Battery charging?
06-09-2016, 10:00 AM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Battery charging?
Getting to know a 993 is a ton of fun until... the battery goes dead. Last night, after letting Ocean Blue sit for just 5 days, new battery last month etc... I got the dreaded "tick-tick-tick". I grabbed my battery pack charger and jumped him without a hitch.
Questions:
1. I drive with my lights on - too much load on the electrical?
2. Is the alternator going - how to check?
3. This a normal thing for a 993 not driven daily?
Thanks in advance...
Questions:
1. I drive with my lights on - too much load on the electrical?
2. Is the alternator going - how to check?
3. This a normal thing for a 993 not driven daily?
Thanks in advance...
Last edited by Zeus993; 06-09-2016 at 10:24 AM.
06-09-2016, 10:23 AM
#2
Rennlist Member
I drive with my lights on all the time and mine (unfortunately) sit for weeks at a time without a charger. I'd say not normal - especially with a new battery that's just a month old. I'd have alternator checked.
06-09-2016, 11:10 AM
#3
The 993 alarm consumes a lot of electricity when parked but given it's driven weekly that should not be a problem.
In my case it was the internal fan in the CCU (Climate control unit) You will find the unit in the dashboard to the left of the radio.
listen carefully when You take the key out of the ignition lock after driving, You will hear the fan if You listen carefully, it should shut off after twenty minutes, othervice it's faulty and will drain the battery!
the cure is to swap a faulty transistor for a few cents inside the CCU, a nice DIY.
It could be something else of course....
In my case it was the internal fan in the CCU (Climate control unit) You will find the unit in the dashboard to the left of the radio.
listen carefully when You take the key out of the ignition lock after driving, You will hear the fan if You listen carefully, it should shut off after twenty minutes, othervice it's faulty and will drain the battery!
the cure is to swap a faulty transistor for a few cents inside the CCU, a nice DIY.
It could be something else of course....
06-09-2016, 01:24 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
If I don't drive mine for 10 days or so I get the same issue (battery less than 2 years old) since I bought the car a year ago.
I thought it was the alarm but will check the ccu (thanks Railmaster).
I keep it on a battery tender when in the garage anyway.
I thought it was the alarm but will check the ccu (thanks Railmaster).
I keep it on a battery tender when in the garage anyway.
06-09-2016, 03:46 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
There are a bunch of things you can check. Sometimes the switches that control cabin lights go bad, the CCU fan stays on, you dont lock the car and the alarm system stays consuming power, and a plethora of other issues.
The easiest way to check is:
1) Connect an ammeter between your battery and the positive terminal.
2) Go into your fuse box, and pull a fuse 1 at a time
3) Check to see when the current draw drops towards zero, and you know which fused group is pulling power
4) Track down from there what the issue is, or post to Rennlist.
I had the same issue you did even after a new battery. I started planning on changing the alternator then realized I was too quick on the trigger. Used this method and figured out the switch for the engine bay light wasnt tripping and the light was eating into the battery very quickly. Also, I changed all cabin lights to LEDs which consume something like 1/10th the power as the standard bulbs.
The easiest way to check is:
1) Connect an ammeter between your battery and the positive terminal.
2) Go into your fuse box, and pull a fuse 1 at a time
3) Check to see when the current draw drops towards zero, and you know which fused group is pulling power
4) Track down from there what the issue is, or post to Rennlist.
I had the same issue you did even after a new battery. I started planning on changing the alternator then realized I was too quick on the trigger. Used this method and figured out the switch for the engine bay light wasnt tripping and the light was eating into the battery very quickly. Also, I changed all cabin lights to LEDs which consume something like 1/10th the power as the standard bulbs.
06-10-2016, 11:22 AM
#6
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Thanks guys. I'll check these suggestions out when I get home from the Bogus Basin Bacchanalia this weekend. This trip will leave the 993 sitting for another 5 days so I'll see what awaits me. What interesting cars these guys are!
