Admin Ollie Posted October 10, 2007 Admin Share Posted October 10, 2007 hi all a slight problem i have on the mrk 5 dash if the car is left for a couple of days the battery drains flat i have replaced the battery had the rac check the alternater and is charging fine one thing i notice was the elecy ariel was up and down with the ignition so i have disconnected that the radio turns off with the key out any ideas would be good and if i put a volt meter on when running what should i get please and if not running aswell thanks ollie the ony other thing i can think of is an imobiliser light on the dash ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 my alarm used to eat battery juice - if it was left for more than a day and not run it'd be pancake. the immobiliser is better, but still will chip away at it. can't help you on voltages, but i'm sure someone will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest markeyboy Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 if ya put a volt meter on the bat with the car running you should see about 13 to 14 volts, and roughly 12 could be more/less if the imobiliser light is a led, it will only drain tiny amounts of power, shouldnt be enough to flat the battery tho m8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest escortheaven Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 hi alla slight problem i have on the mrk 5 dash if the car is left for a couple of days the battery drains flat i have replaced the battery had the rac check the alternater and is charging fine one thing i notice was the elecy ariel was up and down with the ignition so i have disconnected that the radio turns off with the key out any ideas would be good and if i put a volt meter on when running what should i get please and if not running aswell thanks ollie the ony other thing i can think of is an imobiliser light on the dash ???? hi ollie im new to this forum but had the same prob found out it was my amp draining the battery do u run amp this could be the prob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Ollie Posted October 10, 2007 Author Admin Share Posted October 10, 2007 hi ollie im new to this forum but had the same prob found out it was my amp draining the battery do u run amp this could be the prob no all standard this one lol thanks anyway and welcome to the club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ste Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 (edited) Not sure if this will solve your problem Ollie, but my mk5 was suffering with the battery draining as you describe. After lots of checks, new battery etc. i came out to go work, and as i past my cab i noticed my rear window was clear when all others in my road were not. Anyway it turned out to be the relay for the rear window had stuck on, and so my rear window was on constantly regardless of ignition position. so if i were you relays are the next things i'd check. As for battery voltages engine running should be 14.6 with heathy alternator and 12-12.7 for a heathy new battery down to 10-11.5 for a battery thats dying in my experience. Hope this helps you. Edited October 10, 2007 by ste Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest benny Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 also check you alternater termials that there okay and then chck the lead from the battery to the alternater the charge carrier i had the same prob and it was this? it looks like its charging but the wire just doesnt carry enough charge to the battery? try that if not make sure there is nothing left switch ed on? use a mulitmeter when your keys are out, test everything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sjc Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 hi ollie....been away otherwise would have replied earlier. first things first...battery could be knackered and not holding a charge. alternator output 14V, above 13 will generally do you need to check for current drain with everything off and keys out.....you can use a bulb if your meter doesnt do amps....for current remove the earth lead and connect bulb or meter bewteen earth and battery. Battery needs to be charged otherwise it cannot drain. the bulb will light a bit, next start to pull fuses to isolate the cicuit thats has got the current flowing, when the bulb goes out you will have some idea of where the problwm is.....otherwise gissa bell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Ollie Posted October 11, 2007 Author Admin Share Posted October 11, 2007 hi ollie....been away otherwise would have replied earlier. first things first...battery could be knackered and not holding a charge. alternator output 14V, above 13 will generally do you need to check for current drain with everything off and keys out.....you can use a bulb if your meter doesnt do amps....for current remove the earth lead and connect bulb or meter bewteen earth and battery. Battery needs to be charged otherwise it cannot drain. the bulb will light a bit, next start to pull fuses to isolate the cicuit thats has got the current flowing, when the bulb goes out you will have some idea of where the problwm is.....otherwise gissa bell thanks mick i am on my second battery now cos thats what i thought so do i have to take earth of the battery then volt meter between live and earth on the battery and if i have power drop when fuse out it is ok cheers m8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sjc Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 sort of.....you need to measure current not voltage and not all meters do current (amps) thats why sometimes its easier just to use a 12v bulb. to measure current the meter needs to be "IN" the circuit not "ON" it. When measuring Volts at your battery you put your meter "ON" the terminals, to measure current you need to disconnect the circuit and put the meter "ON" the disconnected ends remaking the circuit with the meter "IN" it. So if you have something draining your battery, current will be flowing from chassis to -ve of battery....through battery, through a circuit of some sort and back to chssis somewhere. So disconnect the earth strap at the battery and connect in a bulb/meter between the strap and battery terminal. If there is any current flow the bulb will light up a bit depending on how large the drain is. Disconnect alarms/microwave sensor/clock etc and anything else that needs current to operate when your not in the car. If the bulb is still alight you need to isolate the circuits until it goes off. Quickest way is to pull fuses one at a time then look up what the fuse does in yer handbook. If all fuses are out and the bulb is still alight there may be something fed direct from battery or on an inline fuse somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escort Cabriolet Club Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Mine used to do that after a couple of days mate, new battery sorted it for me !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest matt-the-dj Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 mine did that !!! boot light not going out,switch out of line, look thru seats when lid down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Ollie Posted October 18, 2007 Author Admin Share Posted October 18, 2007 just an update car seems to hold charge since i have removed the ford standard radio still got to do the current check as advised by mick but fitted fully charged battery left for a few days and fine left again for a few more days and started up again this morning so alice will just have to sing to herself for now lol till i have time to look at it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escort Cabriolet Club Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 As long as the Missus is happy mate thats all that matters, glad its sorted !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Ollie Posted November 10, 2007 Author Admin Share Posted November 10, 2007 well the fuse 21 seems to be the problem when the fuse is taken out everything is fine and this fuse works radio ,int lights. cigar lighter and clock so what would be the best way to check what is pulling power as they are all pemanant live when the key is out thanks ollie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escort Cabriolet Club Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Check that the boot light switch ain't kerknakerd, see if its going out by lowering your rear bench !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sjc Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 hiya ollie, thought it was fuse 19? after checking the light in boot and other vsiual checks on the circuit from the fuse, you can still just carry on breaking the circuit down like you did to isolate the fuse in the first place....you did mention the radio earlier on in the post!... you can use the bulb in line with the battery again, put the fuse back in and remove the components that run off it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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