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what should a battery sit at


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howie ll 
Pot Metal - Posts: 16,466
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Joined: January 09, 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: March 09, 2009 at 11:33 AM / IP Logged  
Do those tests at the battery, why would you need to unplug main lead at steering wheel?
chev104275 
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Gold spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Security and Convenience. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: November 26, 2007
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Posted: March 09, 2009 at 11:34 AM / IP Logged  
i have seen alternators amretures stay magnitized take a small screw driver or somthing like that put it on the bolt for the pulley if it sticks then i would change your alt    if they stay magnetized it will kill your batt    also 15 volts is too high    your can take your paracidic draw test then unplug the alt and see if it goes away
If i Can't Install it    I Don't need it   Joe
black cavy 
Copper - Posts: 78
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Joined: July 24, 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posted: March 10, 2009 at 8:49 AM / IP Logged  

As Far As midas is concerd there's nothing wrong with my Electrical System

I will scan the sheet in today with the results

{Quote from Owner} You have a High Powered Radio(Not even Hooked up)-(Owner I don't Care) and an Alarm that someone at sometime was monkeying around under my Dash to install the Alarm.

He Said 15V that’s Fine but if I start getting up to the 15.05V Range There's a Problem, Its a 12V Battery you Knowwhat should a battery sit at - Page 3 -- posted image.

Didn't have a answer When I told him it Dropped almost 1+ Full Volt from the Night before to taking it to him

I'm Waiting to Hear Back from Auto page so I can send my Alarm Brain in so they can test it out

I still will Do that Screw Driver Test and Start to Pull Fuses, But I think the Main Power Leads for the Alarm are Gone Because I did pull the Fuses and that 0.19 Number stayed the same and also still have Current running in those wires with-out a Fuse Hooked up even.

The Reason I was going to Unplug the Main plug from the Steering wheel was I wanted to See if the Main Power leads for the Alarm are still Good and Soldered Tight.

Also I have 3 Fuse Holders Hooked up to the Main 10 Gauge Power Lead for my Trunk Release and my Door Locks

It's 2 10 Gauge Wires that Go into 1 Main 10 Gauge Wire and then everything is Hooked up

black cavy 
Copper - Posts: 78
Copper spacespace
Joined: July 24, 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posted: March 10, 2009 at 9:59 PM / IP Logged  

Here's the Results

what should a battery sit at - Page 3 -- posted image.

what should a battery sit at - Page 3 -- posted image.

KPierson 
Platinum - Posts: 3,527
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: April 14, 2005
Location: Ohio, United States
Posted: March 10, 2009 at 10:20 PM / IP Logged  

I thought you said the car was resting at 15vdc?  14.4 is quite a huge difference.

Also, you do realize that a "charging system test" won't actually test what you are looking for.

You have already proved you have an excessive current draw - you need to focus on figuring out what the draw is and eliminating it.

The only way you are going to do this is by hooking the meter back up in series with the battery and then start unplugging things until the draw goes away.  If it starts around .19A I wouldn't stop unpluggin / pulling fuses until it drops below .05.  In reality I would expect it to be closer to .03, but nowhere above .05a. 

I, personally, would start at the alarm - I would unplug the entire brain - every connector and remove it.  I would also unplug / disable any alarm related module (aftermarket) and relay.  If that doesn't make a difference start pulling fuses, one by one and check the reading after each fuse.  If that still doesn't fix the issue start unhooking the alternator and see if that causes the current to drop.

A little background would be nice, too.  When did this start happening?   Was it right after the alarm was installed?  Was it right after any other electrical mod was made?

Kevin Pierson
black cavy 
Copper - Posts: 78
Copper spacespace
Joined: July 24, 2006
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posted: March 10, 2009 at 10:42 PM / IP Logged  
KPierson wrote:

I thought you said the car was resting at 15vdc?  14.4 is quite a huge difference.

Also, you do realize that a "charging system test" won't actually test what you are looking for.

You have already proved you have an excessive current draw - you need to focus on figuring out what the draw is and eliminating it.

The only way you are going to do this is by hooking the meter back up in series with the battery and then start unplugging things until the draw goes away.  If it starts around .19A I wouldn't stop unpluggin / pulling fuses until it drops below .05.  In reality I would expect it to be closer to .03, but nowhere above .05a. 

