Flat battery, draining overnight MK2

[blaster]

Anyone think this could have anything to do with it??

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=109611

as some one said disconnect your radio see what happens

[Hybrids]

When you do the test that SFLee described, if you do have a reading on the meter showing a drain, remove and then refit each fuse, one at a time when the reading drops you know what is taking the current.

Something else to think about, jump starting then giving the car a blast down the road/motorway etc will only give a small charge back in, it really needs an over night charge with a 5 or 6 amp charger (bench charge rate should be 10% of th Ah rate of the battery), if it's lower, not a problem, just takes longer.

[mattcambs]

An hour drive at motorway speed would pretty much charge it right up.
Something's definitely draining the battery. I had this on my last MR2 - a right pain for sure.

as some one said disconnect your radio see what happens

He already has no radio connected

[jim-mapps]

I was gunner say that!

Dead again last night at work. Push started and drove the short journey home, charghed it plenty to start again when I got in. So I did my own little non meter test (don't have one till my dad finds his), disconnected the battery to see if it dropped charge overnight on its own. No problem at all this morning. Which I reckon tells me that:

A. The short journey home is enough to recharge from starting it as it put enough in to start 3 or 4 times after a push start.

B. The battery is ok, isn't losing charge by itself.

C. There's a power drain somewhere.

It has an alarm which is armed/dissarmed by the key in the door. Red LED in the rev counter, when it goes off it just blows the horn over and over again. Is this a standard Toyota alarm? if so am I right in thinking that if that alarm is dissarmed it won't be using any power?

[blaster]

I was gunner say that!

Dead again last night at work. Push started and drove the short journey home, charghed it plenty to start again when I got in. So I did my own little non meter test (don't have one till my dad finds his), disconnected the battery to see if it dropped charge overnight on its own. No problem at all this morning. Which I reckon tells me that:

A. The short journey home is enough to recharge from starting it as it put enough in to start 3 or 4 times after a push start.

B. The battery is ok, isn't losing charge by itself.

C. There's a power drain somewhere.

It has an alarm which is armed/dissarmed by the key in the door. Red LED in the rev counter, when it goes off it just blows the horn over and over again. Is this a standard Toyota alarm? if so am I right in thinking that if that alarm is dissarmed it won't be using any power?

seems like a drain on the battery could be hard to find

[mattcambs]

systematically checking the current draw whilst removing each fuse in turn should narrow the possibilities down, though.

Need to get that multi-meter asap!

[PW@Woodsport]

As above get a meter,set it to amps and stick it between the earth battery clamp and the battery - terminal.... measure the draw,then pull fuses one at a time until you find one that causes the meter to dip.If you like wire up a 12v bulb instead,it will glow if there is a drain.

My money is on the boot courtesy light staying on,very common that one,although it could be anywhere.

[blaster]

As above get a meter,set it to amps and stick it between the earth battery clamp and the battery - terminal.... measure the draw,then pull fuses one at a time until you find one that causes the meter to dip.If you like wire up a 12v bulb instead,it will glow if there is a drain.

My money is on the boot courtesy light staying on,very common that one,although it could be anywhere.

my money would be on the alarm at least thats what i think it would be

[jim-mapps]

It's definitely a drain, had the battery checked yesterday and straight away he asked if I'd left something on, "There's noise on the battery", he said.

Anyway, have a secret weapon today, multi meter! though I've no idea which setting is amps I'm sure I'll figure it out. seem to remember something to do with a u type symbol?

I assume it's the fuse box in the frunk????

Anyone think it's worth putting the meter across the white looped wire in the pictures I posted?

[jim-mapps]

Tested as described, used the multimeter on the 200mA setting, it showed 0.02 across the earth lead and earth terminal. Removed each fuse one at a time in the front and rear fuse box... which made no difference at all. Still read 0.02 with each fuse taken out. So I tried the relays, again no difference.

Where next???

Think it's an auto electrician. Got 2 keys at the mo... one has a toyota badge on, the other says draper 10 and 11mm on

[blaster]

Tested as described, used the multimeter on the 200mA setting, it showed 0.02 across the earth lead and earth terminal. Removed each fuse one at a time in the front and rear fuse box... which made no difference at all. Still read 0.02 with each fuse taken out. So I tried the relays, again no difference.

Where next???

Think it's an auto electrician. Got 2 keys at the mo... one has a toyota badge on, the other says draper 10 and 11mm on

did you check fuses in foot well drivers side

[Jaspa]

I had this with the boot light, popped the bulb out and it was fine. May be worth a look

Stuart

[jim-mapps]

Couldn't see a fuse box in the footwell?

I'll be looking for it tomorrow!

[mattcambs]

It's a bit tricky to reach as it's up against the wheel arch on the driver's side footwell.
Go armed with a torch

[jim-mapps]

Sweet, cheers

[blaster]

Sweet, cheers

small black plastic nut holds cover on

[jim-mapps]

Checked all 3 fuse boxes and nothing! Removed each fuse one at a time and the multimeter still read 0.2 (on 200mA setting, this the right setting? scared of blowing something up! )

Tried the bulb in the boot, it wasn't working at all so I removed it anyway, no difference, put it back in, works now!

The only thing I can think of is there's a brake light out, maybe a short in there somwhere . I'll look at dinner.

Any other ideas? Anyone have any idea how to dissconnect / turn off the alarm so I can see if that's what's draining it?

[blaster]

Checked all 3 fuse boxes and nothing! Removed each fuse one at a time and the multimeter still read 0.2 (on 200mA setting, this the right setting? scared of blowing something up! )

Tried the bulb in the boot, it wasn't working at all so I removed it anyway, no difference, put it back in, works now!

The only thing I can think of is there's a brake light out, maybe a short in there somwhere . I'll look at dinner.

Any other ideas? Anyone have any idea how to dissconnect / turn off the alarm so I can see if that's what's draining it?

as i said in one of my other posts i think its the alarm it seems to be connected to every thing even into the brake system as anti hijack good luck with that any way

[jim-mapps]

Cheers, can't find any information anywhere on how to disconnect the heffing thing.