Dead Battery

[ack10]

I drive a Honda ES8 .my problem is that the battery is going dead overnight. its a 6 weeks old battery & upon consulting the dealer i was told the battery is ok, there must be a fault in Alternator. Went to an elec. & had to replace the alternator. even after the new alternator is was installed the problem continues. I’m so frustrated as i have to disconnect the terminal wire every night & fixed it back every morning so i can start the car. If i leave the wire intact the battery goes dead. What cause this? & please suggest a reliable place close to Colombo to get this & all wiring checked without busting my money.

ACK10

Edited January 7, 2011 by ack10

[Watchman]

If the problem doesnt exist when the battery is disconnected, you have an electricity leak (or a short circuit) in your car.

If its the alternator then you wouldnt be able to start the car in the morning even if you disconnect the battery.

The fix:

1- Turn off ALL electrical devices in the car. When you remove the + terminal and give a slight contact there should be a few sparks flying. Meaning the there's a current draining out of your battery.

2- Disconnect the terminal again and individually remove the fuses and check for sparks when briefly contact the terminal against the battery. At the point of removing the fuse of the faulty system the sparking should stop.

3- Now you know which device/system is faulty. Follow the wiring of it and check the device and you should be able to find where exactly there's an issue.

Good luck

[MasterDon]

Have you added or removed any itmes like a stereo set up/CD stacker or an alarm system to the car recently?...It might be one of them is malfunctioning using the battery unnceccesarily while the car is off.

Go to an Auto electrical repair joint like Pala,and specifically ask them to check for short circuits and battery drainage while the everything in the car is switched off.They have a device that can do that or else theres another way using a small bulb and two wires.

[harshansenadhir]

I drive a Honda ES8 .my problem is that the battery is going dead overnight. its a 6 weeks old battery & upon consulting the dealer i was told the battery is ok, there must be a fault in Alternator. Went to an elec. & had to replace the alternator. even after the new alternator is was installed the problem continues. I’m so frustrated as i have to disconnect the terminal wire every night & fixed it back every morning so i can start the car. If i leave the wire intact the battery goes dead. What cause this? & please suggest a reliable place close to Colombo to get this & all wiring checked without busting my money.

ACK10

Some electric circuits drains the system, most cases it's the charging IC or charging relay in old systems. Since you have replaced the alternator and assuming the new one is not faulty you can alternatively look for other circuits and components.

Very prominent culprit in most instances next to alternator is the central locking system or even your sound system which has (+) feed all time for memory function. If it was me, I would've started from removing the positive terminal connection of the battery and attach a multi meter (even an amp meter you find in most spare parts shops would do the trick) or tap the terminal clip (end of the battery wire) to the battery terminal and see whether it sparks excessively. It should spark excessively as your battery drains over night. Then removing fuses of main components / sections and checking the level of spark gets reduced. If it's a multi meter in ampere mode, it should read a significant current draw.

By doing this you would most probably be able to identify the culprit or the section where the culprit located. Then either you can fix it or go to an electrician with that troubleshooting info, which will be useful for the electrician to fix it or it'll prevent you being cheated as well. Apart from a known peugeot electrician me don't have any other personally experienced ones around. Also P*la *uto has quite a bit of reputation among the forum as well as from my personal experience about four five years back, they were good.

[SpEeD FrEak]

It should be a short circuit as mentioned by fellow members

Did you install any new electric components like a Security system or foglamps

Sometimes poor installations may cause short circuits and drain the battery. Also check the engine bay for any damaged wires because sometimes the Rats may be the Culprits

Good Luck

Edited January 7, 2011 by SpEeD FrEak

[ack10]

Thank You all for the comments & suggetions.Really app.

[Tikiri]

I would recommend you to take it to Stafford,

they are fully equipped, conversant and reasonable charges.

Good luck

[Sylvi]

Member,

Only thing I can suggest to check any fault in your car Electrical system is remove one battery wire connect a Ampere meter across the wire and battery (series circuit) then if there is a reading on the meter you have to get your car attended by a Auto Electrification.

For a battery to go down over night there should be a considerable amount of current draw from the Battery.

There will be a very small current draw for electronic circuits in your car but for overnight it is negligible

Any Auto electrical repair shop will have a Amp meter. ( Milli amp meter check how many Milli amperes draw for Electronic circuits.)

