Auto electrician to detect battery drain

Stallingrad

Can anyone recommend a good auto electrician in Dublin/Wicklow? Replaced the car battery some months ago and now getting a repeated low battery warning again. 2010 grand Scenic.

Paddypowered

Stallingrad wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good auto electrician in Dublin/Wicklow? Replaced the car battery some months ago and now getting a repeated low battery warning again. 2010 grand Scenic.

Before you go down the route of an auto electrician get your alternator checked to see if it properly charging....any garage can do this...

HondaiDTEC

Stallingrad wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good auto electrician in Dublin/Wicklow? Replaced the car battery some months ago and now getting a repeated low battery warning again. 2010 grand Scenic.

I took mine to an auto electrician garage once in Limerick city ( DOE Centre ) and might as well have got monkeys to check it out.

Told me everything was fine and wanted payment of 70 euro for an hours labour.

I was so mad I went in with him and showed him two things I thought were draining my battery ( Central locking and back window wiper motor which wasn't working ).

visual

why not have a go your self

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1gijj03_0


Eric the car guy videos can be a great help for those who DIY

Stallingrad

Cheers folks, will get the alternator tested. The car has an alarm that I think was fitted in the UK, standard on the car, that would be the main culprit.

pred racer

If you have a multimeter (even a cheapo one) you can check this yourself.

Check your battery voltage with the car idling, should be 14-15V if not alternator is not charging correctly.

Connect the meter in series (ie remove the + from the battery and connect one lead on the + terminal and the other to the + lead with the ignition off) you will read the current draw, if its high, pull the fuses in your car one by one until you find the culprit.

Its a very satisfying job and can give you an overall pic of your cars electrics, handy when the next problem crops up

Stallingrad

pred racer wrote: »

Connect the meter in series (ie remove the + from the battery and connect one lead on the + terminal and the other to the + lead with the ignition off) you will read the current draw, if its high, pull the fuses in your car one by one until you find the culprit.

Great advice, thanks, can you elaborate on what you mean by "If it is high". What would be normal?

jimgoose

Stallingrad wrote: »

Great advice, thanks, can you elaborate on what you mean by "If it is high". What would be normal?

Anything in the vicinity of a couple of hundred milliamps would have me asking questions. Do the drain test with all the doors closed but unlocked, stereo off, etc.

pred racer

jimgoose wrote: »

Anything in the vicinity of a couple of hundred milliamps would have me asking questions. Do the drain test with all the doors closed but unlocked, stereo off, etc.

Sorry, forgot that bit:o

Stallingrad

Brilliant, now where to get a cheap multi-metre?

jimgoose

Stallingrad wrote: »

Brilliant, now where to get a cheap multi-metre?

They're all over the place. For example, Woodies DIY do a tidy little one for €22.

Dublinstiofán

These guys are brilliant.


http://www.hamiltonautoelectric.com/