Battery draining, garage no help

Dirty Nails · 16-01-2021 8:04pm

CoBo55 wrote: »

Just be careful with those Ford smart charge systems as the voltage can be quite high for short bursts and could damage the multimeter. Make sure to turn on lights etc when doing the alternator check.

Maybe that's Amps you mean?

CoBo55 · 17-01-2021 1:03pm

Dirty Nails wrote: »

Maybe that's Amps you mean?

No, it's voltage. They use a special type of battery and use a charging system similar to a mobile phone charger. The alternator gives out bursts of up to 20V especially if the battery is low. Be very very careful if ever jump starting a ford from another vehicle as they can fry the donors electrics.

Dirty Nails · 17-01-2021 5:10pm

CoBo55 wrote: »

No, it's voltage. They use a special type of battery and use a charging system similar to a mobile phone charger. The alternator gives out bursts of up to 20V especially if the battery is low. Be very very careful if ever jump starting a ford from another vehicle as they can fry the donors electrics.

Can you quote the source for that info?And what's the special battery?

If any car was spiking at 20v it would blow every bulb & electrical unit in it.
Still say you're confusing Amps with Volts.

RandomViewer · 17-01-2021 5:27pm

Dirty Nails wrote: »

Can you quote the source for that info?And what's the special battery?

If any car was spiking at 20v it would blow every bulb & electrical unit in it.
Still say you're confusing Amps with Volts.

Its between 10 and 16v, the PCM controls the charge voltage,theres multiple webpages on the Ford Smart Charge and it's quite numerous issues

Spook_ie · 17-01-2021 5:32pm

Dirty Nails wrote: »

Can you quote the source for that info?And what's the special battery?

If any car was spiking at 20v it would blow every bulb & electrical unit in it.
Still say you're confusing Amps with Volts.

http://www.petercoopercarrepairs.co.uk/ford_focus_alternator_smart_charging.htm

17-01-2021 6:08pm

The principle of charging is still the same (to some extent it seems), it appears (some?) modern vehicles may not just charge directly from the alternator, so some kind of electronic device in between? PWM component?

But I was wondering why someone mentioned it might be amps as I thought the output of the battery and alternator/charging components would be consistent.
I have vaguely heard of something like this regarding jump starting a Ford, but I did think it was something that was prevalent in a lot of newer cars, although I was looking at it from the point of view of a voltage spike affecting the electronics and not that there might be some charge component varying the voltage and/or current.

Been a while since I looked over the theory but I recal something like this being mentioned regarding recharging a battery (any kind of lead acid battery, not just a car battery), and that it may assist in breaking down sulphates in lead-acid batteries, maybe similar for byproduct/compounds in batteries made with materials other than lead.

Either way, Ive become more reluctant to jump start randomers cars for this reason (dont want to fry my cars electronics), seems there is some basis for it and maybe its relevant to other manufacturers too?

greasepalm · 17-01-2021 6:30pm

Jump with surge protection devices.

CoBo55 · 17-01-2021 6:36pm

Dirty Nails wrote: »

Can you quote the source for that info?And what's the special battery?

If any car was spiking at 20v it would blow every bulb & electrical unit in it.
Still say you're confusing Amps with Volts.

No I'm not confusing Volts with Amps, 6th class basic science taught me the difference between them and what they represent, please keep your condescending remarks for someone else. I thought it was 20V but it's 18V
Here's a link to how the Ford system works https://www.picoauto.com/library/automotive-guided-tests/ford-smart-alternator/

CoBo55 · 17-01-2021 6:45pm

greasepalm wrote: »

Jump with surge protection devices.

Not many do unfortunately they usually use the cheapest leads available. Leaving something like the heater fan running on the donor car can help as a motor can absorb a spike more easily than a bulb or ecu. It's becoming a thing of the past (jumping cars)

17-01-2021 6:51pm

CoBo55 wrote: »

Not many do unfortunately they usually use the cheapest leads available. Leaving something like the heater fan running on the donor car can help as a motor can absorb a spike more easily than a bulb or ecu. It's becoming a thing of the past (jumping cars)

All the same, it would be handy to have some kind of surge protector, I havent seen anything like that by chance, but then again, I wasn't looking.

A device that is built into a jump lead set or can clamp on at one end, Id have thought it would have to limit surges and even limit the peak voltage crossing it though, seen anything like that?

greasepalm · 17-01-2021 6:52pm

When we got jump leads they were welding cables modified back in the 80s,seen some motorbike leads in the back of some cars.Modern cars remove battery and charge/replace now + added costs in fitting and running diagnostics afterwards,fault,faults,faults lol

Loads on a Google image on search

CoBo55 · 17-01-2021 6:55pm

1874 wrote: »

All the same, it would be handy to have some kind of surge protector, I havent seen anything like that by chance, but then again, I wasn't looking.

A device that is built into a jump lead set or can clamp on at one end, Id have thought it would have to limit surges and even limit the peak voltage crossing it though, seen anything like that?

Sealey do them https://workshopping.co.uk/recovery-towing/booster-cables-jump-leads/surge-protected-booster-cables
I'm sure the auto factors would have them too.

