Battery keeps draining - zenki S14 w/ KA24DE

[brown eyes]

so I drive a zenki S14 w/ a stock KA24DE

This has been happening quite frequently and its annoying the hell out of me. It started earlier this month when I left town for a few days and when I got home to start my car up, the damn thing wouldn't turn over. I turned on the lights and they were dim. So I got a jump from my sister's car and everything was fine. Then a few weeks later I don't drive the car for two days and the same thing happens. The car wouldn't turn over, the headlights would turn on but they were really dim. So I get another jump and I'm good to go.

Now fast forward to today. I didn't drive my car for about 18 hours and when I got outside to fire it up, nothing happens. The battery was dead, my alarm wouldn't even unlock my car. I had to manually open the door. None of the lights inside worked. My battery was dead. So I get a jump again and presto, the car is fine again.

The problem I think is that I have a bad ground somewhere. Because my battery is practically brand new. I bought the damn thing like 6 months ago from an Interstate dealer. If its not a bad ground, could it possibly be something else I'm overlooking? My charging system maybe? I know my starter is good, I replaced that damn thing 2 months ago.

[TurDz]

Seriously could be just a bad battery, because batteries with no life (such as 5+ year old ones) act exactly as you describe.

Did you check if there is distilled water in your battery, filled to the proper level?

[Ritz S14]

Turdz could be correct.

If you suspect battery drain:

Install a testlight in series with your ground or positive side battery terminal. If the light is on, there is current being drawn. If the light IS on, start pulling fuses to see which circuit is causing the problem. Then start to isolate the problem from thereafter. If not, then it's the battery.

[red_sir]

Get a multimeter if you don't already have one. Then check for current draw (same way as described above). Check a few times because I was told sometimes the alternator can stop in a certain position that will create a short, but at other times it's fine. And for reference my car draws about 50mA and my bro's civic draws about 30mA. After that you can check the voltage of the battery when the car is on and it's being charged. It should be around 14.x volts. If the battery is not being drained and is getting recharged properly then it's probably the battery is bad.

[jedi_first_degree]

how do your battery terminals look? I had this problem with a car a couple years ago and it was because the terminals were bad. The car would put out power but wouldn't recharge itself from the alternator.

[-usmd-180sx]

Dont overlook a bad starter as well.. Turn on your headlights before you start the car... (being in a dark place helps). And then crank the motor.. and in the process of the car turning on.. if your headlights dim in that process.. its a good chance your starter is crapping out...

But... in sequence, u wanna check the battery, ground, any plugs (i.e. alternator,starter,starter relay, battery cables.)

Let us know how it goes.

-Jason

[brown eyes]

So I bought a brand new Interstate battery in Jan 05. The battery should last at least 65 months. I take my battery down to Kragens and have them test it. They tested it with a volt meter and its a bit low. So they charge it up for me. After an hour of waiting, I come back to pick up my battery and they told me the battery was bad. I asked what does bad mean? Does the battery hold a charge, is the cell defective, whats the matter with it? They replied, "ohh its just bad, I think its the cell." Ok whatever.

Then I take my battery down to Interstate. They're located about 10 mins from my house. I give them the battery and they test it. First they used a volt meter, then they removed the caps on top and tested the water. Everything checked out and they told me the battery was a bit low. So they charged it up for me. 45 mins later I return to pick up the battery. They tested it one more time for me and the volt meter reading came out to 12.45 volts. According to their battery chart, 12.45 is 80% capacity. They tested the water again and everything checked out. So next I go home and put the battery back in my car then I went back down to Interstate. I left the car running and they tested the battery again. The reading came out to 14.25 volts, which is fine. The alternator is doing its job.

Ok so yea.. Kragen tells me the battery is bad, so I can buy a battery from them. Interstate tells me my battery is good, so I won't have to claim the warrenty. I'm not sure who to believe. I'm leaning towards Interstate, because I was able to see them test my battery. I was standing next to the technician while he was getting the readings. Also, the Interstate technician seemed more knowledgable than the salesperson at Kragens.

Conclusion: The starter is good, it can't be that, because I know when a starter craps out. Alternator is doing its job, its puttin out volts and charging the battery like it suppose to. Battery is good, because its only 10 months old and the Interstate guy proved it to me with a series of test. A bad ground, I think thats what it is. This ground, where ever the fuck it can be is slowly parasitizing my battery.

How do I trace a bad ground? Electrical shit is the most annoying work to deal with. Its so tedious, HELP!!

Ritz S14: Install a test light? How do I do that? a simple walk-through would be helpful.

