Parasitic Battery Drain Found! How to Fix?
02-05-2008, 06:15 PM
#31
02-05-2008, 07:31 PM
#32
Instructor
Thread Starter
Question, does your car have an alarm? If so, while your checking for the draw do you have the front hood latch tripped? do you have the door contact closed? just because you have the interior light fuse pulled with the door open doesnt mean that other things dont monitor door and hood switches.
While I'm checking draw, the front hood is open (obviously) but the light does not function. We haven't yet figured out why. The doors are closed when I test as well. Everything is "off", the radio's faceplate is removed, the key is not in the ignition. The draw after removing the clock is ~60mA. If I was to remove the fuse from the amp-->battery constant power wire, it drops to ~49mA. The only other draw I could find is the central locking mechanism, which if removed, drops the drain to 50mA (radio still installed).
02-05-2008, 07:31 PM
#33
Racer
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Arizona
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
02-05-2008, 07:37 PM
#34
remember i'm just a dumb tech...
02-05-2008, 09:04 PM
#35
then why did the draw remain the same 100ma after the changeout on the switch??
now the batt doesn't need to be charged every few days.
the car sat for 2 weeks and started this last sunday which again confirms,a 100ma draw is nothing.
fwiw:
i use a fluke 85 dvm in autoranging mode.
i mentioned not fully charging in post 25.
that pdf seems to refer to 911's and the 928 when done in sep '92, so what does "ALL" really mean?
87951
now the batt doesn't need to be charged every few days.
the car sat for 2 weeks and started this last sunday which again confirms,a 100ma draw is nothing.
fwiw:
i use a fluke 85 dvm in autoranging mode.
i mentioned not fully charging in post 25.
that pdf seems to refer to 911's and the 928 when done in sep '92, so what does "ALL" really mean?
87951
On the pdf the term all means all Porsche vehicles. That bulletin apply's to the whole range of models, and has not been superseded yet. If specifications were to change for any models then the bulletin would be superseded to reflect those changes. The 30 ma specification is what Porsche deems acceptable limit. I will trust Porsche engineers for specifications. Porsche is not only a car builder, they also are a world leading engineering firm. I will take there guidance. This tech bulletin is also considered the standard in the Porsche service Dept. Fwiw I like to use the Snap on vantage pro, lab scope/digital graphing meter.
Semper fi
02-06-2008, 12:16 PM
#38
Intermediate
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: chesterfield, va
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
While I'm checking draw, the front hood is open (obviously) but the light does not function. We haven't yet figured out why. The doors are closed when I test as well. Everything is "off", the radio's faceplate is removed, the key is not in the ignition. The draw after removing the clock is ~60mA. If I was to remove the fuse from the amp-->battery constant power wire, it drops to ~49mA. The only other draw I could find is the central locking mechanism, which if removed, drops the drain to 50mA (radio still installed).
If you are refering to the light inside the hood that does not activate unless you lift the turn signal stalk (ie right turn) in the ignition in the accesary position I believe. The only switch associated with the hood is one for the alarm. This confounded me for quite a while.
Good luck with the suck.
02-06-2008, 01:14 PM
#39
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Becuase the switch was not your problem, I cannot beleive the battery would stay good for two weeks with a 100 ma draw. Maybe you can recheck your draw at this time to see if has changed. You might have an intermittant draw.
On the pdf the term all means all Porsche vehicles. That bulletin apply's to the whole range of models, and has not been superseded yet. If specifications were to change for any models then the bulletin would be superseded to reflect those changes. The 30 ma specification is what Porsche deems acceptable limit. I will trust Porsche engineers for specifications. Porsche is not only a car builder, they also are a world leading engineering firm. I will take there guidance. This tech bulletin is also considered the standard in the Porsche service Dept. Fwiw I like to use the Snap on vantage pro, lab scope/digital graphing meter.