CoBo55 · 17-01-2021 6:58pm

greasepalm wrote: »

When we got jump leads they were welding cables modified back in the 80s,seen some motorbike leads in the back of some cars.Modern cars remove battery and charge/replace now + added costs in fitting and running diagnostics afterwards,fault,faults,faults lol

Oh Jaysus the aul fella had a "set" of those smoke generators, they were dreadful, would burn the fcukin hand off you:mad:
He sulked for a week when I lobbed them in the bin and bought a decent set:D

greasepalm · 17-01-2021 6:58pm

I wont touch Sealey electrical crap as bought 3 retractable hand lamp units and all failed,started off with a bright light and ended up like an old 15w bulb and see nothing.

CoBo55 · 17-01-2021 7:01pm

greasepalm wrote: »

I wont touch Sealey electrical crap as bought 3 retractable hand lamp units and all failed,started off with a bright light and ended up like an old 15w bulb and see nothing.

Like the aul days so:pac:
The link was just an example.

landmarkjohn · 18-01-2021 8:48am

CarPark2 wrote: »

No dash camera. I sometimes leave the phone charger plugged into the cigarette lighter (but not all the time). I will make sure to plug that out and see if it makes a difference.

Some of these USB devices can draw a current, sometimes detectable by feeling warm to touch (this is where the energy is getting used), even when there is nothing charging off them. I would never leave them plugged in.

CarPark2 · 18-01-2021 10:11am

1874 wrote: »

Not certain the OP is technically experienced, someone has advised going to an Auto Electrician, seems to be a good route, might be quicker and less hassle,

Nicely put! I am not technically experienced. Thanks for the advice. I will make sure that the phone charger is always plugged out. If that doesn't resolve things i will go to an auto electrician. The most i can do under the bonnet is jump start the car, change a bulb or fill the windscreen washer.

marvin80 · 18-01-2021 10:18am

CarPark2 wrote: »

No dash camera. I sometimes leave the phone charger plugged into the cigarette lighter (but not all the time). I will make sure to plug that out and see if it makes a difference.

Have you a towbar on the car? I had similar issue with an i40 and it turned out the towbar was wired incorrectly and draining the battery while sat on the driveway.

18-01-2021 10:42am

CarPark2 wrote: »

Nicely put! I am not technically experienced. Thanks for the advice. I will make sure that the phone charger is always plugged out. If that doesn't resolve things i will go to an auto electrician. The most i can do under the bonnet is jump start the car, change a bulb or fill the windscreen washer.

I wasn't having a go, I wouldnt consider those examples technical,they are some basics, it sounded to me like you'd be outside your experience fault finding, isolating circuits, using a multimeter,i got that impression when someone suggested some electrical testing.
Rather than muddling about could just be quicker to an auto electrician.

TheBoyConor · 18-01-2021 10:51am

1874 wrote: »

Have a look in the dark, when the car is off, see if for some reason any lights are staying on? maybe a brake light switch, check the connections on the battery are tight

Because
a) incompetence is endemic in this country.
b) they probably have it copped as a one of those problem unfixable cars and simply don't want to take on the hassle of it.
c) following on from b), they would rather try selling you a new car
d) no offence intended to anyone, but the best and brightest in the class generally don't choose mechanicing as a career.

TherapyBoy · 18-01-2021 10:58am

TheBoyConor wrote: »

d) no offence intended to anyone, but the best and brightest in the class generally don't choose mechanicing as a career.

Seriously?

RandomViewer · 18-01-2021 5:20pm

TherapyBoy wrote: »

Seriously?

I'm guessing hands on him for ornaments

CarPark2 · 18-01-2021 10:00pm

marvin80 wrote: »

Have you a towbar on the car? I had similar issue with an i40 and it turned out the towbar was wired incorrectly and draining the battery while sat on the driveway.

No towbar.

CarPark2 · 18-01-2021 10:04pm

1874 wrote: »

I wasn't having a go, I wouldnt consider those examples technical,they are some basics, it sounded to me like you'd be outside your experience fault finding, isolating circuits, using a multimeter,i got that impression when someone suggested some electrical testing.
Rather than muddling about could just be quicker to an auto electrician.

I didn’t think you were having a go. You diagnosed it correctly. I drive the car and am able to do fairly simple things myself, but anything beyond that is outside of my range.
I appreciate all the posts.
Boards always amazes me. It is like having a gigantic group of friends with expertise in loads of areas.

Purple Mountain · 18-01-2021 10:04pm

Are you locking your car when it's parked at work/home?
I've heard of people leaving cars unlocked and thus the car doesn't go to 'sleep' and can drain battery.

CarPark2 · 18-01-2021 10:04pm

Purple Mountain wrote: »

Are you locking your car when it's parked at work/home?
I've heard of people leaving cars unlocked and thus the car doesn't go to 'sleep' and can drain battery.

I always lock the car.

TomOnBoard · 18-01-2021 11:04pm

Just get it to an auto-electrician already... As advised previously...

Battery draining, garage no help

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