Is a 100mA draw enough to drain the battery after a 2 week period? This problem started after I added a CD changer in my car. I also have an alarm system, which draws 40mA from the LED when inactive. This problem never occurred until the extra 60mA coming from the CD changer were added. I'm at a loss here as to why my battery keeps discharging. I thought maybe the diodes in the alternator were a problem, so I replaced the alternator with a brand new Bosch model. And yet the problem persists. Any suggestions appreciated.
problem started after I added a CD changer in my car. I also have an alarm system, which draws 40mA from the LED when inactive. This problem never occurred until the extra 60mA coming from the CD changer were added. I'm at a loss here as to why my battery keeps discharging. I thought maybe the diodes in the alternator were a problem, so I replaced the alternator with a brand new Bosch model. And yet the problem persists. Any suggestions appreciated.
I suspect you don't have the CD changer installed right. I don't think it should draw ANY current when off.
It is fairly common for people to install radios incorrectly. There are usually 2 power wires: one which needs power all the time and one which should only get power when the key is ON.
If your radio has a digital clock, it should go off when you turn the key OFF. If it stays on, your radio is wired wrong, will draw too much current when the key is off, and will run your battery down.
40mA is also an awful lot for an LED.
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----------------------------------------------- Jim Adney snipped-for-privacy@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711 USA
When I bought my bug, the radio was wired incorrectly, just as Jim is saying. Get a multi-meter and try testing the connection where the radio is wired into. Some radios have a "memory" wire, that *should* be live all the time. So you don't lose your programmed stations. The draw on that wire is extremely low. Everything else should be wired to a different terminal that loses power, when you shut the key off. The multi-meter will tell all. :-)
-Ray
problem started after I added a CD changer in my car. I also have an alarm system, which draws 40mA from the LED when inactive. This problem never occurred until the extra 60mA coming from the CD changer were added. I'm at a loss here as to why my battery keeps discharging. I thought maybe the diodes in the alternator were a problem, so I replaced the alternator with a brand new Bosch model. And yet the problem persists. Any suggestions appreciated.
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