I, personally, would start at the alarm - I would unplug the entire brain - every connector and remove it.  I would also unplug / disable any alarm related module (aftermarket) and relay.  If that doesn't make a difference start pulling fuses, one by one and check the reading after each fuse.  If that still doesn't fix the issue start unhooking the alternator and see if that causes the current to drop.

A little background would be nice, too.  When did this start happening?   Was it right after the alarm was installed?  Was it right after any other electrical mod was made?

The Battery Reads 15V when running, Rested goes around 12.55V But I haven't checked in 1 Day or so

I thought that Test Means my Alterntor is Fine and the Regulator is fine

What Else Could it really be if everything Checks out and I take everthing apart and unhooked and still get 0.19

Quick Question,Will I Pop my Fuseable link for my alt if I unhook it and then do the test

Just need to know so I can pick some things up tommrow its my only car for now

I started seeing things after the Alarm was installed,But nothing like in the last 6 months with it needing a Boost everytime I went to start it

I will let everybody know what I find in the Morning,Again thank you for all the replyswhat should a battery sit at - Page 3 -- posted image.

howie ll 
Pot Metal - Posts: 16,466
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Joined: January 09, 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: March 11, 2009 at 4:34 AM / IP Logged  
I absolutely agree with what Kevin said about the test it tells us nothing about any current draws in the system, it's simply a test for the battery. Also I agree about their voltage readings differing from yours.  Do exactly what Kevin suggests, that's what I'd have done originally. That reading makes me think a relay might be staying latched on, or an amp or something such as an aftermarket accessory not switched off.  Faulty glovebox light anyone?
KPierson 
Platinum - Posts: 3,527
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: April 14, 2005
Location: Ohio, United States
Posted: March 11, 2009 at 5:29 AM / IP Logged  
black cavy wrote:

The Battery Reads 15V when running, Rested goes around 12.55V But I haven't checked in 1 Day or so

I thought that Test Means my Alterntor is Fine and the Regulator is fine

What Else Could it really be if everything Checks out and I take everthing apart and unhooked and still get 0.19

Quick Question,Will I Pop my Fuseable link for my alt if I unhook it and then do the test

Just need to know so I can pick some things up tommrow its my only car for now

I started seeing things after the Alarm was installed,But nothing like in the last 6 months with it needing a Boost everytime I went to start it

I will let everybody know what I find in the Morning,Again thank you for all the replyswhat should a battery sit at - Page 3 -- posted image.

I tend to trust their equipment over your meter - the tests they ran show both unloaded and loaded voltage to be around 14.4 - a completely normal range. 

The test shows that your alternator is charging, but it doesn't prove that it isn't causing a current draw when the car is off.

The current draw could be a variety of things - most likely, as Howie pointed out, a latched relay, a light bult that is staying on, a bad alternator, a bad power supply in an amp (or any other electronic component - OEM or aftermarket), and the list goes on.

As long as you are careful you won't pop your fusible link.  If you are worried about it disconnect the battery first.

Who installed your alarm?  You may want to consider taking the car back to them and having them inspect it.  Tell them the problems started after you got the alarm installed and have progressed to the point where the car won't sit over night.  They should at least check the draw of the alarm and either confirm or rule it out as being the problem.

Kevin Pierson
dualsport 
Silver - Posts: 983
Silver spacespace
Joined: September 27, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: March 14, 2009 at 10:35 AM / IP Logged  
Just a general comment on measuring standby current draw; if you can manage it, connect your ammeter probes across the terminal and battery post before you disconnect the terminal from the battery.
This will give you the actual measurement when it's sitting idle; if you disconnect power, it may wake up onboard circuits that will draw extra current, which results in a higher reading until you wait long enough for them to go back into an idle state. It'll also minimize putting a big current spike into your meter, which caused the spark you got when you reconnected.
It's easy to do with top post batteries, not so easy for side post.
Also the current draw may not be a steady value, with pulsing LEDs and such, so the meter you're using may not give a complete picture.
Does sound like you have some relay or something energized continually on standby, so it'll have to be tracked down.
It does sound like your DMM is wonky, if you read 15V on a 14.4V source. You may want to check it against another meter; normally even the $3 jobs are well within 1/10 of a volt. The only time I've seen them off is when the DMM battery is low; they're not well regulated like Flukes, which allow you to get reliable readings up to the point where you can't read the display any more.
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