Battery Draining!!

[Lukus-vtr]

Hey Guys

My battery keeps draining over night and I havn't the foggiest why, at first I thought it were my battery being knackered so I replaced it with a new Bosche S3. And left it over night and next morning went to start the car and it were near enough flat.

Surely it can't be my alternator not charging my battery because I hadn't turned my car on since the new battery was inserted.

So the only other option is that I must have a live somewhere in the car thats draining my battery when the engine is off. Is this correct?

Before I bite the bullet and get my electrics checked by a garage how can I use a multimeter to try and solve this issue!?!?

I have a feeling it may be my new stereo but how can I confirm my suspicions?

Please help ASAP!

[mcjacko1987]

unplug ya stereo over night with a charged up battery and see if the batts still drained next day. if so then not that but if fine then the stereo is the problem

[sam_16v]

do you have a amp installed because if the remote wire is wired up wrong it will permantly live and amp will be on constantly

[Lukus-vtr]

An amp isn't installed no, the only extra audio I have is a pair of chavvy 6x9. I've just gone outside and checked the voltage of my radio with ignition on and it was 12V or something like that and then went to 0 when I took out my key so I think that may be O.K. However my alarm was running 4V with no key in the ignition, could this be the culprit? I don't know if my alarm has a back up battery or w/e :/

[Ste_sweetsaxo25]

i have the same problem too yesterday i started the car fine and today nothing :S i have already unplugged my amp could it be to toad alarm i have fitted ?

[Lukus-vtr]

i have the same problem too yesterday i started the car fine and today nothing :S i have already unplugged my amp could it be to toad alarm i have fitted ?

Couldn't tell you mate, electrics is my weakest point but if i fix it i'll make sure to let you know how I did it, and I hope you'd do the same haha

[Ste_sweetsaxo25]

yeah bro this is whats its about to help people out of show off there rides lol, i need help with photo uploads ?? lol :)

[f13sta]

have a search on google for how to test for battery discharge. as the battery can be discharged from a short curcuit in the system somewhere.

[stevo67]

Don`t rule out your alternator draining the battery,i`ve had it happen before(not on a saxo)& seen it on a Ford escort too.

[Lukus-vtr]

Don`t rule out your alternator draining the battery,i`ve had it happen before(not on a saxo)& seen it on a Ford escort too.

Alternator huh? Didn't think about that, kind of ironic how the object designed to charge the battery is infact sapping it. If I can't diagnose it by wednesday i'm going to have to get the electrics checked before my MOT next month.

But for now i've unplugged my stereo, and only the morning shall yield the results!

yeah bro this is whats its about to help people out of show off there rides lol, i need help with photo uploads ?? lol :)

Do you mean to a particular post or to your profile? to upload a picture to a post it'd be best to first get the picture up on photobucket and then you press the IMG code button and it'll copy the correct format for the picture to be displayed when pasted on your posts! With regards to uploading on your profile I couldn't tell as i've never done it haha!

[krisdiamond91]

How To Perform a Parasitic Draw Test - YouTube
i watched that recently.

[Lukus-vtr]

How To Perform a Parasitic Draw Test - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1gijj03_0)
i watched that recently.

Thanks buddy, very informative, i'm going to do this :)

[stevo1600]

Awesome post on the video.

:y:

[Nick_Bush]

Had this problem on my old Vectra GSI, watch the video, very usefull.

Basicly the case of locking the car with the volt metre on ampage, and pulling fuses out until the draw is normal, then you know what circuit the draw is coming from.

[Lukus-vtr]

Hmm, did what this guy did and look for voltage drop when pulling out all fuses, did the ones in the engine bay and the ones under the glove compartment, but the only drop I got was from the radio/clock fuse, i'm assuming this is because the clocks are always on... Also my amp draw wasn't very high, not as high as the bloke in the video which was like 3.6 amps. Wondering if the alternator is a factor in all this.

[djpirie]

99 percent sure it is your starter motor buddy, ;)

[stevo67]

Charge your battery up,then get the alternator tested mate.

[Lukus-vtr]

99 percent sure it is your starter motor buddy, ;)

Hm.. hadn't added that into the equation. Please elaborate? :A:

[danny-vts]

99 percent sure it is your starter motor buddy, ;)

doubt it would be starter motor causing the battery to drain :/

[djpirie]

you will be surprised mate mine did thats wy i changed it you will never no what it is until you test every think when put battery live on the battery bet it sparks like fuck disconnect sterio starter motor see if it stiill drains bet you it wont i may be wrong but just try it

[Lukus-vtr]

So just disconnect the starter motor. Leave it over night. Re-attach it and see if the battery held its charge?

[Ben_SaxoForte]

Eric the car guy is mint I love his videos :D

[Venns]

Good video. What sound system are you running, they always seem to be the source of these problems. My sterio constantly flashes when I leave it in for some reason overnight and drains my battery

[MrJames]

Check for lights that don't turn off.... the saxo I've just bought the previous owner had trouble with the battery dying turned out the boot light kept staying on lol ;)

[Lukus-vtr]

Thread bump. May I just thank Djpirie. After several months of ignoring the issue. (it stabilized) Recently my car battery got so weak it wouldn't start. Took it to a mechanic, he couldn't promise a fix. Took to an autoelectrician who instantly diagnosed it as a faulty starter motor. If i'd have swapped tye starter motor initially i'd be £100 richer lol. Oh well :) Thank you all for your helpful replies.