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The Weirdest Electrical Problem I Have Had For A While

steveo_r33

By steveo_r33,
in Car Audio & Electrical

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steveo_r33 Proficient

steveo_r33

Posted
Posted

Hey guys,

Ok this is the story.

My battery keep running dead in my car.

I originally thought it was just because I dont use the car as I dont have a license so It is used once a week.

But after around 4 days it is completely dead.

Now heres the part that really trips me out like no tomorrow:

Scenario:

Jumper leads connected from a charged battery to my dead battery to try and jump it

when i remove the +ve or the -ve terminal from the charged battery my rear wiper decides to start a rotation.

It manages about half way and then when i recconect it it finishes off where it left off.

I am pretty sure this problem came with my car when i got it as this was running flat as soon as i got it.

And when i installed my stereo a headdeck, and 4 speakers ran it dead really fast when the car was off (working on it)

So i think there is something going on with the rear wiper where it is using power all the time.

I have just fully charged my battery and I am going to undo the wiring clip in the boot for the rear wiper and i will see how it goes.

If any one has any ideas let me know ..

cheers

steveo_r33 Proficient

steveo_r33

Posted
  • Author
Posted
grab a ammeter and start pulling fuses... if you are in brissy give me a ring.

hey mate i am not in brissy, im in sydney.

just subscribe to my thread and i will repost with whether or not the battery is still being drained in a few days to see if i have narrowed the problem down to the rear wiper / not.

Hopefully the battery is still fully charged, then i can somehow try to figure out how the rear wiper can be draining power the whole time while the car is off.

really it shouldnt go dead for like 2 months without use!

thanks

Chris Rogers Grand Master

Chris Rogers

Posted
Posted

if you are letting it sit for THAT long remove the battery or put a trickle charger on it. the clock and radio will flatten it over that time.

steveo_r33 Proficient

steveo_r33

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I dont let it sit for that long, although I should be able to have it sit there for atleast a few weeks without having to recharge it...

ill repost in a few days and check it

RANDY Veteran

RANDY

Posted
Posted

A few weeks? Alarms, clock, stereo... stuff like that will all drain the battery.

My mate unplugged his battery for something like two months, and it was totally fine to start the car afterwards. If it was connected, I doubt I could still claim the same outcome.

Chris Rogers Grand Master

Chris Rogers

Posted
Posted
I dont let it sit for that long, although I should be able to have it sit there for atleast a few weeks without having to recharge it...

ill repost in a few days and check it

1 week - yes. 3 weeks - you would be struggling to get it started. remove the -ve terminal if its going to sit that long.

ducki Proficient

ducki

Posted
Posted

i have the same problem.. if i don't drive my car for 24hrs .. it will go flat.. mechanic checked my battery n alternator and both was fine... i'm assuming it might be the mini piezo siren? i heard those constantly drains battery? is this correct?

  • 2 weeks later...
mass_iv Grand Master

mass_iv

Posted
Posted

hey guys i had a similar prob, its all about the battery, it may not be holding its charge, because u dont drive it often... best thing to do is top it up with demineralised water charge it up and drive it regularily, or carge it and dont leave it connected in the car... as for the wiper, mine did the same thing wen the battery was almost flat, wen u kick it over it kinda moves the wiper i figured its normal...

steveo_r33 Proficient

steveo_r33

Posted
  • Author
Posted
hey guys i had a similar prob, its all about the battery, it may not be holding its charge, because u dont drive it often... best thing to do is top it up with demineralised water charge it up and drive it regularily, or carge it and dont leave it connected in the car... as for the wiper, mine did the same thing wen the battery was almost flat, wen u kick it over it kinda moves the wiper i figured its normal...

Hey mass_iv..... so your saying its normal?

can any one explain why that is normal?

It is seriously very weird.

I have since disconnected my rear wiper connection under the boot near the speakers (brown plug) and now my battery is fine and the car turns over like its just been charged every time.

I mean i would prefer it to work with the wiper plugged in ..

i think i will plug it back in this week and check my batt voltage in a couple more days to make sure that is the problem. what you think. and maybe do what mass_iv reccomended with the battery.

mass_iv Grand Master

mass_iv

Posted
Posted

hey man.. yeh just try topping the battery over and driving it around for a while... it shud work fine with the wiper plugged in.. mine does.. it only does it wen the battery is almost dead for some reason lol....

Kinks Grand Master

Kinks

Posted
Posted

you must have something draining power continuously if the battery goes flat in a day or two.

The other thing to remember is that once a battery has been flat for a combined period of a couple of days, it is pretty much stuffed. lead acid batteries sulfate, which ruins their capacity.

steveo_r33 Proficient

steveo_r33

Posted
  • Author
Posted
you must have something draining power continuously if the battery goes flat in a day or two.

The other thing to remember is that once a battery has been flat for a combined period of a couple of days, it is pretty much stuffed. lead acid batteries sulfate, which ruins their capacity.

thats not good to hear. my battery has been drained about 20 times :)

Kinks Grand Master

Kinks

Posted
Posted

1st step - check to make sure nothing is staying on and draining the battery (you mentioned a stereo, have you got an amp? does it have a proper remote switch so it runs in standby mode with the car off).

2nd step - buy a new battery!! your one might not be cactus but the capacity will be a lot less. get the biggest battery you can fit if you leave your car off for long periods

3rd step - if you're not going to drive the car in more than a week or two, take the -ve terminal off the battery. then it will be at 100% charge when you go to use the car again.

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