Technical Reoccurring, seeming unexplainable battery drain

[davetreadwell]

Hello there!

Having searched the forums, and asked in the know car friends, i'm finally holding up my hands and asking for help!

I have a lovely 1996 Mk1 Punto 75sx, that mechanically is in top shape and only has the first signs of rust.

The problem is the battery goes flat.
A lot. :bang:
To the point where I now start my car with a jump pack every time I need to use it!

My mechanic has tested the alternator whilst running, and even with every conceivable drain in use (wipers/radio/lights/fan blowers etc) it still is providing enough V to charge the battery.

I can make a long journey (2 1/2 hours for example) and that will be enough to start the car 2-3 times before being back to square one, however if it is left overnight, the car will not start again.

To give it credit, it tries to turn over once, when turning the key - unlike when the radio is left connected, and it is as dead as a dodo!

I have tried removing and recharging the battery; which works for a month or so before the battery light comes on and we are back to where we were.

I have noticed I am getting a shock off the door sometimes when I open it - sometimes after driving (thus could be static) but more often than not when the car has been stationary overnight.

A few things:

- The battery was replaced 6 months ago to see if it solved the problem

- The aftermarket radio has been completely unplugged for over a year

- Nothing is left plugged into the 12v socket (which is wired to constant)

- 90% of my journeys are 30minutes or more


Any suggestions?

 

[dumbledore]

Get an Ohm meter, disconnect the positive terminal of the battery, closed all doors, connect the ohm meter in series with the disconnected cable and put the ohm meter in the amp reading. It should show you the current is drained from the battery while is standing. You should not get a reading more the 30mA with the stereo disconnected.

 

[blu73]

as above, if you put the meter in series to measure the current you can then start pulling fuses out one by one until the draw of current disappears, then you know what circuit it causing it..

But before that, disconnect the battery and check the connectors, I've had this on my GT before and the connections to the battery were just really dirty, clean them up with something abrasive so they all clean and shiny, same on the battery terminals. Reconnect battery and smother the terminals in some silicone grease to protect them in future. See if that solves it before you do anything else.

 

[gedq]

Same here, I've taken to disconnecting the battery whenever I'm not using the car. In the long run I prefer not to think about what it's doing to the cable but at least the car starts. I have been told it might be the boot light, haven't tested that though.

 

[Panda CLX]

Make sure your stereo is wired up correctly turning on and off with ignition... Mine wasn't and was always draining the battery.

 

[blu73]

fiats are all wired permanent live to the stereo Some stereo's are designed to be on a switched live and some to a permanent (one without onboard batteries in general, they forget all their settings if on a switched live). But yes, most punto's have some aftermarket stereo which 99.9% of the time have a battery to remember the time and settings so swapping it the switched is a good plan.