BATTERY PROBLEMS!!

hi all my battery keeps going flat every couple of days and i dont know why???

i have:

checked alternator charge level that fine
put a brand new diesel battery on the car
checked stereo

i have a laserline alarm on the car witch has 2 flashing led's and the alarm works the central locking and fuel pump etc etc

i dont know whats causing it to keep going flat and was hoping someone could help please


the car is a:

FORD SIERRA SAPPHIRE
GLSi
1992 (k)
2.0 DOHC
PETROL


thanks

 

Have you tried putting a voltmeter on the battery when the car is turned off and when the alarm is switched off and switched on to see if its draining the battery. May turn out to be your alternator, I had the same problem a couple of years ago on my Rs Turbo, it was charging fine when running but once it was switched off the alternator was draining all power out of the battery!

If not have you checked the likes of your boot light isnt staying on or the cd player (if not standard) has been wired straight to the battery rather than the ignition.

Not sure if this is any help but thought I would sugget anyway.

 

Had this problem with my escort van.
Turned out the altenator (new) was dodgy then the 2nd one was wired up wrong.
Sounds like you have a drain somewhere. Just check interior lights, stereo etc to see if they are draining your battery!

 

Clearly the problem is a drain!

Something is drawing power than shouldn't be, to find out you have got to to put a meter in the line and measure the current draw, then the easiest thing to do is to remove and refit fuses one by one until the figure becomes normal, you can then isolate the source of the problem to that area.

A "Parasetic drain" figure is defined as just a few milliamps at the most and is normal, anything more is a drain!

You can't just simply put a voltmeter across the battery!

The classic as said is the boot light staying on, so check this first.

Martin

 

Only saying across the battery to determind if was the alarm to start with, because if it was taking a large drain only when the alarm was switched on, then it may signal the alarm is at fault, but if it drains when alarm is on and off, then start ruling out things like the boot light after.
Also meant to mention when I found my problem to be the diode on the alternator, it was draining the battery roughly 0.01v per second, and can be checked easily enough by removing the cable to it and the drainage stopped.

 

many thanks for all your replies!

shall have a look sunday when i am free to see if i can solve it tho i am not very good with electrics etc.


any1 close fancy having a look ???? haha


cheers again to all

.sam.

 

Remove negative lead from battery, then put a multimeter between the neg terminal of battery and the clamp you have just removed. Set the meter to amps.

Start pulling fuses one by one, when the amperage on the meter drops considerably then you know which circuit your drain is on, to help pinpoint the problem.

 

excellent thanks buddy! shall give it ago on sunday.

 

My bet is starter motor or alternator is open current drain

 

Have you had a feel of the alternator when the car is off say over night. If it is warm then your alternator is at fault