Battery ran down

Left key on in acc position overnight… Battery dead … didn’t have radio or anything I know of turned on… what caused a one year old battery to run down… Unhooked neg cable and is charging right now… It Didn’t want to charge it with cable on… 10 amp simple charger… :sos:

Would guess need to read through schematic to see what is powered in ACC ignition position - possible a window motor stuck and running, a bad boot light switch leaving light on, AC fan speed on low and you may not have heard it.

1 Like

On more thought - theft alarm system, depending on how wired to get battery volts, may have drain the battery.

Not to worry. You recognize leaving the ignition on in ACCESS. Key in? Do not repeat. You may awaken and find no issues. AKA no car.

Charge the battery and proceed with life.

There are ways to check parasitic drain. IMHO< not needed…

Carl

1 Like

Ok… Charged up seems ok… Is there a lot of stuff on when just acc on.

Do a draw down test to see how may (milli) amps are being consumed in the Acc position then start pulling fuses to isolate the cause if you find it’s high.

Do no tests, change no battery Scrimbo.
This is normal with cars from 80s and even 90s.

New cars have management system on board (CAN) that is able to switch off all the systems when unused.

With ignition on ACC - you’re supplying constant current to ECU, most of the key relays (nope, they’re not powered by air), ABS system, ignition components, step motors, hydraulic acculators, etc…

You really need few hours with ignitionnon ACC to flatten your battery…

3 Likes

Have a 1992 4.0L XJS which drains the battery flat after 10 to 12 days. Same as my previous 3.2L XJ40.
Tried the fuse removal sequence for both cars and never found an active closed circuit ( save the clock IIRC).

I think it turned out something to do with an electrolytic leakage to the aluminium radiator and by earthing the rad to the body was supposed to fix it. Can’t remember if problem solved but now I just keep a trickle charger on all my classics

Peter from Downunder

Thanx everyone… it just surprised me that so much drain was on the acc without any accessories turned on

And you would never diagnose it that way. Disconnect fuel pump and try again with amp meter.

Have a look here:

1 Like

I’ve been wondering about the quality of batteries lately too, Scrimbonator … :thinking: I put Superblack’s in storage pretty much a year or so ago, on top of a board (as they recommend), since she was still not in running condition. It is only 2 years old (WM Everstart H-5, IIRC) w. a 3-year warranty. Supposedly my tech bud was periodically charging it up in my storage room, before we parted ways :roll_eyes: . I went to take it out a few days ago to switch out for the same type in Superblue, since hers is now 3+ years out. Got the thing installed and DAMN … NO voltage in her at all. :angry: I took it to Autozone to get it tested (they had to put it on an overnight charger). Next day I went by to check on it and they said it only took slightly more than 3 volts. :rage: So, it was off to WM, and they gave me a free replacement (thankfully). :disappointed_relieved: Not only that, but they also gave me $14 cash b/c they said those same batteries are now more $$. :moneybag: The downside is the warranty will only carry over to the replacement from where the other one left off, which would give me only about a year’s coverage on this one. I just don’t understand why the original went bad so quickly … :confused:

btw, when we disconnect the battery, I learned this week (1) have to reset/input the radio security code to reactivate it (so be sure you HAVE it) (2) reset the time on the clock and (3) make sure your key fob works, as the security system will automatically arm whenever you reconnect the battery, so you need the fob to disable it. One question, though, do we need to go through the security code (alarm system) setting procedure again, or does it have its own battery to “remember” the code? I notice that although the system beeps and chirps like it should (and the system arm and disarm) whenever the fob is pushed, the doors don’t actually lock or unlock. :confused: She has been doing that all along though for the past year or so, which I attributed to maybe a weak car battery. If so, then I would think a fresh battery would have resolved that issue. :confused:

btw, when I went to put the new battery in, which I knew had to be “vented”, I could not locate the vent tube/hose & seal going into the bottom of the boot. There was only the empty hole there. :open_mouth: Is it really essential that we hook that system up, or can we get by with just leaving the battery vent "capped’ (or better to leave it uncapped w/o a vent hose connected?)? I guess that’s the way it has always been, even with the PO. Otherwise, I need to scramble to find another one of those hoses (if they are even available) :grimacing:

Find a hose. Do not cap.
……20

If the battery is designed with a vent port, then by all means use a vent hose - the acidic fumes from the battery, which are emitted during normal use, and also during the charging mode from the alternator, will etch the paint on the inside of the boot area - hence the vent hose attachment that went from the battery to the outside world via a hole in the boot floor.

You f ed up . Battery died there are things that happen because they do,dont make it in to something. Take the keys out of the ignition next time and you will be ok .

Clock
Remote locking / Alarm
Main relay
Windows relay
Radio light
Climate control ?

More than enough…

Thanx again… will not leave key in when not using… On batteries, a 6 year battery in my opinion is only good for 3-4 years in this part of the country (Iowa).

Most I’ve seen are “five year” batteries, but if you check online most advise (even some of the suppliers) they only last on average a little more than 3 years … Anytime after that and they’re subject to go out on you w/o almost no (if any) warning … :angry: If you notice, even the supposed 4- and 5-year batteries only have a 3-year full replacement warranty. They’re not stupid … :thinking:

No sir. Battery Warranties are a form of planned obsolescence. Even when they honor a warranty, by the prorate system, they make money.

I’ve not done warranty claim on a battery for decades perhaps never. I just go shopping for the best deal.

The lump is on a refurb. Actually a misnomer. Merely an over shelf life unit About 60 bucks. about three years ago. Knock on wood. Although the car has traveled little, it still cranks right up.

Got my Amazon sourced jump box. Slick / But no charger. Their term. “AC adapter”. It has a USB port for that. Going to check on my junk and see if I have one that meets spec. Cell phone??? Lap top?

1 Like