Went to start the car this evening and it wouldn't turn over - typical low battery symptoms, dash lit up like a christmas tree etc.

 

The battery is only a year old and a decent brand (Varta Silver E44), and while the car hasn't been doing huge mileage, it still gets taken out almost every day (albeit on short journeys) and, on a longer run (20 miles+) at least once a week.

 

It has an XTRONS head unit fitted, and I've heard these can have some parasitic load even when the car is off, but that's been in there basically since I got the car and never had an issue before (even during covid when it could be sat for a week+ without moving).

 

There is one unusual thing I did today, which was use the button on the key fob to open all the windows (just an inch or so to get some air in) since it has been so hot, and left it like that for a couple of hours - could this have had anything to do with it?

 

Edit: I do also have a hard-wired dashcam, but again that has been in there pretty much since I got the car

 

Other than that is there anything else in particular to check for? I have a multimeter, so I can check voltages etc. when the car is running - what should I be looking for to make sure it's not the alternator etc?

 

Currently have the battery out and on a trickle charger - need to take my youngest for a hospital checkup first thing so hopefully it's got enough charge to get us going in the morning!

 

Fingers crossed it is either some kind of drain from leaving the windows open or the battery (still under warranty), since with all other bills going up, could do without having to fork out £££ for the car as well 😞

 

Any advice welcome, thanks!

Edited 22 June, 20223 yr by Haggisking

Exercise your warranty if you can. Your battery has lost capacity due to having short journeys  and previously standing idle.

 

See my post of yesterday in the thread below, and note warranty conditions now being used by some.

Octavia MK2 Owners, worth a read

 

Edited 23 June, 20223 yr by pikpilot

Hi, 

 

Thanks for the reply, apologies for not responding sooner but I wanted to keep an eye on what was happening with it to give a bit more info first.

 

The battery charged fine overnight, hooked it up, all working fine. Reading ~12.8v when connected, 14.4v when idling, so alternator seems fine. Unfortunately it lasted 3 days, then wouldn't start again yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.

 

Charged again last night, again all working fine this morning. Dropped the youngest off at childcare, then an hour later when walking past the car to take the oldest to school, noticed that the dashcam was still on! 🤔

 

Had a quick skim through the recordings and it has been on 24/7 for the last... I don't even know how many days!!

 

I've tried a full reset of the camera but that's made no difference, it doesn't switch off, so almost certainly the culprit - I've disconnected it fully for now, so we'll see what the battery voltage is later this evening.

 

I guess the best solution now will be to find an ignition switched fuse to connect it to (it was on the cigarette lighter fuse, which I guess must be permanently live).

 

In terms of claiming on the warranty - they want me to send it off to them so they can test it first, which I guess is reasonable enough, but would leave me without a car for a week which isn't ideal, unless I pick up another battery 😞

Edited 27 June, 20223 yr by Haggisking

Glad you have found a possible cause for a constant discharge. There are several fuses in the switched supply in the fusebox at the end of the dashboard. Check the fuse listing in the car manual for likely candidates for tapping into.

You can use a piggy back additional fuse and holder such as the one below. Just make sure you buy one of the same physical size as the fuse you want to piggy back onto. Cost is less than £2 on the bay and over £5 in a well known motoring and cycling store. Routing the wiring behind the trim should not be problem and there is a ground connection stud in the fusebox.

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, pikpilot said:

Glad you have found a possible cause for a constant discharge. There are several fuses in the switched supply in the fusebox at the end of the dashboard. Check the fuse listing in the car manual for likely candidates for tapping into.

You can use a piggy back additional fuse and holder such as the one below. Just make sure you buy one of the same physical size as the fuse you want to piggy back onto. Cost is less than £2 on the bay and over £5 in a well known motoring and cycling store. Routing the wiring behind the trim should not be problem and there is a ground connection stud in the fusebox.

 

 

 

 

Yup, that's what it's wired in with at the moment - came with the dashcam hardwire kit, I've just pulled that for now so it's completely disconnected. 

 

It looks like the rear wiper is the one people usually use, so I'll give that a try

 

I've also ordered that solar trickle charger suggested in the other thread you linked to help keep it topped up when not in use

 

Thanks

Edited 27 June, 20223 yr by Haggisking

1 hour ago, Haggisking said:

Yup, that's what it's wired in with at the moment - came with the dashcam hardwire kit

 

Yes, just move it a fuse fed by a switched supply.