I have a RR 1992 Classic and just had a major service including new battery installed. After adding a second amplifier to my stereo (all after-market stuff since I pulled my Rover components) my battery drained overnight. Is this is a known issue? Perhaps someone can send me a link to an FAQ?
If it's a Landrover, it leaks oil. If it's got Lucas electrics, it leaks electricity. Mine, on occasions and/or still does, prove both statements true.
The immediate suspect must be the change you've made. Is your new wiring correct, and what is the current drain of your new amp.
In my experience, aftermarket car stereo equipment, especially power amplifiers, can be VERY badly and cheaply designed internally, no matter how much gold-plating there is on the phono connectors.
I bought a "100W MOS-FET" amplifier from a very well known High-St. company some while ago, to use as a general-purpose battery-powered amp. I couldn't make it work properly. A scope showed it was oscillating at RF, in other words the design was faulty. Taking the lid off, I discovered it wasn't a MOS-FET amp at all, but had a single MOS-FET in the power supply. The actual amp was standard bipolar transistor, class B.
I complained, and the company grudgingly admitted it was wrongly described in the catalogue. This didn't stop them advertising it again the following year in exactly the same way as before.
In your case, it's most likely that the amp is oscillating, or you have made a wiring mistake. I'd expect the quiescent current (i.e. if it wasn't faulty but you'd wired it permanently 'on') to drain the battery too, but over a longer period - say a week or more if the battery was healthy and fully charged to start with.
Incidentally, if it is oscillating, I'd expect it to be quite hot, possibly blowing fuses, and possibly warming up the voice coils of the speakers substantially. The audio would also be quite distorted and edgy sounding, if it worked at all. Did you notice any of these happening?
Final thought: don't test things with loud rock music. It hides lots of faults, and if it's very electronic, you can't tell how it was supposed to sound anyway! Use normal male speech - a talking book would be a good idea. Play the tape/CD elsewhere (in the house) to get a comparison. When you know you're getting what you expect, then try music!
Thanks for the terrific feedback! What would be the "appropriate" or optimal amplifier specifications and wiring that I should mention to my technician and stereo tech? For the time being, I could unplug the second amp but what confuses me is that I used the same brand (Directed Audio 250W) for both amplifiers.
I've had all sorts of problems with battery leakage on a County 110 1986 which I've had from new. A simple ammeter used on the battery will help you identify what is causing the leakage. In my case it turned out to be a chattering relay which chattered or muttered away to itself 24 hours a day.
Replaced it and my leakage stopped.
However, not before my garage had put in a new alternator, battery and rewired the towing system.
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