Semper fi
On the pdf the term all means all Porsche vehicles. That bulletin apply's to the whole range of models, and has not been superseded yet. If specifications were to change for any models then the bulletin would be superseded to reflect those changes. The 30 ma specification is what Porsche deems acceptable limit. I will trust Porsche engineers for specifications. Porsche is not only a car builder, they also are a world leading engineering firm. I will take there guidance. This tech bulletin is also considered the standard in the Porsche service Dept. Fwiw I like to use the Snap on vantage pro, lab scope/digital graphing meter.
Semper fi
you tell me the switch wasn't the problem and i tell you when i replaced the switch i no longer needed to charge the battery every couple days.
the switch is the only component changed.
wouldn't the fuse ck, as mentioned in the pdf/clarks, have made a big drop when i got to the fuse that was powering the door switch when it was pulled, yet it never got below a 100ma and remained the same after changing the switch
which fuse powers the door switch, i don't see it listed?
i don't have the time to unhook the batt to check for you but will if i have any other batt issues.
from your own pdf: 25ma/5weeks
Last edited by bearone; 04-08-2008 at 03:01 PM.
02-06-2008, 01:18 PM
#40
Obviously something else has changed since you did your door switch. If you had a 100ma draw before your replaced a switch and after you replaced the switch you didnt fix anything. Does your car have an alarm... Is it echoing in here.. I ask that already. If you have your door or hood open while testing your draw it will show nearly 100ma which will not go away because it is not fused in the panel.
Mark
Mark
02-06-2008, 01:21 PM
#41
If you want I will send you a copy of the wiring diagram and you can look it up. Just tell me the year of the vehicle.
All I am simply trying to say is, if you had a draw of 100ma and you replace the defective component that is conuming the power, the draw will drop. So by your statement 100 before and 100 after tells me you did not find the consumer, or your recorded results of your testing is off, or testing method/application is off, Something is not correct. That is all I am saying, don't take it personal, it is your car and your life, enjoy.
Semper fi
All I am simply trying to say is, if you had a draw of 100ma and you replace the defective component that is conuming the power, the draw will drop. So by your statement 100 before and 100 after tells me you did not find the consumer, or your recorded results of your testing is off, or testing method/application is off, Something is not correct. That is all I am saying, don't take it personal, it is your car and your life, enjoy.
Semper fi
02-06-2008, 01:24 PM
#42
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Obviously something else has changed since you did your door switch. If you had a 100ma draw before your replaced a switch and after you replaced the switch you didnt fix anything. Does your car have an alarm... Is it echoing in here.. I ask that already. If you have your door or hood open while testing your draw it will show nearly 100ma which will not go away because it is not fused in the panel.
Mark
Mark
yeah i had the hood up doing the fuse check, do you know of another way to access the fuses.
door was closed.
87951
02-06-2008, 01:26 PM
#43
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you want I will send you a copy of the wiring diagram and you can look it up. Just tell me the year of the vehicle.
All I am simply trying to say is, if you had a draw of 100ma and you replace the defective component that is conuming the power, the draw will drop. So by your statement 100 before and 100 after tells me you did not find the consumer, or your recorded results of your testing is off, or testing method/application is off, Something is not correct. That is all I am saying, don't take it personal, it is your car and your life, enjoy.
Semper fi
All I am simply trying to say is, if you had a draw of 100ma and you replace the defective component that is conuming the power, the draw will drop. So by your statement 100 before and 100 after tells me you did not find the consumer, or your recorded results of your testing is off, or testing method/application is off, Something is not correct. That is all I am saying, don't take it personal, it is your car and your life, enjoy.
Semper fi
i didn't take it personally and i appreciate your input.
during this process i changed out/warrantied two batteries, thinking it was a defective battery.
the switch remedied the problem.
87951
04-17-2020, 04:36 PM
#44
1st Gear
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Am I just lucky or did I just find my parasitic drain by pulling the battery fuse from the fuse box? It must be the cable ?
Last edited by bullz56; 04-17-2020 at 04:41 PM. Reason: too short
04-17-2020, 05:17 PM
#45
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts