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Something is draining my battery overnight...

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Old 12-07-2010, 01:51 PM
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I do all my work on our dining table.



and i only have 300 sq ft more than you. and it's on the market and must remain spotless.
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Old 12-07-2010, 03:52 PM
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Just had the battery tested at autozone and it is still good.
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Old 12-07-2010, 05:32 PM
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So I picked up some new fuses on my way home, tested again with positive terminal disconnected and key off. Now seeing over 18ma. I then put the terminal back on, pulled the room fuse and am getting over 18ma there also.
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Old 12-07-2010, 07:28 PM
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18ma is still child's play. We're looking for something that'll drain a battery in two days, not two years.

The scale is all wrong here.

Example: if you leave your headlights on, that will drain your battery within, let's say, three hours (I'm pulling this number out of my ***.) Stock '99 headlamps (9003) on low beam are rated at 55 watts each, 110 watts total. At 12 volts, that's 9.2A, or 9,200 ma (and this excludes the draw of the side markers and tail lamps.)

18 ma < 9,200 ma. A lot <.

If this really is happening because of some dark-current load, you're looking for a couple of amps, not a couple of ma.
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Old 12-07-2010, 07:37 PM
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Stupid question: is you alternator up to snuff? Take a voltage reading across the battery with the engine running.
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Old 12-07-2010, 07:43 PM
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I'm thinking it's the starter circuit somehow. Something that pulls a lot of current, and is supposed to turn off/cut out, and isn't. That leads me to the solenoid not cutting back out after starting, but remaining hot. Make sense?*







*I'm just spitballing here. Electronics is like black magic to me.
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Old 12-07-2010, 07:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Joe Perez
Stupid question: is you alternator up to snuff? Take a voltage reading across the battery with the engine running.
According to tuner studio it is. What am I looking for at the battery?
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by rleete
I'm thinking it's the starter circuit somehow. Something that pulls a lot of current, and is supposed to turn off/cut out, and isn't. That leads me to the solenoid not cutting back out after starting, but remaining hot. Make sense?*







*I'm just spitballing here. Electronics is like black magic to me.
I doubt the starter circuit is the problem. I'm pretty sure in the miata its a direct shot from the ign switch to the sig on the starter, with some switches in between, etc etc. If for some reason the sig was getting power, I'm pretty sure the gear would be fighting a losing battle against a flywheel. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by levnubhin
According to tuner studio it is. What am I looking for at the battery?
Mine reads about 14.2, engine running. In the ballpark of that is probably good. This doesn't necessarily mean it can push out some amps though, like if you were to turn multiple loads on.

Last edited by levnubhin; 12-07-2010 at 08:27 PM.
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by MartinezA92
Mine reads about 14.2, engine running. In the ballpark of that is probably good. This doesn't necessarily mean it can push out some amps though, like if you were to turn multiple loads on.


Mine reads 13.8 - 14. according to TS. I remember turning everything on and it didn't drop any. I'll recheck tomorrow.
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:32 PM
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I'd say thats sufficient...
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Old 12-08-2010, 10:38 AM
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Well my battery after sitting one whole day and night is completely dead. This is so annoying. Good thing I have a warranty from autozone. On to the next one
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Old 12-08-2010, 11:24 AM
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Last night Phil pulled the ECU connector on the pins that have his A/C circuitry stuff on it. The Hypothesis was that the change he made to my initial wiring is somehow to blame. His car started this morning, but we still need more sjmarcy datalogging before we call it again.
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Old 12-09-2010, 12:20 PM
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So this is the second day in a row that his car started right up with the MS unplugged


attached is the circuit that is running his A/C...like I said, as was well until he altered it to be like attached, see anything wrong?


It's very similar to the DIYPNP circuit (that i will post after lunch), but I don't see anything wrong with it, unless Phil somehow hooked it up wrong or touched wrong pins...

Nutshell: MS fan control activates both a/c and cooling fans. A/C switch output is jumped with a/c relay ground. A diode allows both fan relays to activate when the a/c relay is grounded as well.

Any reason this could drain a battery?

Attached Thumbnails Something is draining my battery overnight...-phil_ac_circuit.jpg  

Last edited by Braineack; 12-09-2010 at 02:20 PM.
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Old 12-09-2010, 02:19 PM
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Here is how DIY does it in the DIYPNP.

Basically when the a/c switch grounds, a relay sends a ground to the a/c relay and a/c fan relay.

Attached Thumbnails Something is draining my battery overnight...-phil_ac_circuit_diy.jpg  
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Old 12-09-2010, 02:48 PM
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Scott, I think you need to show everyone who really helps you with the MS's. It all makes sense now why there are problems...

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Old 12-09-2010, 03:32 PM
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hhahahahahahahahhaha
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Old 12-09-2010, 05:54 PM
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I had these problems...(only with link ecu)
Battery 1 jear old.
One day starts and runs normal, next day nothing.

Tuns out the battery itself was draining it's own power... (no idea how)
Every test, after charging was ok.... No big drains from battery=>car.
Left me lot's of time standing... It even cuts off the engine while driving...
Stil charging power was good... (14.4 v on charged battery) dropped to 13.2 v in about 20 miles... Then the engine just stopped... Only radio on, no headlights... Emergency assistance could not find the problem... Battery charged good...
Finaly the battery died... After replacement no more problems...

Advice: Just try a differend battery if you can...
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Old 12-09-2010, 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by greddymx5
Battery 1 jear old.
When I read that, I was going to post a smart-*** reply asking if this was a German battery.

Then I saw your location. Guess I was off by a few km.
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Old 12-09-2010, 07:25 PM
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about 200km/120 miles
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