06-10-2016, 02:17 PM
#7
Racer
I like to always remind people you can check current draw without disconnecting the battery. Clip the negative DMM lead to the negative battery cable nut/bolt after loosening it enough to pull it off, BUT DON"T PULL THE BATTERY CABLE OFF YET! Then use the positive lead to keep constant pressure on the negative battery post.
PULL up the battery cable, likely through the positive lead based on the setup above, and you will now be able to check your parasitic and 'normal' draw without resetting your OBD monitors, etc.
Last I checked my 993 I had 28mA without the alarm on and 39mA with the alarm 'armed'.
PULL up the battery cable, likely through the positive lead based on the setup above, and you will now be able to check your parasitic and 'normal' draw without resetting your OBD monitors, etc.
Last I checked my 993 I had 28mA without the alarm on and 39mA with the alarm 'armed'.
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06-10-2016, 05:15 PM
#8
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Questions:
1. I drive with my lights on - too much load on the electrical?
No, the alternator provides adequate power for all needs.
2. Is the alternator going - how to check?
Why leap to theost expensive part first a cheap volt meter should show 13.5 volt or greater at the battery terminals when running and the battery should show 12.5 volts just after turning off the engine.
3. This a normal thing for a 993 not driven daily? No...make sure your alternator belt is tight remove clean and reinstall the battery terminals. Check the battery cells to see if the battery plates in the cells are covered with fluid. If not top off the cells with distilled water.
Do not acidentally leave the dome or turn signal on. Make sure the trunk, glovebox and engine compartment lights go out when closed. Lock the car with the fob when parking, shuts off stuff.
1. I drive with my lights on - too much load on the electrical?
No, the alternator provides adequate power for all needs.
2. Is the alternator going - how to check?
Why leap to theost expensive part first a cheap volt meter should show 13.5 volt or greater at the battery terminals when running and the battery should show 12.5 volts just after turning off the engine.
3. This a normal thing for a 993 not driven daily? No...make sure your alternator belt is tight remove clean and reinstall the battery terminals. Check the battery cells to see if the battery plates in the cells are covered with fluid. If not top off the cells with distilled water.
Do not acidentally leave the dome or turn signal on. Make sure the trunk, glovebox and engine compartment lights go out when closed. Lock the car with the fob when parking, shuts off stuff.
07-07-2016, 10:59 AM
#9
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
OK. Update. Trying to do simple things first I've been leaving the car for semi-extended periods with the immobilizer off - basically not locking the car (am I correct?) and low and behold last night, after 4 days, battery low again. Had to give it a jump.
1. Dash CPU fan shuts off after 20 mins? Yes.
2. Engine bay light goes off? Yes.
3. Alternator belt - how is this checked?
4. Battery terminals - will re-install terminals.
5. Soon to get a volt meter and start a more in depth look...
1. Dash CPU fan shuts off after 20 mins? Yes.
2. Engine bay light goes off? Yes.
3. Alternator belt - how is this checked?
4. Battery terminals - will re-install terminals.
5. Soon to get a volt meter and start a more in depth look...
07-07-2016, 11:47 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
Hey Joel -
I guarantee you do not need to do #4... those terminals are well tightened
3. Alternator belt - how is this checked?
When the belt is pressed with a finger it will deflect slightly. Too much deflection = belt slippage and no charging; too little = risk of damaging bearings from excessive pressure.
Some do this check by feel but there is a tool to check this more precisely, the krikit, aka gates 91107. I have a spare if you want one, $20 plus shipping (canada post on strike so would have to be fedex or ups or... your pick).
However before you splurge on the tensioner tool you might want to simply check charging voltage to get some idea what the alternator is doing. A cheap multimeter (volts, ohms, amps) from Ukrainian Tire will suffice, voltage at the battery terminals when engine is running should be 14.1 volts. Anything lower might mean a loose belt... or possible alternator or voltage regulator issue. If the charging looks good, then the problem is most likely parasitic drain.
