battery drain again

[haarvik]

So I have the parasidic drain. Got the amps down to .38ma. I noticed today when I put the charger on the needle on my charger was bouncing like crazy. It also blew a couple fuses. I ran the car for almost an hour the day before but was still dead.

What would cause my charger to do that? Does that sound like an alternator issue? I also did some tests on the fuse box and noticed anything with a/c was showing about 2volts even with the key off. Ideas?

[Eric93se]

If diodes in the alternator go bad they will draw power.

You should also check the wire loom that is on the left side of the trunk lid itself. Also check the wires on the left side of the trunk behind all the trim.

Are you sure 0.38ma? because thats like zero. 38ma by itself is not bad. So thats testing at the battery I assume. Now that is really low and might indicate its the battery itself that is not holding a charge.

I got my car 2 years ago and found out the battery code indicates its 6 years old now. I saw that the cells are accessable (black plastic strip on top prys off with a flat head) and I added a couple cups of distilled water to both sides, maybe it will last a little longer doing so.

You can try and test the alternator performance, turn on all the accesories, high beams, fog lights, rear defroster, fan on high, while all that is running the voltage at the battery should be over 14V. If not the alternator or its regulator is not keeping up.

[haarvik]

I did check the trunk wires, and they needed repaired. Didn't check the ones behind the molding. Yes, if I set my meter to ma, the display reads .38. I'll do the alternator test as the battery is only a couple months old. This does have an aftermarket radio but I don't see anything on when I have the car off. I even sat in it at night to see if anything stayed on and did not see any lights.

One other thing though, do the parking lights go out if one bulb burns out? For some reason the right side lights quit working. There was only one bulb I didn't have a replacement for. I'll have to pick one up today and see if that is the problem or not.

[RNeil]

0.38 amps is significant, 0.38 ma is not.

[haarvik]

This is one of the reasons I got this car for $800. The guy bought the car with 56k miles on it 6 years ago and he said it has always done this. He just disconnected the battery when not in use. He never had it looked at. After repairing the wiring in the trunk I would have to lean towards either the alternator or the after market radio. But the part that really got me was when the charging needle on my battery charger was jumping around with the battery cables connected to the battery. battery by itself charged normally. Really weird.

[Eric93se]

Well I have a charger from the stone ages and it too dances around for a while before steadying, so there is just a hi-draw initially. Those old charges don't produce clean DC.

For the problem to exist for 6 years for the PO, I would be surprised if it were the alternator, it should have failed by now. But your super low current draw (unless your reading the meter wrong somehow) means there is no short, can you post the exact model of your meter and we can make sure the settings are good to go.

What fuses blew on your car? that may hold the key to figuring it out.

[haarvik]

What fuses blew on your car? that may hold the key to figuring it out.

Well, I figured out the fuses blew because I put the wrong light in the front corner light socket. It was right before I hooked the charger up so I thought it had something to do with that, but it didn't. I am leaning more towards the radio. I am going to pull it out tonight and see what happens. I'll get my meter info as well and post it.

[Eric93se]

Well, I figured out the fuses blew because I put the wrong light in the front corner light socket. It was right before I hooked the charger up so I thought it had something to do with that, but it didn't. I am leaning more towards the radio. I am going to pull it out tonight and see what happens. I'll get my meter info as well and post it.

what brand and model is the meter?

[haarvik]

It is an extech...lowes. 22-816

Ok, I think I found the problem. There is a relay on the passenger side of the fuse box, attached to it. I put the battery on the charger and went to check fuses for my lights. Thats when I heard the relay chattering. When I turned on the parking lights, they flickered with the chattering. It is the middle relay and is white. Any idea what it is?

Another update. Looking at the Bentley manual, it says the relay is a DME main relay. Could this be what is draining the battery? If not, then why is it chattering when the car is off and why does it make the lights flicker with the chatter?

[Eric93se]

I looked up your meter. Are you connecting the positive lead to the regular position and not the 10A socket? When you set the meter to mA are you pressing the 'MODE' button to select "DC" instead of AC?

The solenoid in a relay can draw 200mA, I guess if the relay were stuck on it would cause your problem but according to your current reading the car does not have a parasitic drain.

[haarvik]

Yep, connecting on the right side (ma setting), neg lead to pos on battery and pos lead to pos cable. Meter reads 00.38.

[marvinstockman]

Normal draw is around 50 ma. You're probably reading 38 ma.

With car not running and with a 1000 ohm resistor connected across your battery, with meter in series with the resistor, you should read about 12 ma.

Now if you are really reading 0.38 amps, you would certainly be draining down your battery.

[Sallad]

Keep the meter hooked up, to read Amps, then start pulling one fuse out at a time, then replace. When the meter drops, you have found the bad circuit. Trace the wires and repair.

[haarvik]

Ok so I charged my battery up and started my testing from square one. The ma is reading .92. I pulled every fuse in the fuse box and relay as well and it never dropped. Is there another fuse panel somewhere or is there something wired directly to the battery? I even removed the radio just to be sure.