BTW, is this a light tester? How do I use it? I'm such a freakin' newb.

http://tinypic.com/i2is1w.jpg

[Ritz S14]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/smogtech/drain.jpg

Leave the positive cable on. Disconnect the negitive terminal, and wire up the test light in series with the negitive cable. It doesn't matter which way the test light is wired up. Just make sure it's in SERIES(in between the circuit). Don't attempt to start the car, or draw a massive amount of current with the test light hooked up as shown(in picture). You'll blow the test light. lol.

if the light is on. Go to your fuse box(inside the car) and start pulling fuses until the light turns off. If the light turns off when you pull a fuse.. that circuit must be checked out for a loose or short wire. If the light does not turn off, move to your fusebox under your hood and repeat.

If the light is OFF. You may not be driving your car enough to charge your battery. Driving your car 5 miles a week, will not be long enough for the alternator to charge the battery. Each time your car is started, you probably need to drive about 10 min or so, to replenish what was "used" up. Starting your car weekly, and letting it idle for a few minutes.. over the course of a month will slowly drain the battery. So it very well could be your driving habbits.

When you leave your car unattended for weeks, it's normal for the battery to die out. I mean the clock/alarm/ecu retains power.. just needs maybe 5 miliamps or so... Which will add up in teh course of a few weeks.

If the lamp is just barely lit, it's normal.. like stated up above..the clock/ecu still takes a little amperage to retain it's memory. Memory = clock status etc.

I'd trust the Interestate guy. I've done business with them, and totally recommend them.

Your test light will work.

[baldingtires]

i had the same exact problem with my crx, then it started happening to my 240. turned out to be my cd deck. there was a short in the damn thing.

[Flybert]

AHAHAH my car does the exact same thing. Every time I park it, I unplug the two plugs on the positive terminal so it doesn't drain my battery while I'm doing something. I tested all the fuses in the engine bay but no dice. I gotta check the interior fuses now. Maybe when I get the car running again I'll take a look at it. I've been considering redoing my entire car harness just to have something more reliable.

[Ritz S14]

It's better to disconnect the negitive side terminal. Just incase you decide to ground your wrench/socket by accident.

A new harness could bring new problems. IMO just work with what you have now, then add a new harness later if you want.

[-usmd-180sx]

:bigok: http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/smogtech/drain.jpg

Leave the positive cable on. Disconnect the negitive terminal, and wire up the test light in series with the negitive cable. It doesn't matter which way the test light is wired up. Just make sure it's in SERIES(in between the circuit). Don't attempt to start the car, or draw a massive amount of current with the test light hooked up as shown(in picture). You'll blow the test light. lol.

if the light is on. Go to your fuse box(inside the car) and start pulling fuses until the light turns off. If the light turns off when you pull a fuse.. that circuit must be checked out for a loose or short wire. If the light does not turn off, move to your fusebox under your hood and repeat.

If the light is OFF. You may not be driving your car enough to charge your battery. Driving your car 5 miles a week, will not be long enough for the alternator to charge the battery. Each time your car is started, you probably need to drive about 10 min or so, to replenish what was "used" up. Starting your car weekly, and letting it idle for a few minutes.. over the course of a month will slowly drain the battery. So it very well could be your driving habbits.

When you leave your car unattended for weeks, it's normal for the battery to die out. I mean the clock/alarm/ecu retains power.. just needs maybe 5 miliamps or so... Which will add up in teh course of a few weeks.

If the lamp is just barely lit, it's normal.. like stated up above..the clock/ecu still takes a little amperage to retain it's memory. Memory = clock status etc.

I'd trust the Interestate guy. I've done business with them, and totally recommend them.

Your test light will work.

best drawing ever... :bigok:

[brown eyes]

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy is this happening to me? $*(#&$%^@$#

Ok so I did that light test thing. Disconnected the negative terminal. Connected the light tester and the light turned on. I HAVE A DRAIN. Went inside and pulled out a fuse from the panel. Went back to the battery and tested it. The light stayed on. Go back inside the car and put the fuse back in. Then move to the next fuse below it. REPEATED that about 15-20 times. The light never turned off. Went into the engine bay fuse panel and repeated those steps. Pull out a fuse, test, put fuse back in and move to the next fuse. Again the light didn't turn off.

What am I doing wrong? What can it possibly be? I'm so freakin' stumped.

[Ritz S14]

Forgot to add a few minor details..

1. Make sure to turn off the dome light.
2. Wait a few seconds (5 or so?) after closing the door to check the light.
3. Make sure NOTHING else is connected to the negitive terminal other than the test light.

[theicecreamdan]

how much current does it take to light a test lamp though?
if its a small enough amount of parasitic draw he is having, the extra resistance from the test light might make it not light up.

clean the top of your battery, I've seen batteries with enough acid on top to actually conduct electricity from the + to the - terminals.