tracing battery discharge. Help an idiot

[el sketcho]

Evening, something's draining my battery. I had a look on wiki on how to trace it but I didn't really understand it Could someone spell it out in crayon for me?

[grenjs]

Evening, something's draining my battery. I had a look on wiki on how to trace it but I didn't really understand it Could someone spell it out in crayon for me?

Remove the fuses one by one and measure what voltage being drained with each removal. When you found which fuse is responsible, you would have narrowed it down even more.

Is that simple enough?

[1664]

Modern radio/CD players draw a modest current but can drain a battery if the van isn't used regularly. Should be fuse 3 on your year of van (counting left to right). Course, once you pull the fuse all the pre-programmed settings in the radio/CD will be lost.

[CovKid]

Also, batteries tend to fail (or at least show their true colours) in the winter months so even a small drain can be enough to flatten them rapidly. I now carry a fully charged spare at all times during the winter. T25s are no fun to push.

[Mr Bean]

Also, batteries tend to fail (or at least show their true colours) in the winter months so even a small drain can be enough to flatten them rapidly. I now carry a fully charged spare at all times during the winter. T25s are no fun to push.

Agreed
I have two vehicular batteries hard wired together by the positive terminals and with covert battery isolators in the negative terminals. The key positions are hard to find even if you know they exist. One key is in place at any one time and can be swopped if the battery fails. If both batteries should become down on charge both can be connected in parallel by inserting both keys. This way there is almost no chance of getting stuck with a flat battery. When both keys are out there are some fiendishly clever systems in place to prevent drive away theft. Plus you can't get at the batteries to jump start or hot wire antway.
The main point is a complete relief from flat batteryitis.
Cheers
Wolfi

[CovKid]

Ages ago I suffered from flat battery every three days, pinpointed to way I'd wired new stereo. It didn't show up where I used van every day but if left to stand would always go flat. Mine will still flatten battery if I sit there with stereo on for an hour without engine running so its now totally via ignition switch.

I upgraded to 90amp alternator, changed as many lights as I could for LEDs, disconnected dashboard clock and stuck a digital one on the dash that runs off its own battery. Even with all that, I never go anywhere without a second fully charged battery. Theres nothing worse than being stuck on a badly-lit road or out in the countryside with no power. You can trickle the spare one with one of those solar panel chargers - tends to keep it in good order. Periodically I swap the batteries over too. If the worst came to the worst and the alternator packed up, at least I'd have enough power to get off a motorway or nearer to a garage.

Incidentally, since I switched to LEDs for park, indicator and tail lights, these won't flatten the battery if left on for a couple of days (on tungsten, hours at most). Worth doing as if you do breakdown in an awkward spot at night, at least you can be sure the vehicle is adequately lit.

[Mocki]

finding the source of the drain is not rocket science, you only need a indecator bulb and a length of wire, and a spare hour.

disconnect the neg battery connection from the battery, and connect the bulb to the neg lead you just disconnected from the battery, and to the neg connection on the battery, bridging the gap so to speak.
with everything switched off, the bulb should be unlit, if its glowing something is draining, so remove each fuse in turn untill the bulb goes out, a simple process of illinination, the brighter the bulb glows the bigger the drain.
the clock and stereo will make it glimmer slightly, and pulling the fuse that powers this circuit should see your bulb completely go out.

[timthetrader]

Get a decent power pack instead of a spare battery! Even used it to give me a few hours extra heating from my propex when my leisure goes flat!

[Ian Hulley]

Get a decent power pack

We bought one the first year we had The Bus, you'd be amazed how many T25s it's started at various shows, camps etc and it's a compressor and 12v supply as Tim says.

Ian.

[el sketcho]

Thanks for the replies peeps, I think I understand now but I've got 101 other jobs to do in the mean time. timthetrader where have you positioned your leisure battery?

Andy

[minke]

I had same probs.
1st I took the faceoff of my radio & it still went flat.

2nd I pulled the cowling off the dash and disconnected the clock wire & hey presto...no flat batt, so like Covkid, I got a second clock which runs off its own batt...Lots of little LED lites in the van & all is well.

Next I will get LED's for the rest of the van..and should be on cload nine.

I did get an LED for the reversing lite...its brill cos its also got a little bleeper built into it so peeps can hear ya coming.. Also it reminds you that youve stuck the damned thing in reverse instead of 1st

Kev

[jamesc76]

its brill cos its also got a little bleeper built into it so peeps can hear ya coming.. Also it reminds you that youve stuck the damned thing in reverse instead of 1st

Kev

I hate those things blooming horrible beeeeeep beeeeeeep ! People will love you on campsites if you leave eraly in the morning and you need to reverse!

[R0B]

handy when on camps where there are kids running about though.easier to listen to a beep.than the squeal a kid being squished..

I hate those things blooming horrible beeeeeep beeeeeeep

[jamesc76]

no need for me i think my exhaust will tell um im coming!!

[timthetrader]

Thanks for the replies peeps, I think I understand now but I've got 101 other jobs to do in the mean time. timthetrader where have you positioned your leisure battery?

Andy

I have 3 batteries, 1 stater under the drivers seat, 1 smaller leasure under passenger seat and 1 b loody great big 110 amp in the wardrobe at rear but i connected the 2 positive terminals of the leisue ones with a 30amp cable and now they last ages.