Captain Sparkle

No, I wouldn't know how to go about it, or anybody with it. Off to the TT Friday morning so I'm just going to put an isolator on 'til I get back.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Decided to replace starter, as I don't really have a dry facility or time to remove, dismantle & clean the old one. It's no different!! that's it, Isolator switch it is.

Right! here we go! Disconnect starter, apply multimeter (keeping circuit whole, not easy!) & 4.8 amp drain, break circuit & hey presto! then .5amp drain. Something sticking in starter? Don't know, but I'm sure this must be it. Unless anyone can think of anything else connected? I'll be sourcing a new starter, methinks. Oh yes! I'd just finished pulling all the relays in the footwell, to no avail!!

No dim dash lights, no remote fuel cap release! The joys of a Classic, I suppose! I don't know!!! It's never gone off, Is it supposed to go off if you dilly dally & faff about inserting your key into the ignition?

I'm a little shocked! I took it that it had, as the indicators flashed when locking, I take that is just to confirm central locking. Have tried a different (new, but cheap!) meter and that was within .5a of mine, but I'll try sanding them down a little! I am trying to get some time to take off the footwell cover to access the relays and see what is happening down there.

All I can see is black sponge!

That sounds hopeful, thanks. Are these where ALL the relays are to be found? - http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/162617-octavia-fl-scout-access-to-relays-fusebox/

I presumed so, but as it's only a classic, it only has key operated central locking. No press button fob. Could the alarm drain 4.5 - 5amps? Just been out to it this very minute, showing 4.22amps, 'til I took the probe off the terminal, then when I placed it back on .98amps!

That may well be the way forward, albeit temporarily. I'll investigate the options.

Thanks for all your help, thus far. I thought it must have been my meter, so I called in a friend & his meter, the reading was 4.5a, mine was 5a. The car is a taxi, and is only left for about 5 hours at most. It's a new 77a battery. Before anyone asks, I have disconnected the taxi meter & radio as well , to no avail! Could there be a short, e.g. starter motor? or would the fact I have pulled all the fuses prove otherwise? I'm right at the end of my technical abilities now!!

Thanks, 'tis a good point! No, cigarette lighter socket is empty (now!). Re; magic clamp multimeters, I'm having difficulty finding one to measure DC amps, the ones I've seen so far only seem to read AC amps.

Must investigate that 'magic' multimeter, would be easier! regarding the boot, it's an estate that I have and I haven't seen the light on through the window. Also, I'd virtually given up on the lightbulb scenario, being as the drain is around 5amps, would that be the right train of thought?

I have been loosening the negative battery terminal, then holding 1 multimeter probe on the battery terminal and the other on the earth lead, so the circuit is not broken when the earth/negative is removed. Then the reading is around 5a. When I (inadvertently usually!) move 1 of the probes the circuit is broken, then when I stick it back on it's around 1a reading. I will try measuring the fuse terminals, but I can't understand how that can be any different to removing each fuse in turn? I'll try anything!! Thing is, since I had the battery replaced it hasn't gone flat, If it weren't for my paranoia I wouldn't have known anything about this 'draining' problem and just carried on life quite happily!!

Battery went flat a couple of times, but I put it down to the battery itself, and replaced it. Then the new battery went flat over night, and when I took it back (europarts) they stuck it on their tester and said it was only showing 49%, therefore faulty, so replaced it. No one mentioned the possibility of something draining the battery, it was me being paranoid after all the hassle I'd had! No sign of illumination on the hazard light switch. BTW also loosened/sprayed contact cleaner on all the wires leading to the fusebox, and even remembered to tighten them up again! Took off main Earth lead (near fusebox) and wirebrushed/contact cleanered/WD 40 before replacing it again. Drain just now was 5.4 amps, it's been 4.5 or even up to 6, or thereabouts, as I say, until you break the circuit, then its around 1 when you make it back up.

Hi people, I've been having a problem for a while, I've searched many threads and learnt about testing for drains and that, but, sometimes (not always!) it's showing a drain of around 5amps after the car has been running. Auto electrician had it for a day but could find nothing wrong (it was OK for him). As I say it's not every time. Have pulled every fuse from the engine bay fuse box & the interior box, to no avail. Battery was replaced for a 77ah Exide about 2 months ago (that failed after 5 weeks and was replaced), then alternator went about 3 weeks ago (replaced with higher output one to try and ease my paranoia!) Have pulled out stereo and disconnected it but no difference to the drain. When I break the circuit when testing with the multimeter the drain then goes down to around 1 amp, not perfect, but an improvement! It's a 'classic', so doesn't have a lot of electrickery to go wrong, and as I don't know a lot about such things I'm now stumped! Anyone got any suggestions? thanks.