How to check for faulty electronics?

[Rusti]

Hi guys,

Is there an easy way to check for faulty electronics? Some sort of meter I can buy? My battery is being drained by something. The bakkie stands during the week and for the last 2 weekends it struggled to start. The 1st time it hadn't been used for 2 weeks. We tried jumping it for 30min but eventually it needed a tow start. We went camping like that and unplugged the battery for 3 days. Bakkie started 1st time when reconnected. This weekend it struggled to swing and just just managed to start. It swings lightly and you can see all the gauges and clock lights dim when swinging.

If it's just the battery would it have swung 1st time after being reconnected?

We heard a humming sound come from the bakkie 2 months ago when the bakkie was off and hadn't been used that day. It lasted about 2min.

I've had problems with my new alarm fitted 2 years ago but they replaced the whole CPU and it was fine. It was installed by a well known franchise so it was professionally fitted. I hope..

[niclemaitre]

Pull the fuses one by one and check to see if there is continuity between the fuse and the battery with a multimeter

[smokintyres]

Have a look at this:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=36444&p=434566#p434566" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you scroll down a bit you will find a document called "Uncovering Battery drains" that will give you a step by step instruction on how to find the circuit on which the drain is occurring.

Good luck!

[Rusti]

Thanks guy. Much appreciated

[Rusti]

Guys..

[ChrisF]

Age of the battery ?

How often is the vehicle used ?


Possibly signs of a battery on its way out ... or a drain ..

[Rusti]

Battery is less than a year old. Bakkie usually gets used every weekend.

If it is the battery would it still start up first time after being disconnected for 3 days?

If the battery is the issue and considering its age then I still need to find the item draining it.

[ChrisF]

if you are happy with the battery, then it is back to post number 3 ,,, and hunting find the drain .... VOORSPOED !!


If it was my vehicle, this is what I would have done :
- check the battery water level
- then check the charge rate of the alternator (bit of a jippo - brights ON, then check that the alternator can still deliver close to 13,8V)
- put a BENTON BX2 on that battery .... actually THIS would be my FIRST step !
- the car radio and the security system will have a small draw - but this standard and the battery really should cope with this ....
- and then set off trying to find any excessive current draw ....

[Rusti]

Thanks Chris. Im not good with 'electrickery' as said in your Ford Ranger post. But luckily my father in law has some skills.and I'm seeing him tomorrow. Hopefully we will find the culprit before the battery gets damaged.

[Knuppel]

The drain is most probably from an old tracking unit. The battery in there expires and then it tries to recharge the whole time causing a drain on the main battery.

[Ryperd]

I found this YouTube video very useful as a process for uncovering parasitic battery drains:
https://youtu.be/KF1gijj03_0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's basically a video of the same process in the document mentioned earlier.

[dalkill]

I'm having same issue with my platkar. 2000 model 130 corolla

Friday i had to jumpstart it.

I filled up battery recently , as it was running low.
I know the battery is a bit dodge, so i replaced it but worried something else the issue which will kill the new battery.

whne i took out the old battery, tested, it was on 12.8 V. This is after havign to jumpstart at work, and driving home 40min.

then i put in new battery. just over 13 V. started car, voltage was then 15.2V... switched on lights, not brights though, and it dropps to 14.4V. Is this normal?
Car stood all weekend... and started with no hassels. But when lights are on, I can see the lights on dash and headlight flicker as if there is not enough power from the alternator?

[Family_Dog]

When an engine is first started, the alternator will charge at around 15v for 5-10 minutes, then drops to average 13.1 or so. The battery is a nominal 12.6v when in good condition and fully charged but it takes a while to settle down to this after the charging source is removed.

It would seem your charging system is fully functional but you might have something else draining the car battery - old tracking units are notorious for this. Only way to check is to leave the car switched off, remove the negative terminal and insert a DMM in series between the negative battery terminal and the connector you have just removed and set it to the "Amps" scale to read the current draw - make sure the doors are all closed, the interior light is off and the radio is off. Consumption should not exceed 80mA. If it does, you have a leakage problem somewhere. A faulty tracking unit can draw up to 80-0mA from a car battery when its own battery is kaput. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.


-F_D