ur the battery keeps goin flat ?? Is this a coincidence or is there something draining it constantly?? Any suggestions?
chinkamon Posted September 22, 2015 Author Report Posted September 22, 2015 Just to add, wen the car is not being used I use a battery cut off switch so it's immobilized an the batterys in the boot now
DT36 Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Remove the negative lead and put a multimeter inline, between the cable and battery post, set to Amps. This will test for current flow or a parasitic drain from a component/consumer. If you do have a current drain, but can't pinpoint it, remove and refit individual fuses one at a time to see if any of them stop the current flow. This will then at least pinpoint the circuit where the current is flowing through. I'm not really up on dynamos, but might be worth looking at your dash in the dark to see if you have a minute glow from your charge light with everything switched off. Possible that the dynamo is backfeeding itself, but this is purely a guess, as not done anything with them personally. I use an automatic trickle charger on my car when it's laid up and fingers crossed I've not had any battery issues. Probably just jinxed myself now though... 1
chinkamon Posted September 22, 2015 Author Report Posted September 22, 2015 The thing that's throwing me is when I'm not using the car it's immobilized straight after the battery, so it's gotta be either as soon as I start driving it sucks the life out the battery or the batterys discharging just bein connected to earth??
Admin Vista Posted September 22, 2015 Admin Report Posted September 22, 2015 Immobilised or disconnected? I.e. Do you mean you have a modern immobiliser on it or an old school battery isolator that completely cuts off the battery? If the latter, are there any auxiliary connectors also connected to the battery and are these also isolated by the cut off switch?
DT36 Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 OK, then do the amps test with the immobiliser set. Got to be worth a crack just for peace of mind.
chinkamon Posted September 22, 2015 Author Report Posted September 22, 2015 Immobilised or disconnected? I.e. Do you mean you have a modern immobiliser on it or an old school battery isolator that completely cuts off the battery? If the latter, are there any auxiliary connectors also connected to the battery and are these also isolated by the cut off switch?Sorry guys I have the red key type isolater that switches the liveSimilar to the one in the pic
Admin Vista Posted September 22, 2015 Admin Report Posted September 22, 2015 But is it switching off everything or are there other auxiliaries connected directly to the battery that still have power when that is off?
katana Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 Clock and/or radios with memory that need constant live are the usual draining killers - some battery disconnects still have a constant bridge to feed these devices - usually a thin wire or a 1amp fuse that won't support ign. or starter?
chinkamon Posted September 23, 2015 Author Report Posted September 23, 2015 But is it switching off everything or are there other auxiliaries connected directly to the battery that still have power when that is off? But is it switching off everything or are there other auxiliaries connected directly to the battery that still have power when that is off? Yea it is on the live straight from the battery and there's no aux connectedd to it an no bridge, so it's as straight forward as a normal switch
chinkamon Posted September 23, 2015 Author Report Posted September 23, 2015 Clock and/or radios with memory that need constant live are the usual draining killers - some battery disconnects still have a constant bridge to feed these devices - usually a thin wire or a 1amp fuse that won't support ign. or starter? Haha I wish!! No stereo no clock lol! None fitted! It's not all racey an stripped out it's just a 63 pre airflow lol!! It's switched before anything else is wired in
chinkamon Posted September 23, 2015 Author Report Posted September 23, 2015 Gotta be the battery isn't it?
SmokeEm Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 No, do the drain test. Something is draining current
katana Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 No, do the drain test. Something is draining current IF the battery isn't connected one side - which is what the OP has confirmed - it can't drain current as its not in circuit! Deffo looks like the battery is a duffer!
SmokeEm Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 I get what you are saying, but I am not convinced that he hasn't missed another live from the terminal.
colr6 Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 If the battery is totally disconnected via the battery switch as katana says it's got to be the battery,or could be not charging if car starts but then used as normal the battery will drop in charge so the next time you come to it battery to low to start.best thing charge battery leave stood for a period of time then drop test the battery with a battery tester not drop it on the floor! 1
Ray Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 i think we all need more information here to be honest, the old battery could have been and probably was knackered, but whats it been replaced with, ie std old school lead acid, or modern tech battery like a calcium or silver, has the re situ of the battery been done correctly etc going back in time to my youth, we did the alternator conversions for this very problem, as the dynamos dont pump enough juice out, then the regulators fail as well, ford fitted alternators on all mk1 escorts that had heated rear screens for this reason if the dynamo or regiulator stop or reduce the charge, which isnt a lot to start with, the running engine will drain the battery to be able to run, run long enough the engine will stop running as no spark can be produced, but stopped before that and you have a battery that wont turn the engine on a further note if you use anything but an old school lead acid battery on an old school set up, the battery will deeply discharge, then you will need a battery conditioer to hopefully kick start the battery back into life, these conditioners charge the battery at a higher voltage for a set time dependant on battery type, this cleans the plates, all modern cars do a similar thing, when the battery beconmes in such a deeply discharged state, it can give up instantly, even while driving and the car will stop running, even on motorways the charging voltage is not current related, its voltage calcuim, gel and silver batteries all require a higher charging voltage than a std lead acid battery, even the lucas ACR alternator cannot supply the correct charging voltage to keep these modern batteries topped up, if you dont believe me, look at manufacturers web sites so check see what type of new battery you have fitted
SmokeEm Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 That's my point. It may be not charging between starts properly and something is draining the battery whilst its still connected. He has already said he doesn't ALWAYS isolate the battery.
chinkamon Posted September 23, 2015 Author Report Posted September 23, 2015 The battery on the car wen I bought it was a cheap unipart calcium battery which I no are crap as it was a case of knowing it will fail I rang my local factors who I use a lot ( proper old boys who know what parts fit what without aid of a computer ) an they sent me an Oldham battery which has flat posts like an original Ford battery he said it's the correct battery for a 63 cortina, I have relocated the battery to the boot and used correctly size cable for the run with a cut off switch hidden along the route to the starter. There's no aftermarket parts I.e. flashy stereo etc. An no permanent lives attached to the battery, I use it once a week as busy working, when it's parked in my garage I have two battery isolators in line which are both switched off and the trickle charger is attached an switched on, she fires into life straight away, but when driving it across town to my dad's it cut out as I pulled up, realised I ran out of fuel an parked it up, next day put fuel in an it wudnt start, battery was dead as a dodo?
deltamal Posted September 23, 2015 Report Posted September 23, 2015 It does sound like a duff battery, I bought an expensive deep cycle racing style battery some years ago, it would not hold a charge, I got a refund and got one from Halfords it's been on the car since with no problems, guessing the earths and alternator connections are good?
SmokeEm Posted September 24, 2015 Report Posted September 24, 2015 Tell your local parts store they sold u a naff battery then. Swap it over and job done surely?
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