Battery drain and mystery fuse.

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afaman1
480 Newbie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:58 pm

Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by afaman1 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 3:49 pm

I've had a battery drain for about 3 months now, but i've just ignored it and kept jump starting it etc etc, but id finally had enough. The battery is 2 years old and still within its 3 year warranty so i assumed its not the battery, but I could be wrong.

I used a multimeter and found that the drain was 24ma, I took the face off the radio and it came down to 11ma. I continued to pull out fuses and found that when you pull out fuse number 5, which is blank on all diagrams i've seen, the current reduces down to 8ma. When this fuse has been pulled out everything works apart from the radio, yet when i leave the fuse in and disconnect the radio it still reads 11ma. Does anyone know what this fuse is for, other than my radio?

Thanks in advance

Adam

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
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Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by jifflemon » Sat Mar 03, 2018 3:51 pm

What year and model have you got? Wiring changes during the years...

afaman1
480 Newbie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:58 pm

Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by afaman1 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 3:56 pm

Sorry, forgot to put that bit in.

Its a 1994 ES 2 litre.

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
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Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by jifflemon » Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:10 pm

24 ma drain isn't that much of a drain - Typically anything over 50ma I'd be worrying about.

However, as you've got an aftermarket radio, that's going to be my first starting point. I'd be guessing that either ign+ and permanent Feed are either swapped over (does it keep it's memory presets?) or both connected to a permanent +

Disconnect the radio from the ISO block and see how the drain looks then.

eye of ra
Can tell where the 480 was built
Posts: 355
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 7:33 pm
Location: Derbyshire

Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by eye of ra » Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:19 pm

Looking at the diagrams I have for your age of car the radio should be on fuse 21, 29 and 2 however as you say you “took the face off the radio” I take it it’s not a standard radio so wiring could have been changed.

As you say Fuse 5 is blank and another indication things have been modified, possibly chosen because it was blank.
Current:
480 ES Auto 1989
480 Celebration 187
480 ES Auto 1991
CLK430 Conv 2001
Hyundai i10 2015

afaman1
480 Newbie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:58 pm

Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by afaman1 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:46 pm

I did think that 24ma wasn't drastic, so i reckon it must be the battery thats not holding its charge.

I tried changing the feed but it made no difference to the drain. I completed removed the radio and that didn't effect the drain either.

I've left it for now and im going to start taking the front of the radio off everytime i leave it for long periods.

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
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Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by jifflemon » Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:55 pm

have you got a decent battery charger?

I swear by a Ctek one.

They have some handy accessories too, such as a charge indicator you can hardwire to the battery (and doubles as a charging plug).

One other thought - 3rd party immobiliser/alarm? Or are they're additional Amps/Subs to the radio?

afaman1
480 Newbie
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:58 pm

Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by afaman1 » Sat Mar 03, 2018 6:03 pm

I've only got a mains one unfortunately.
Theres no immobiliser and i think the alarm is standard. There are no extra subs etc either!

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dragonflyjewels
480 Is my middle name
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Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:38 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by dragonflyjewels » Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:52 am

Mine did this - turned out to be the glove box light not turning off. Try taking the bulb out.
Sylvia

Snazzy - 1993 Paris Blue ES red dipstick 2.0i bought 2001
Lethal Lily - 1991 White Turbo
Paris the Unicorn - 1991 Paris Edition
hubby has
Sven - 1994 Racing Green GT
Evil Eva - 1992 Paris Blue Turbo

no previous 480s - can't bear to sell any

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
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Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by jifflemon » Sun Mar 04, 2018 3:54 pm

dragonflyjewels wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:52 am
Mine did this - turned out to be the glove box light not turning off. Try taking the bulb out.
boot light is another possibility

Martin Mc
480 Rookie
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Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by Martin Mc » Sun Mar 04, 2018 7:51 pm

Had both issues with boot light and glove box light, but still found the battery was draining quickly. I will certainly be disconnecting the after-market stereo now, once the car is MOT'd and polished up for the May run.

How many other 'common' electrical glitches affect this marque? Is there a master list somewhere that I can work my way through so as to save myself from rapid self-inflicted hair-loss and palpitations? :shock:
1991 ES White / 1995 ES Red / 1995 ES Red / 1994 S Black / 1995 Celebration Red / 1994 S Paris Blue / 1995 Celebration (again!) Red - Currently free of all extramarital cars, wrench-loose and fancy free :)

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WRDendy
Can tell where the 480 was built
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Location: Oxford

Re: Battery drain and mystery fuse.

Post by WRDendy » Sun Mar 04, 2018 9:58 pm

Martin Mc wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 7:51 pm
How many other 'common' electrical glitches affect this marque? Is there a master list somewhere that I can work my way through so as to save myself from rapid self-inflicted hair-loss and palpitations? :shock:
It would probably be easier to make a list of electrical items that don't go wrong. So far, I haven't had any problems with the illuminated keyholes on either of the cars that I have owned, and that's about it :lol:
Formerly known as 'Jaster'
Current: '94 GT & '88 ES
Former: '89 ES

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