Alarm draining battery

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=21488
Printed Date: July 14, 2025 at 9:31 AM

Topic: Alarm draining battery

Posted By: Ann Scotney
Subject: Alarm draining battery
Date Posted: November 15, 2003 at 5:03 AM

I recently had a Clifford Concept 50 removed from my vehicle, Audi A4, as it drained my battery when the car was left unused. It developed faults with the immobiliser and towards the end had to be run constantly in Valet mode with the sound switched off - not much use in having an alarm.

In its place I now have had a Sigma M30 (at considerable expense!). My car has been left securely in a garage for 4 days with the alarm switched on. All doors and windows were secured and there have been no false alarms, on returning the battery is flat. Am I being conned by the installers as this seems to be the same fault as the Clifford alarm? Please could anyone help - is there a simple installation problem?

Thanks in anticipation.

Replies:

Posted By: padawan
Date Posted: November 15, 2003 at 8:00 AM

Most likely not an alarm problem, the only thing "on" is your LED which draws like .002 amps of current...That would never drain your battery...Check the vehicle for other things being left on, or even a faulty battery, Take somewhere and have it checked for dead cells etc...

Posted By: auex
Date Posted: November 15, 2003 at 8:17 AM

Have the shop recheck there connections and see if anything they did would cause the computer to stay on instead of shutting down.

-------------
Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

Posted By: HamiltonAudio
Date Posted: November 15, 2003 at 7:03 PM

sure sounds like a problem with the vehicle to me!! have them brain of the alarm disconnected from the car, and do some diagnostics. First, is the battery actually OK, or is it dying anyway? Also, have a technician with a clamp meter read what kind of draw is at the main battery cable connection when the car is off.....

we had a similar complaint a few weeks ago in a customers truck who had a snowplow hung on the front...he blamed the freshly installed remote starter on the battery always dying. A simple set of tests revealed that one of the plow control solenoids was causing considering voltage leak, killing the battery. Simply disconnecting this solenoid and replacing the battery, he went a week with no problems (and the remote starter working!!) and he was convinced...replaced the solenoid and we haven't seen him since posted_image

many folk are quick to blame a starter/alarm for killing batteries...while it is technically possible for something to go wrong and cause a dead batt, its highly unlikely and I'd be suspecting something else in the car....

Posted By: jrilla
Date Posted: November 15, 2003 at 11:43 PM

Actuall y it could be the alarm if the installer screwed something up the first time, and then never fixed it when putting in the second one, since all the connections were made.

I am not disagreeing with any previous posts, I just thought that if thealarm was causing the drain, it really wouldn't be the unit itself, but more likely the installation at fault.

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J Rilla

Owner/Installer

Posted By: Ann Scotney
Date Posted: November 16, 2003 at 6:45 AM

Thanks for everyones help with this. Seems it is an electrical problem unrelated to the alarm and the voltage drain is elsewhere. Thanks for giving me some ammunition for the alarm installers - seems I have wasted a lot of money on the new alarm!!!

I'm going to get the car checked over for battery or any other sources of voltage drain.

Thanks again, much appreciated.

Posted By: lspker
Date Posted: November 23, 2003 at 9:08 PM

Check how the starter kill relay is hooked up, if wired incorrectly, it will draw current and kill battery.