Battery draining

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Ming
Joined: Mon 27 Jun, 2011 19:23
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Battery draining

Post by Ming »

Been on hols and so the Zed hasn't been started for 10 days. Had some usew prior to that and never had a problem with starting it until today when it just clicked instead of turning over.

No drama - got it started on jump leads but got me wondering whether I have a duff battery or whether it's normal for the charge to drain away after only 10 days. Car is left outside but temps have not been low for the time it's been left.

Does having the alarm on drain it that much? Other than the clock, I can't see what else is causing it unless the battery is due for a change. Will get it checked this week....
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Robert T
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Post by Robert T »

How old is the battery? Once they get to the point of not holding charge, the alarm can drain them very quickly.

Having said that, the battery on mine is now 10 years old and no probs yet. I'm expecting to have to replace it sometime soon, as the car isn't being used for much more than shopping at the moment, but a good run up to the Lakes and back should have done some good. :D

My alarm is set every time the car is parked, so it is not normal for it drain in a 7 - 10 days. The alarm should draw only milliamps. The interior light on the other hand can kill a battery quite quickly.

Cheers R.
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macca
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Post by macca »

The light in the boot will drain it, ie if the boot isn't closed properly.
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hornel Z3M
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Post by hornel Z3M »

It is quite normal for a battery to drain in 10 days if not used,, i have a friend who worked for BMW and she said when people left their brand new cars in an airport car park for a time they wouldnt start, so dont worry, just keep it topped up with a trickle charger or start it more often :wink: but if it is old it may need one anyway
Ming
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Post by Ming »

Cheers guys. The battery is the original I think and so would be 10 years old now. Having said that, the one on the van and both bikes are also old and those vehicles have been left for 2 weeks or more with no probs, although only the van has an alarm (and the bikes don't have interior lights....... :lol: )

It's unlikely it will not be used for more than 3 days at a time from now on so hopefully it will hold out. I will get it checked out though for oomph as the cold weather this winter will kill off and battery not up to snuff.
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motco
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Post by motco »

Mine gets left for far longer than ten days at a time and always starts on the key.
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hornel Z3M
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Post by hornel Z3M »

Probably a newer battery and see what happens in the winter if you leave it that long.
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peteslag
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Post by peteslag »

You can have your battery tested at most garages, they have a machine that measures how many wiggly amps are left in it.

From what you have said though, I'd say 99.9% you need a new battery.
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dave ed
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Post by dave ed »

I have had the same problem after the car stood for maybe about a week between outings and thought it was the battery (several years old). My local garage checked it and put it on an overnight "reconditioning charge" which discharged and then recharged it. It's been stood for 3 weeks and just started tonight first turn so it has made a difference.
I have however ordered a ctek trickle charger (recommended on previous thread) as I think this is the failsafe option.
Ming
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Post by Ming »

Cheers Dave. Where did you get your charger from?

Problem for me is the car is parked on the driveway and so don't really want electrical leads running from the car to the garage.
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peteslag
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Post by peteslag »

Trickle charging is an option, but fixing the problem would negate the need for this. You should be able to leave a car with a healthy battery for months. As said previously the alarm only draws a few milliamps, I'm not sure BMW would design a car that died every week!

One word of warning, it can be very dangerous to charge a battery with a dead cell. It can create dangerous fumes/heat/fire/death/destruction etc etc. A reputable garage can check the battery, alternator and starter motor out free of charge and tell you what needs changed. :thumb:
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msassoon
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Post by msassoon »

I had my battery for 2 years in the Z3 and that was replaced. Change it I would say, and use a trickle charger to keep it active.
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TitanTim
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Post by TitanTim »

A couple of weeks and your battery will usually die, modern cars are always draining the battery one way or another. I remember when I had the MINI Cooper S the longest I could leave it was 3 to 4 weeks and it would just about turn over but would send all the instrument needles buzzing as the charge was getting too low. If a cell is on its way out just get a new battery as the first frosts will kill it for good.

It really is worth investing in a CTEK, theyre a lifesaver and I will leave the Zed hooked up to it all over winter and the 1 Series whenever I'm using the Zed.

Tim.
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Ming
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Post by Ming »

Just tried to start it now and it's dead again, 2 days after taking it for a long run.

Guess that's the decision made for me then......


I don't have the radio code though in the manual - any idea how to get it out of the radio before the battery gets changed and I have no music?
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Ming
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Post by Ming »

UPDATE:

Mate popped round with a battery charger just now and have found that the switches on the boot lid are not turning off the boot light when closed :cry:

For now I have taken the festoon bulb out (as it's rarely used at night anyway) and put the battery on a fast charge so hopefully tomorrow all will be well. I will get it checked properly for charge etc later.
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Robert T
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Post by Robert T »

Ming wrote:Mate popped round with a battery charger just now and have found that the switches on the boot lid are not turning off the boot light when closed :cry:
By your use of the plural of the word switch, I'm pretty sure this is NOT your problem.

The two plunger things simply raise the boot lid when you you release the latch and debounce it when you close it.

The actual switch for the boot light is in the lock mechanism on the boot lid and is operated by the conical piece on the lock plate. If you look in the corresponding conical hole on the lock, you can just about see the switch. Use a narrow screwdriver to operate it and see if it works.

Cheers R.
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wildeboy
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Post by wildeboy »

Hi Ming,

I am certain someone with a lot more knowledge that me is going to come with this but the light in the boot is controlled by the boot latch/locking mechanism.

It will only go out when the boot is actually shut, you can't fool it into thinking it is shut. Apparently the only way to tell if it is switching off is by putting a phone with a video camera in the boot facing the light and closing the boot, when you watch the video after you will see the light going out or not.

Apologies if you already know this. :wink:
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motco
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Post by motco »

If you open the boot after an hour of its being closed and the bulb or lens of the boot light is hot, it has been on! It takes a good few seconds of being on to even feel warm if it hasn't already been on. Easy really! :head:
Ming
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Post by Ming »

Arse :oops:


Will have a go at finding that out later....
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Ming
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Post by Ming »

Put the bulb back in and pushed the actuator swicth inside the boot lock mechanism and it goes out, so clearly not that causing it to drain.

Will have to get it checked properly now. One thing - the (BMW) battery has a sequence of coloured dots on it and a viewing spyhole. If it's green (which it is) then it says it's fully charged! yellow is in need of charge and black completely flat.
Seems that's not very accurate either.....
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dave ed
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Post by dave ed »

Hi Ming

In answer to your question I ordered the charger from Amazon. It was about £30 plus £10 for a lead to connect to the cigarette lighter, but I can understand your problem if you park outside.

The other comment I had from the garage was it was very relevant how far the car travelled as well as how often. Interesting - I was also unaware how the boot light operated.
Hope you get sorted.
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motco
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Post by motco »

Ming wrote:Put the bulb back in and pushed the actuator swicth inside the boot lock mechanism and it goes out, so clearly not that causing it to drain.

Will have to get it checked properly now. One thing - the (BMW) battery has a sequence of coloured dots on it and a viewing spyhole. If it's green (which it is) then it says it's fully charged! yellow is in need of charge and black completely flat.
Seems that's not very accurate either.....
Unless you are a fully paid-up, card-carrying member of the boot-latchers union you cannot be sure that the light goes out simply by pushing the actuator. You need to know if the boot latch does it, not your finger. Try to cold-bulb test...
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Post by hornel Z3M »

i solved the boot bulb problem by putting the wife in the boot and shutting it, must go and ask her if its out :wink:
Ming
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Post by Ming »

Video'ed the boot light going out when the boot is closed so that's fine.

Will get battery checked asap.
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Post by TWO »

Sods law.....I read this post at the beginning of the week thinking I had'nt got this problem.........after 10 days standing go to start the Zed tonight, for a run to the restaurant to find a flat battery :head:

Done all the checks as recommended on previous posts (bulb goes out etc etc) and now on trickle charging over night......fingers crossed

I have no idea how old the battery is but I would be interested in Mings findings.

Good Luck
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Post by Bill- »

How about a meter to read the voltage after charging.
It should read about 13.4 volts if battery is healthy. If its below twelve volts, say 11 volts then the battery isnt holding a charge properly & needs changing.

I bought a brand new unwanted battery on fleabay for £9.00 once. The seller bought it but then sold the car without fitting it.

The problem i had was totally out of the blue and my battery failed during a 200 mile drive in a 530 v8 beemer. having said that the indicators on battery were black when i got the seat up & looked

Ming another time I called the AA out to a TVR i had (pretty new car) the car wouldnt start or turn over. It was 3 months old and used daily. The AA bloke took the terminals off & cleaned them & battery connections with a wire brush then he vasalined it all tightened it all up & the car fired up first time so perhaps check your connections are tight & clean too
Ming
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Post by Ming »

To end this saga:

Got the battery tested today and it's showing 12.6v and 520CCA which is pretty good apparently.

The feeling is that because of several short journeys prior to it resting for 10 days the battery drained out. Will just have to take it for a blast every few days now then....... 8-)

And why, when I passed maybe 20 convertibles today on a 60 mile drive, was I the only one with the sodding roof down??? No chance of rain either and I did 40 miles of that on motorways and dual carriageways at a decent lick :shock: and haven't lost my hair :roll:

Get the bloody roof down....
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Post by noZyet »

To solve the trickle charge problem with the car parked in the drive - there are solar powered items out there which you just leave on the dash when the car is parked up and plug into the cigar lighter or connect to the jump nuts under the bonnet. Search "solar car battery charger" on that well known auction site.
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Ming
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Post by Ming »

Well this story had a sting in its' tail :?


Car continued to fail to start twice even after being fully charged the night before. Went to a reliable auto electrician and he wired it all up and could see there was only 10.2 volts in it and indicated a bad cell. Game over for the battery then. I did get him to check to see if there was a current drain as I didn't want to ruin a new battery and all was well.

Managed to get a Varta top-spec replacement for £60 fitted and the guy even kept the radio going so no need to phone BMW to find the code.....

Should have just bolted one in at the first sign but you have to wonder what if.....
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Mike
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Post by Mike »

to check the boot light get someone small. A 2 or 3 year old is ideal. Put them in the boot. If they scream when the boot is shut then the light must be going out. If not, the light is still on and you have a problem with the boot switch. total cost = 1 ice cream if lucky or a full blown maccy meal if expensive. LOL
Ming
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Post by Ming »

If I was unlucky enough to be in the vicinity of a 3 year old I would gladly lock him/her in the boot for a lot longer than the time it takes for the light to go out.


Maybe 6 or 7 days..........
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lebigmec
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Post by lebigmec »

Not sure about the child trick, but I know that there are some who should be locked in car boots! :lol:
I checked to see if mine was going off by setting my mobile phone to video record & placing it inside the boot to see what happens when it's shut. Probably best to try my method! (You get a shorter prison sentence for that!).
Edit: I've just noticed that you've already tried that. Ah Well! I was trying to be helpful.. :dunce:
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Post by noZyet »

Ming wrote:If I was unlucky enough to be in the vicinity of a 3 year old I would gladly lock him/her in the boot for a lot longer than the time it takes for the light to go out.


Maybe 6 or 7 days..........
Are you sure that is long enough??? You want to certain about these things - they could also check for water leaks - kill two birds with one stone so to speak!!! :wink:
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