Pictures for Bill
#46
Thanks Alan
Charley - less than 2 mA is not a feasible reading... there is some issue in the measurement method - or somthing is disconnected. Minimum should be >>10mA with everything connected.
If I'm in the 250 setting in DC mA and the meter is reading 175 how many amps or mAmps am I drawing?
Don't run the meter when it ever pegs - you may damage it - switch to a higher range.
I'm in the highest range.
Alternate spiking may be the alarm LED's flashing - but it shoul dnot be a huge spike - see if this matches - and try without the alarm armed?
The alarm LED is constant on this one. How do I disarm the alarm? Just pull the relay?
Alan
If I'm in the 250 setting in DC mA and the meter is reading 175 how many amps or mAmps am I drawing?
Don't run the meter when it ever pegs - you may damage it - switch to a higher range.
I'm in the highest range.
Alternate spiking may be the alarm LED's flashing - but it shoul dnot be a huge spike - see if this matches - and try without the alarm armed?
The alarm LED is constant on this one. How do I disarm the alarm? Just pull the relay?
Alan
Last edited by Charley B; 02-05-2009 at 12:29 AM.
#47
The picture was a static shot just to help viualize the meter setting, notice it is at 250 mA, the highest setting, and the meter range in case I needed instruction in how to read it.
#50
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I went and bought an analog meter to get a better idea of what was happening.
With the ignition off for at least 45 minutes and the meter set at DC mA, the needle goes to 175 and then immediately starts to alternate between 175 and peg with the rhythm of a clock ticking. The car clock is digital.
With the ignition off for at least 45 minutes and the meter set at DC mA, the needle goes to 175 and then immediately starts to alternate between 175 and peg with the rhythm of a clock ticking. The car clock is digital.
Don't relays make a faint click when activating?
When the ammeter is ticking like a metronome, go to fuse panel at the passenger footwell to hear if you can hear any relays clicking.
You probably have the fuse/relay panel opened up for inspection so the timber cover will not be muffling the sound.
Just a wild suggestion.
Only thing I could think of that goes click click click are the injectors (that you can hear with the hood open and ear near the engine) and the emergency flasher/turn signal blinkers.
Those are 2 or 5 W bulbs.
#52
Well, that sure looks like you are pegging the meter. It's going off the high end of the scale each time it clicks. You've got a big draw. Off-hand I don't know why it's rhythmic, but going over to the CE panel to listen to the relays was a decent suggestion. If nothing, start pulling fuses.
#53
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That reminds me of the turn signal blinker.
I accidentally activated the European parking light system once.
You shut off the car and set the turn signal to one side and the parking lights on that side stay on.
But didn't blink. Thought I had fudged something in the electrical since it was just after I had pulled out the dash switches to swap in LED bulbs.
So many wires. So little time . . .
I accidentally activated the European parking light system once.
You shut off the car and set the turn signal to one side and the parking lights on that side stay on.
But didn't blink. Thought I had fudged something in the electrical since it was just after I had pulled out the dash switches to swap in LED bulbs.
So many wires. So little time . . .
#54
Listening to and feeling the relays didn't reveal the clicking culprit so I went through all 45 fuses.
Before starting, the needle would settle at 175mA and then peg the needle every second or so.
Pulling 40 and 41 (left and right parking lights) eliminated the rhythmic pegging.
Pulling 19 (the rear defroster) dropped the drain to about 72mA.
I checked to make sure the turn signal wasn't up or down.
So I now appear to have a 72mA drain. Guess I'll go through the relays. I hate pulling relays.
Before starting, the needle would settle at 175mA and then peg the needle every second or so.
Pulling 40 and 41 (left and right parking lights) eliminated the rhythmic pegging.
Pulling 19 (the rear defroster) dropped the drain to about 72mA.
I checked to make sure the turn signal wasn't up or down.
So I now appear to have a 72mA drain. Guess I'll go through the relays. I hate pulling relays.
#55
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Did the side lights come on with the 928 heartbeat?
Does the turn signals work when the car is running and stop when the signal lever is at neutral.
Sounds like it's stuck. That's annoying.
Does the turn signals work when the car is running and stop when the signal lever is at neutral.
Sounds like it's stuck. That's annoying.
#56
Just a thought....from your description, Kevin thinks it might be your voltage regulator, or your rear defroster relay is possibly stuck.
Does the headlight motor operate correctly? We have had headlights get jammed in the past, while, unbeknownst to us, the motor was trying to move them after the car was parked. The motor just kept trying all night long to raise the headlights until it finally killed the battery. Came out to a very hot headlight motor, and a very dead battery in the morning.
Does the headlight motor operate correctly? We have had headlights get jammed in the past, while, unbeknownst to us, the motor was trying to move them after the car was parked. The motor just kept trying all night long to raise the headlights until it finally killed the battery. Came out to a very hot headlight motor, and a very dead battery in the morning.
#57
Originally Posted by Leslie
Just a thought....from your description, Kevin thinks it might be your voltage regulator, or your rear defroster relay is possibly stuck.
Does the headlight motor operate correctly? We have had headlights get jammed in the past, while, unbeknownst to us, the motor was trying to move them after the car was parked. The motor just kept trying all night long to raise the headlights until it finally killed the battery. Came out to a very hot headlight motor, and a very dead battery in the morning.
Does the headlight motor operate correctly? We have had headlights get jammed in the past, while, unbeknownst to us, the motor was trying to move them after the car was parked. The motor just kept trying all night long to raise the headlights until it finally killed the battery. Came out to a very hot headlight motor, and a very dead battery in the morning.
#58
Listening to and feeling the relays didn't reveal the clicking culprit so I went through all 45 fuses.
Before starting, the needle would settle at 175mA and then peg the needle every second or so.
Pulling 40 and 41 (left and right parking lights) eliminated the rhythmic pegging.
Pulling 19 (the rear defroster) dropped the drain to about 72mA.
I checked to make sure the turn signal wasn't up or down.
So I now appear to have a 72mA drain. Guess I'll go through the relays. I hate pulling relays.
Before starting, the needle would settle at 175mA and then peg the needle every second or so.
Pulling 40 and 41 (left and right parking lights) eliminated the rhythmic pegging.
Pulling 19 (the rear defroster) dropped the drain to about 72mA.
I checked to make sure the turn signal wasn't up or down.
So I now appear to have a 72mA drain. Guess I'll go through the relays. I hate pulling relays.
#59
Charley - I was assuming the GTS - I see its the S4 now. What alarm LED's are you talking about - aftermarket?
You measurements 175mA seem to be the correct interpretation (why the other meter has such odd low readings is unclear)...
Based on what you found - can you put back 40/41 with defrost relay removed also without the spiking issue? If so it seems this is related just to that relay - a well known failure mode... (keeps ignition circuits powered)
See if the ~70 mA reduces with the defrost relay removed (it may) - if not I'd guess it is an unrelated parasitic issue you will need to debug - however 72mA is not that bad - it will not kill your battery overnight - still worth debugging though.
Alan
You measurements 175mA seem to be the correct interpretation (why the other meter has such odd low readings is unclear)...
Based on what you found - can you put back 40/41 with defrost relay removed also without the spiking issue? If so it seems this is related just to that relay - a well known failure mode... (keeps ignition circuits powered)
See if the ~70 mA reduces with the defrost relay removed (it may) - if not I'd guess it is an unrelated parasitic issue you will need to debug - however 72mA is not that bad - it will not kill your battery overnight - still worth debugging though.
Alan
#60