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0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 09 Jul 2018, 18:51
by Middle29
I've got a 0.19a battery drain on my starter. I've recently had a new stereo & few bits done so somethings up. The wiring to the dash console lights (the 2 that illuminate the speedo etc) was a mess and wasn't original, has been replaced with LEDs. Guy is coming to help out & fault find tomorrow - just wondered if anyone knows of anything obvious it might be to point him in right direction.

Re: 0.19a starter drain - any ideas

Posted: 09 Jul 2018, 19:05
by itchyfeet
you mean starter battery I guess no the starter.

Stereo usually.

Re: 0.19a starter drain - any ideas

Posted: 09 Jul 2018, 19:27
by Middle29
sorry yeah I meant starter battery. Hhmm The stereo should be on leisure battery circuit now...

Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 09 Jul 2018, 19:33
by itchyfeet
usually easy to find, you have I assume a mutimeter with ammeter setting and have measured the draw at the battery?

if so go around the fuse box pulling the fuses one by one and see if it disappears.

some fuses have multiple circuits so if you find a fuse you can dig down deeper to those circuits.

The clock takes some, it's not massive

Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 09 Jul 2018, 21:02
by Middle29
well the 0.19a was on someone else meter. Using mine I'm getting nothing but I have a cheap meter which is measuring volts ok but doesn't seem to read anything on the amps setting. I'll mention the clock tomorrow but its dead?!? And I'll order a proper meter I think. - actually I may have fried it...

thanks for help - I'll report back

Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 10 Jul 2018, 09:14
by bigbadbob76
You've maybe blown the fuse in the current connection in the meter, it's common to forget to swap back to voltage measurement and then connect the meter across the battery. that will pop the fuse.
0.19A does sound like the stereo, do you have both the stereo power connections (usually red and yellow) connected to the leisure battery.
Red is ignition-on sense and usually goes to the ignition switch but you can wire it to the leisure battery so you can have the stereo on with ignition off.
Yellow is main power to the stereo and also memory so you don't lose the set stations etc.
The yellow one will draw about 0.15-0.20A when the stereo is off.
Hope that helps.

Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 10 Jul 2018, 18:40
by Middle29
So I've got a new meter, last one was a bit of a cheap one. I've been measuring the voltage on the battery and it hasn't changed yet. I'm starting to wonder if something was on?!?

Is it possible for a battery to show a drain or a false reading when it's still settling from a charge? I had put it straight into the van. I'll go and test again soon.

Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 10 Jul 2018, 19:16
by bigbadbob76
Yes and no, the voltage will drop after charging, it won't show a current drain though unless something is on to give the current a path.

Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 10 Jul 2018, 20:29
by Middle29
ok so its reading 0.05a which is normal. So I'm confused.

So I started this with a flat battery, changed it for a fully charged one. Wouldn't start, turned out to be the contacts not seating correctly. I have a picture of a meter showing 0.19a on the battery that is on there after this. Van has been started since - fuse box opened / closed. Now it seems fine.

I can only assume that something was on that got turned off or something got fixed while my back was turned - What the blithering heck ?!?

Thanks all - I've learned how to test for battery drain & how to blow a fuse in a meter so all is well that ends well I suppose.

Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 14 Jul 2018, 22:54
by bigbadbob76
Have u got any usb charging points that are wired to the main battery? They draw a little current when not being used.


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Re: 0.19a starter battery drain - any ideas

Posted: 21 Jul 2018, 15:14
by Middle29
bigbadbob76 wrote:Have u got any usb charging points that are wired to the main battery? They draw a little current when not being used

Only wired up to the leisure. All seems fine now so something must have been on I think, only explanation or it got fixed while we mucked around with it :roll: