Club 80-90 Forums

There's been a parasitic drain on my starter battery since I got the van 2 years ago. I finally got around to checking it out and followed the instructions on the Wiki but used an amp meter instead of a bulb. It read 0.2 amps which then progressively dropped to 0.17 over about 10 mins whilst I took the fuses out one by one. Doing so never sent the reading to 0 incidentally. I took out the fuse for the split charge relay and circuit. Same. Unplugged the immobilised. Same. Took out the relay in the box in the engine bay. Same. Ditto with the only two relay on the back of the fuse box under dash. The radio is off the leisure battery so I can't imagine it's that.
Question is I suppose- where to look next? Are there any fuses hidden away?
There's not too much that's been altered from a fairly basic panel van conversion so there aren't loads of gadgets. I'm at a loss.
PS the battery is only a couple of months old and of a reputable quality.
Any clues greatly appreciated.

Try dissconecing the alternator.

There's a master feed from the battery to the main fuse box (possibly fuse 20, see below). If you disconnect that it'll isolate almost all systems (some things take power from the fuse box but aren't fused - Eg coil power supply on a petrol).

According to Bentley (American manual) there are 4 outputs off of the battery:
1. Supply to fuse 20 (which then continues to fuse 9). This is the switched side of the glow plug relay.
2. and 3. go to the alternator positive (this may be only one wire)
4. The switched side of the starter motor.

Looking at the back of fuse 9: There are 4 red wires on the unfused side, the largest is the supply from fuse 20. The other three supply:
A. the head/side light switch, radio and clock.
B. The headlight dip switch.
C. Ignition switch.

Try dissconecing the alternator.

Thanks. No joy.

Thanks Bubble Meister. There's too much for me to get on with today so it'll have to wait till next weekend. I'll let you know how I get on.

Good post bubblemaster so radio or clock then ?

But shouldn't that be
4. unswitched (main feed) to starter motor... ?