Fabia VRS battery issue

[timberwolf]

     Hi all,

              My GF has a 54 plate fabia vrs which is suffering from flat battery issues.  It had a new battery last February owing to similar issues. She does not commute far and the battery keeps going flat.  We had this issue last winter, could it simply be not enough miles to charge it up and the cold weather or something more sinister?  Through summer etc it is fine.  Her daily commute is only a couple of miles each way.

[999spender]

Alternator load sensing wire - do a search on here.

 

Does her battery light come on and go out when the car is started?

[rtz62]

Also go to somewhere like County Batteries and ask them to check the battery, that will help you isolate the problem. (

Do you eg use a c-trek battery conditioner or similar? I had one fitted (hard wired) into my TVR, and it was one of the best things I ever did.

With the engine off (and leaving the car overnight), if you have a multimeter, connect the +ve of the multimeter to he +of the battery! and -ve to -ve.

In the morning, Check the voltmeter. If your battery is in good condition, the voltage should be between 12.4 and 12.7 volts. A reading lower than 12.4 volts means that your battery needs to be charged.

After charge, or with the engine running, A functional charging system should produce between 13.5 and 14.5 or more volts while idling.

A voltage of less than 13.5 means that your alternator isn't producing enough current to charge the battery.

[timberwolf]

Alternator load sensing wire - do a search on here.

 

Does her battery light come on and go out when the car is started?

    I shall ask her later on, thank you.

  

  RTZ62, thanks for the info, I am hopeless with electrics so may have to take it to an auto electrician if I cannot resolve the issue.  The car has been running fine for months since the battery was replaced, would that rule out a broken alternator load sensing wire?

[Breezy_Pete]

     ... could it simply be not enough miles to charge it up and the cold weather or something more sinister?  Through summer etc it is fine.  Her daily commute is only a couple of miles each way.

 

Yes.  Having lights on, rear screen heater and cabin fan on to de-mist windscreen adds quite a bit of load, compared with summer motoring when probably none of the above are required. 

 

A battery charger used once a week to top it up is probably the way to go.

[bowen]

Alternator load sensing wire - do a search on here.

 

Does her battery light come on and go out when the car is started?

 

This, I had issues recently turned out to be a snapped wire.

[@Lee]

If she doesn't commute far, the battery is more than likely using more than it's getting back. Get your lovely missus a solar trickle charger to place on the dash.

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12v-24w-battery-trickle-charger-n59fu

[punyXpress]

Yes.  Having lights on, rear screen heater and cabin fan on to de-mist windscreen adds quite a bit of load, compared with summer motoring when probably none of the above are required. 

 

A battery charger used once a week to top it up is probably the way to go.

 . . . or 50 miles on a private road?

[Breezy_Pete]

 . . . or 50 miles on a private road?

Indeed, a much better option for the car's future.

 

2 mile commutes (and no other usage) are a disaster for engine longevity, never mind battery life.

[timberwolf]

  Thanks for all the replies guys.

 

         I managed to suss the multi meter out,  engine stopped 12.12v (was still charging from flat though so will probably be a higher figure). Engine running 14.25v.  Come the morning it will be flat again.  Any other ideas please?

 

         She has actually purchased a solar trickle charger too but not used it yet.

 

         It seems something is draining it overnight?

[@Lee]

have you got an amplifier for the head unit or anything else that could be draining the battery?

[timberwolf]

     Charged the battery last night off the car, battery still full this morning and car starts fine.  Any other ideas please?   Seems something must be draining it when the ignition is off.

[timberwolf]

  Could anyone tell me what circuits should have power to them at all times please?   Windows? CD changer? etc.   Just to give me an idea as to where to start with checking feeds in the fuse box with the ignition off.

[sepulchrave]

Whip the parcel shelf out, shut the boot and make sure the courtesy light goes out when you do.

[timberwolf]

No bulb in the boot courtesy light mate

[timberwolf]

     Checked it over on Saturday with the multimeter,  0.2ma from the battery with ignition off so all fine there.   Still loosing the charge overnight though. I am thinking alarm drain or central locking now.

[sepulchrave]

I'm thinking your battery is mullered.

[SKYHAWK]

I'm thinking your battery is mullered.

+1

[timberwolf]

    Right then,     car left unlocked/no alarm all night, fires up first time.  Lock it and its dead come the morning.  Alarm fault?  Is it possible to lock the car without setting the alarm?   Anyone know where the alarm box is?   I did suspect the alarm but it still sounded when I had the negative battery lead off so I assumed it had its own battery back up and was ok, am I wrong?  

 

   I did suspect the car battery as you guys say but I think my tests have shown it not to be the case?