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Battery drain...?

Discussion in 'Electronics' started by Phinex, Nov 10, 2013.

  1. Phinex

    Phinex Active Member

    Hi!

    Had to jump start my car last week, got about 1V from the battery when I measured it with my volt meter. Battery is 1 year old I guess. Thought maybe the dome or the trunk light were left on or something. Took the car for a drive and got the battery charged up, but today it would'nt start again. Noticed the red economy light were on constantly now. Does anyone know what's causing this? :p
     
  2. 187flatliner

    187flatliner Seat Breaker Donated!

    do you notice any interior lights on when you park? kinda simple i know but what about your battery?, do you have an alarm? a switch for something powered?.....maybe your alt is dying or giving out.or your battery is giving out.
     
  3. Moused

    Moused Well-Known Member

    Keeping the lights up (but parkers off) will drain the battery too, I found.
    Despite no lights actually being on. That was a bitch of a lesson..
     
  4. Rick89GTS

    Rick89GTS Well-Known Member Moderator Donated!

    Could be your alternator not charging it up. Battery and alternator issues often go hand in hand. Check it.
     
  5. Phinex

    Phinex Active Member

    Thanks for the replies guys, I really appreciate it ;)
    No lamps on, no ignition on, refurbished alternator bolted on not long ago, but when I think about it I did keep the headlights flipped up when I parked the car... I've always left the car with the lights flipped open during cold weather before, because there's always the odd risk of them getting frozen or clogged with snow. I don't want to forget about it and force them open, accidentally burning the motors...
    I've never experienced such draining before, kinda strange it would drain the battery overnight so suddenly?
    I guess that's the answer to my problem, I'll keep that in mind. :p

    ...After a bit of searching, I've finally found a warehouse I can store my car in during winter. I think it really deserves a warm place to hibernate :)
     
  6. Moused

    Moused Well-Known Member

    That'll do it.. After my guard was pushed in, the left light wouldn't go down.. So, I just left them up..
    Took about 2 months before I started having any real battery issues.. No idea why there would be drain. Seems ridiculous to me, given no lights are on.

    As for burning the motors, I don't believe this will be an issue.
    Anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've gathered the lights are designed to stop after contacting something, or coming across physical resistance.
    I think this is how they work until normal circumstances anyway, pressing against the framing of the light to determine when to stop.

    My guard was caved in under the open light. Trying to close them simply caused the light to stop midway down, no motor noise.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2013
  7. Phinex

    Phinex Active Member

    Yes I agree... I always thought they were off, and what position they were in didn't really matter. Now I know otherwise though:)

    During the day, do you drive with the headlights flipped up, or closed? When the weather/season permits, I usually run them closed, with just park/corners and Hella fog lights. ;) Sometimes I'll flip the switch when they close, to get the "sleeper" look.. :eek:

    I don't think the motors take any damage when you try to close them, and they get in contact with something... but If you try to open them when the headlights are frozen shut, won't that prove to be a problem...? If they get forced open I mean...?
     
  8. Moused

    Moused Well-Known Member

    I used to drive all the time with them up, to "frame" the front of the car. Made for a nicer drive in the city being able to judge the front easier..
    I've since put some LEDs in the parkers... Modified the socket to get a better looking set in there.. So, lights down these days - looks much nicer

    Even opening, I think they're designed to stop when the motor reaches a certain resistance.. Such as moving the nut for the sleepy headlight look. It stops at the point it can't move anymore. If they were frozen shut, it'd try pull open, then stop. No harm.

    Anyone jump in if this isn't the case. I'm not 100% confident on this :p
     
  9. scottjackson1209

    scottjackson1209 Well-Known Member Donated!

    I park with my lights up every day...I've left my car that way for weeks without starting it and have never found an issue...I usually leave my lights on and they turn off automatically when I turn the car off and open the door...It was the same way with the my vert. I thought the reason you could leave them up with the lights off was so that they didn't freeze in place.
     
  10. Moused

    Moused Well-Known Member

    Maybe something more was going on with mine.. But it definitely caused me issues.. No idea what the story with that is, then
     
  11. 86celica17

    86celica17 Member

    what is the possibility of the wires wearing out in the housings and shorting when they are up?
     

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