[Avec]

How are you checking the draw? I tracked down the high draw in my E32 by bridging the battery negative terminal and cable with the multi-meter. Let the car go to "sleep" mode, which takes about 15-20 minutes and then begin to check. During the wait, I would rest the cable on the terminal so the multi-meter was not taking the full draw. As soon as it went to sleep mode, moved the cable and began measuring. Use vice grips to hold meter probes to their respective positions.

I apologize in advance if sleep mode is not applicable to E36. I am very familiar with E32 electronics (yeah, lots of issues), and not so much yet with E36

[haarvik]

I never hooked the battery up while charging. I used clamps to hold neg lead to pos terminal, and pos lead to cable.

Ok so I decided to try another test. I started the car and turned everything on. Lights fan flashers ac defrost and then measured voltage at battery. It registered 6.61 and was dropping. I would venture to guess the issue is alternator right?

[Eric93se]

lol, yupers.

[haarvik]

Well, I ordered a new alternator and got it installed, but the battery is still draining. I'm kind of lost at this point. There has to be something hard wired that is drawing juice. I think the car has an alarm system since there is a bull horn under the hood on the passenger side. It's not hooked up so I am wondering if it is the alarm system that is drawing this down? Not sure where to look for it to tell. Anyone know where I might find it or have any suggestions as to where to look next?

[flyfishvt]

That middle relay is your System/DME relay. Pull that out and see if your battery still drains. If its chattering it could be faulty or you could have an issue somewhere else. The DME relay (like many others) has constant 12 volts going to it even when the ignition is turned off. Its very possible for it to be the cause of your drain.

Just an FYI...here is a map to all your relays http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1693088

[Eric93se]

Well, I ordered a new alternator and got it installed, but the battery is still draining. I'm kind of lost at this point. There has to be something hard wired that is drawing juice. I think the car has an alarm system since there is a bull horn under the hood on the passenger side. It's not hooked up so I am wondering if it is the alarm system that is drawing this down? Not sure where to look for it to tell. Anyone know where I might find it or have any suggestions as to where to look next?

So did you let the car run for a while? Did it start on its own? Did you hook up a volt meter while it was running to see if it was slowly going up?

Charging the batt with the car running will take a while.

[estapens]

I don`t know if i can help, but, i had exactly the same problem on my e36. EXACTLY. It took 3 mechanics a month to find the problem and only guess at what really caused it. My e36 is 1993. I bought it with a Pioneer stereo installed, and by the looks of things, previous owner had some sort of a boom box installed in the trunk, since there are 2 fat a...ss cables loose there. As my guys tell me, he never really bothered to figure out, how much power that thing used and connected it sort of "hey, it works!!!" That and the fact, that he car is 19 years old, and insulation on the wires had become a bit hard with age, melted wires on the driver side, just forward of the door. Now i don`t know if that`s is your situation or where the may have melted, but that solved my problem. Well...replacing about 10 meters of wiring did. They did connect, as you tried, that tester directly to battery, and started puling fuses...that resulted in one burned tester. In short-my guess it is a short circuit somewhere. If that is the case-good luck finding it, it could be mother of all bit..ss.
P.s. they told me, that my car could have caught fire at any moment. Again, not saying You have the same problem, but signs are all there.

[haarvik]

I charged the battery for 24 hours. Now going to let it sit for 48 hours and see if it stays charged. If not, I guess I'll start looking at ground wires first. May also try a different meter in case mine is mucked up.

Well, alternator did nothing. Checked the battery tonight and sitting at 3.68 volts. Cannot figure out what is draining it. Pulling all fuses and relays did not show any change in miliamp draw. That means something is direct wired. I pulled all secondary lamps (glove box, trunk, etc), pulled the radio. Removed non essential fuses. I guess the next step is to charge the battery again, and pull the DME relay for 24 hours and see if that is the problem.

[estapens]

Don`t think it will help. Most likely You will have to start sounding all Your wiring one cable at a time. But that is so effing time consuming, it is not even funny.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1674929
top picture, where Your problem is going to be.
P.s. has there been any damage to the part just forward of the driver side door, from the inside? basically left of Your left foot? fire, water..? ALL of Your wiring is in there...

[haarvik]

Ok. I charged the battery and started the car. I am still only getting 6.68 volts at the battery. If I turn on my lights, it starts dropping. Is there some other piece of the charging system that I am missing? I should be getting 14v correct?

[Eric93se]

You need to charge the battery then disconnect it from the charger and immediately test the battery voltage with the car off. If its not a little over 12V something like 12.6V with the car off after just charging it then the battery is BAD.

Then start the car and the voltage should go up to 14V+ if it doesn't then the alt is BAD.

You should also inspect and clean all ground straps, BOTH ENDS. That means removing them and cleaning both the cable end and the body part it attaches with a wire brush. Also remove both battery terminals and use a proper battery terminal cleaner that will clean the post and the cable hole.