You can do the parastic drain check with the ammeter function on your new Mastercraft multimeter! Simply turn off the ignition and remove the key, disconnect one of the battery terminals, set the meter to amps, and connect one meter probe to the battery terminal and the other to the cable.
See below for some diagnostics on parasitic drain, pm me if you want the full doc:
I guarantee you do not need to do #4... those terminals are well tightened
3. Alternator belt - how is this checked?
When the belt is pressed with a finger it will deflect slightly. Too much deflection = belt slippage and no charging; too little = risk of damaging bearings from excessive pressure.
Some do this check by feel but there is a tool to check this more precisely, the krikit, aka gates 91107. I have a spare if you want one, $20 plus shipping (canada post on strike so would have to be fedex or ups or... your pick).
However before you splurge on the tensioner tool you might want to simply check charging voltage to get some idea what the alternator is doing. A cheap multimeter (volts, ohms, amps) from Ukrainian Tire will suffice, voltage at the battery terminals when engine is running should be 14.1 volts. Anything lower might mean a loose belt... or possible alternator or voltage regulator issue. If the charging looks good, then the problem is most likely parasitic drain.
You can do the parastic drain check with the ammeter function on your new Mastercraft multimeter! Simply turn off the ignition and remove the key, disconnect one of the battery terminals, set the meter to amps, and connect one meter probe to the battery terminal and the other to the cable.
See below for some diagnostics on parasitic drain, pm me if you want the full doc:
Last edited by bcameron59; 07-08-2016 at 12:03 AM.
07-08-2016, 01:10 AM
#11
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Hey Joel -
I guarantee you do not need to do #4... those terminals are well tightened
3. Alternator belt - how is this checked?
When the belt is pressed with a finger it will deflect slightly. Too much deflection = belt slippage and no charging; too little = risk of damaging bearings from excessive pressure.
Some do this check by feel but there is a tool to check this more precisely, the krikit, aka gates 91107. I have a spare if you want one, $20 plus shipping (canada post on strike so would have to be fedex or ups or... your pick).
However before you splurge on the tensioner tool you might want to simply check charging voltage to get some idea what the alternator is doing. A cheap multimeter (volts, ohms, amps) from Ukrainian Tire will suffice, voltage at the battery terminals when engine is running should be 14.1 volts. Anything lower might mean a loose belt... or possible alternator or voltage regulator issue. If the charging looks good, then the problem is most likely parasitic drain.
You can do the parastic drain check with the ammeter function on your new Mastercraft multimeter! Simply turn off the ignition and remove the key, disconnect one of the battery terminals, set the meter to amps, and connect one meter probe to the battery terminal and the other to the cable.
See below for some diagnostics on parasitic drain, pm me if you want the full doc:
I guarantee you do not need to do #4... those terminals are well tightened
3. Alternator belt - how is this checked?
When the belt is pressed with a finger it will deflect slightly. Too much deflection = belt slippage and no charging; too little = risk of damaging bearings from excessive pressure.
Some do this check by feel but there is a tool to check this more precisely, the krikit, aka gates 91107. I have a spare if you want one, $20 plus shipping (canada post on strike so would have to be fedex or ups or... your pick).
However before you splurge on the tensioner tool you might want to simply check charging voltage to get some idea what the alternator is doing. A cheap multimeter (volts, ohms, amps) from Ukrainian Tire will suffice, voltage at the battery terminals when engine is running should be 14.1 volts. Anything lower might mean a loose belt... or possible alternator or voltage regulator issue. If the charging looks good, then the problem is most likely parasitic drain.
You can do the parastic drain check with the ammeter function on your new Mastercraft multimeter! Simply turn off the ignition and remove the key, disconnect one of the battery terminals, set the meter to amps, and connect one meter probe to the battery terminal and the other to the cable.
See below for some diagnostics on parasitic drain, pm me if you want the full doc: