MunkeyboyRS

Morning All!
Does anyone know why the battary on my rs turbo, doesnt last much longer than a day?
Had the car off the road for bout two weeks, after which the battary was flat so i charged it up. but for the last week every time i want to use the car i have to jump it, the electrition at work tested it, with a voltameter and a load test, and it read 12.5 volts not running and 13.5 running, and just in the green on this load tester thing.
Cant be the alternater, cos it would have die on the road.
Could i have a prob with the alarm wiring?
Or is there somewhere i could be earthing out somewhere?
CheeRs Dave

R5FORD

iTrader: (1)

how olds the battery?

MunkeyboyRS

The battary is about 3 and half months old.

R5FORD

iTrader: (1)

Check the alarm mate. But from past experience the alarm drains the battrey over 3 days or so.

Gazzonator

iTrader: (9)

Have you checked the initial voltage before starting the car when it hasn't been used for a while? You should have more than 12.2v.

If the initial voltage is ok, leave your voltmeter on and turn the engine over. The voltage shouldn't go below 9v. It should drop to about 11v-11.5v then creep back up.

Another thing worth checking is how much charge the battery is taking. If the amount of amps being taken is very low, that is also an indication of a faulty battery. Check the charge rate with an amp clamp. Remember to put all the wires that are connected to the battery terminal you are checking it at through the clamp or you may get an incorrect reading.

If the initial voltage is low (below 12v), this suggest a current drain on the battery. Again you can check this with an amp clamp connected in the same way as above. You shouldn't see any more than 0.1A with the car locked and alarmed. Any more and you may have something staying on and then it's just a case of finding it! Can sometimes be a pain!!

Hope that helps.

BM08

Bad past experience then, ive had cars sitting (with decent alarms) for 3-4 days and they started perfectly, never left them any longer so cant comment on the longest time

tabetha

I've left mine for 4 weeks once with alarm on and it started on the button, well key anyway, but I do have the largest battery going.
The alternator could be your problem, as they can leak, they contain diodes(one way electrical valves) they should stop any current flowing from battery to alternator, but when they go duff they don't, so battery discharged through alt overnight, generally these will still charge 100% perfectly.
Just charge the battery up leave with the alt disconnected as this will tell you if at fault, just needs a new rectifier/regulator pack soldered in if that is the case.
new batteries can be duff too.
tabetha

24vcossiemat

yeah I would say a drain on it somewhere.

Mk1-stu

have you checked the fluid levels in the battery ? you say it's only a few months old, but it might still be worth checking !