Not Sure Where the problem is

[Raynor]

Ok so hear is the issue

Last week I got a new radio (a Chinese ICE)that I fitted in the dark (impatient I know) which run OK after me playing around and breaking some of the software (no voice on the sat nav anymore). Now after having this unit running without the engine running on Saturday I seem to have flattened my battery (no surprise there really) so I had it jump started drove 20 miles to Sheffield. parked up for a few hours and then Back again no problems. Again on Sunday i drove around no problems but come Monday morning the battery was flat again only this time i haven't had the radio running while the engine was off. On Monday night i tool the battery out of the car and put it on a battery charger on a trickle charge over night. Come Tuesday morning the car started no problems. drove 11 miles to work parked up and left it. Come the after noon i go to start it up to do a milk run but again the battery is dead.

So i now believe that i have one or more of the following issues:

1. Faulty Battery
2. Radio has a faulty connection causing the battery to drain (Although I can't power it on without the ignician being on)
3. My alternator is either not functioning or not functioning fully


any suggestions would be most helpful.

cheers

raynor

[stocktake]

You need to know how to use a multimeter to establish what the drain is on the battery when you lock it.

Harry has a thread up somewhere giving good instructions on where to connect it to and what readings are to be expected :)

[Raynor]

Cheers for that. Ill look that thread up tonight.

[HarryM1BYT]

Cheers for that. Ill look that thread up tonight.

Search on my username and battery discharge test.

I wonder if you might have got the permanent 12v and the ignition switched 12v supplies swapped over?

[SD1too]

... i took the battery out of the car and put it on a battery charger on a trickle charge over night.
You didn't charge it for long enough, and a trickle charge won't deliver enough current. Get a beefy battery charger and leave it connected for 24 hours.

Simon

[Raynor]

The charger was a good charger and wasn't on a trickle charge until after 11pm before that it was on a fast charge for about 5 hours.

Its seems as though the battery was at the end of its life though. After changing the battery I haven't had to have a jump start and the battery is hold its charge.

[SD1too]

The charger was a good charger and wasn't on a trickle charge until after 11pm before that it was on a fast charge for about 5 hours.
Hello Johnathan,

Your battery probably received about 15Ah which isn't enough. As I said, it really needed a full charge for 24 hours, not 5.
After changing the battery I haven't had to have a jump start and the battery is hold its charge.
That doesn't tell you anything about the original battery. From the low mileages which you declared after 'flattening' it, I'd say that it never reached anything like full charge which is why it failed again.

Simon

[andy willi]

You need to know how to use a multimeter


dont make me laugh


andy