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[civicferio]

Member,

Only thing I can suggest to check any fault in your car Electrical system is remove one battery wire connect a Ampere meter across the wire and battery (series circuit) then if there is a reading on the meter you have to get your car attended by a Auto Electrification.

For a battery to go down over night there should be a considerable amount of current draw from the Battery.

There will be a very small current draw for electronic circuits in your car but for overnight it is negligible

Any Auto electrical repair shop will have a Amp meter. ( Milli amp meter check how many Milli amperes draw for Electronic circuits.)

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

1++

[JohnGalt]

1- Turn off ALL electrical devices in the car. When you remove the + terminal and give a slight contact there should be a few sparks flying. Meaning the there's a current draining out of your battery.

I've been told by an electrician a few years back not to do this for newer vehicles which has more electrical parts and sensors. He further told me that it's fine against an old battered car but for newer vehicles you shouldn't do that because it might damage the electrical parts. Does that still hold?

[Watchman]

I've been told by an electrician a few years back not to do this for newer vehicles which has more electrical parts and sensors. He further told me that it's fine against an old battered car but for newer vehicles you shouldn't do that because it might damage the electrical parts. Does that still hold?

Well, since the engine is not running it shouldnt be an issue IMO. Cos there isnt any current flowing through the sensors. But I think one thing you might loose is the whatever fuel mapping in a EFI ECU. But that too will fix itself when you run the engine a bit.

[Sylvi]

Well, since the engine is not running it shouldnt be an issue IMO. Cos there isnt any current flowing through the sensors. But I think one thing you might loose is the whatever fuel mapping in a EFI ECU. But that too will fix itself when you run the engine a bit.

Watchman,

To my knowledge you are correct in that aspect.I remember some time back in the forum one member wrote what you mention on your post last sentence.

I too had been using EFI ECU system Vehicles all of them reset as you mentioned in few seconds after you run the vehicle Engine.

In my last Vehicle some times when I start the engine first in the morning I had a miss on same what I do was stop the engine and restart again the early engine miss what I had will disappear.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[Ripper]

Watchman,

To my knowledge you are correct in that aspect.I remember some time back in the forum one member wrote what you mention on your post last sentence.

I too had been using EFI ECU system Vehicles all of them reset as you mentioned in few seconds after you run the vehicle Engine.

In my last Vehicle some times when I start the engine first in the morning I had a miss on same what I do was stop the engine and restart again the early engine miss what I had will disappear.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

with all due respect i think you are wrong here.

ECU wont reset itself just like that...If you keep the power off from the battery itself for a bit of time... some of the data will get erased.

but it wont happen as you try to start the car in morning. And also the ECU wont "learn" in such short operation

most probably your scenario was due to another issue...even things like sparkplugs not being at their best tend to have those symptoms...rough idle on start-up but improving once it's a little warmed up

[Sylvi]

with all due respect i think you are wrong here.

ECU wont reset itself just like that...If you keep the power off from the battery itself for a bit of time... some of the data will get erased.

but it wont happen as you try to start the car in morning. And also the ECU wont "learn" in such short operation

most probably your scenario was due to another issue...even things like sparkplugs not being at their best tend to have those symptoms...rough idle on start-up but improving once it's a little warmed up

Ripper'

May be I am wrong.

I am a old school man. You may be correct.

I only wrote my experience with my last Vehicle.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[pug306xsi]

If the problem doesnt exist when the battery is disconnected, you have an electricity leak (or a short circuit) in your car.

If its the alternator then you wouldnt be able to start the car in the morning even if you disconnect the battery.

The fix:

1- Turn off ALL electrical devices in the car. When you remove the + terminal and give a slight contact there should be a few sparks flying. Meaning the there's a current draining out of your battery.

2- Disconnect the terminal again and individually remove the fuses and check for sparks when briefly contact the terminal against the battery. At the point of removing the fuse of the faulty system the sparking should stop.

3- Now you know which device/system is faulty. Follow the wiring of it and check the device and you should be able to find where exactly there's an issue.

Good luck

I think I got the same problem with the draining battery. and one fuse just goes off ( i cant read the fuse box as its in Japanese on the FB 13)