Battery probs

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 01 May 2009, 16:21

superloopy1 wrote:Hi

For a while now my Activa's battery has run moreorless flat when left standing from one weekend to another.

I'm assuming this is not normal. The battery is an almost new Citroen one boughtby previous owner so i can draw the conclusion that he also had the same problem

I've just removed the battery today for yet another charge and noticed that the positive terminal is beginning to split. Could this be the cause of my problems?

Or unlikely, given that there IS some '+' contact there.

Charger confirms that battery is flat.

Any ideas, removal of boot bulbs etc.

Electrovalves are sometimes a problem i've read but in this case i can hear them clicking in/out ok.

Do you mean the positive terminal clamp?

Sl4yer · Post by **Sl4yer** » 01 May 2009, 16:23

The boot light is often a good place to start!

Check the voltage with the engine running. It is actually charging?

James

Post by **myglaren** » 01 May 2009, 16:25

Have you a multimeter there that you can use to test for any residual drain when everything is off?
It has been mentioned somewhere that the alarm system developes a fault that drains the battery.

If it has been allowed to go flat a few times the plates may have buckled and come into contact with one another that will reduce the charge that the battery can hold. Best to get it tested and eliminate that first.

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 01 May 2009, 18:10

My mate Bob (Firstrebel) came across this very problem recently, removing fuse 17 (alarm) stopped the excess battery drain.

JamesQB · Post by **JamesQB** » 01 May 2009, 20:52

I'd connect an ammeter in series with the positive lead to the battery post and get a reading with ignition off to see what the drain is. Then I'd remove the fuse the last post mentioned for the alarm and see if the drain reduces significantly.

If you don't have a meter, another option is to put a low wattage 12V bulb in series with the battery lead and see how brightly it lights with everything off. See how much it dims when you removed the fuse mentioned before.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 01 May 2009, 21:23

I have an XM estate which only gets used on Sunday - to take the dustbins down to the farm. I leave it running for five or ten minutes which should be more than long enough to put back what starting took, but the battery gets weaker by the week, until I charge it. I have now taken to disconnecting it every time, just take the + lead off, and its as fresh as a daisy every time I start it. I think its the alarm that's draining it. If its in daily use, no problem.

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 01 May 2009, 21:26

I was having the same problem a while ago on the XM, the trouble was not a power drain as such, i only use the car at weekends too and it would not start or it would struggle to start come saturday, turned out it was not the 7 year old cit battery that was to blame or the new battery i replaced it with

but in my case the battery terminals where tight and clean but the negative wires were loose inside the moulded lead (nothing you could feel) terminal itself causing it not to charge properly, £5 at halfords for new terminals sorted it all out

It would wind over quick enough with a fresh battery on it or when warm but not after a week under the car cover, twice it started at home then after a 5 min drive to tesco's when swmbo came back out with a trolley of frozen food it would rufuse to do so again (which didnt get me or the car into her good books

Worth a look if you have the moulded lead clamps

Good luck
D

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 01 May 2009, 21:44

wouldnt use an isolator, the ecu is the adaptive type and if you cut its power it will have to relearn its finetune settings everytime you take the car out again, not to mention having to reset the clock, radio etc etc it will get rather wearing having to do that every week.

D

Post by **Peter.N.** » 01 May 2009, 21:53

Mines got one of those beautiful mechanically injected diesels - so I dont have that problem

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 01 May 2009, 21:57

superloopy1 wrote:I'll then do the ammeter bit (i've got an ammeter but absolutely no idea how to use it?) and see what happens followed by DickieG's removal of fuse 17 to the alarm BUT i've not had the car alarmed for the past week so not too sure about this one.

To use the ammeter disconnect the battery positive lead then connect one wire from the ammeter to the battery, the other to the battery lead (don't turn on the ignition as you'll fry the ammeter) and observe the current flow. Remove each fuse in turn, when removing one particular fuse causes a significant change in current flow you have found the source of the leak.

In the case of the alarm on Bob's car the alarm wasn't set.

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 01 May 2009, 21:59

Hi Peter

Theres always one smug git around isnt there

D

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 01 May 2009, 22:10

Peter.N. wrote:Mines got one of those beautiful mechanically injected diesels - so I dont have that problem

Deanxm wrote:Theres always one smug git around isnt there

Judging by reputation I imagine XM electrics make up for that

Deanxm · Post by **Deanxm** » 01 May 2009, 22:12

Now now, you shouldnt listen to everything you hear, some of my electrics still work

D

Post by **CitroJim** » 02 May 2009, 08:27

Mike,

You might find this Document useful.

It details the current consumption of all the devices that remain live when the ignition is off...

A very good place to look is to check the Hydractive system is puttting the system into hard mode (i.e. electrovales switched off) 30s after all doors are shut. Sometimes a door or boot switch causes the system to remain active and hold the suspension in soft mode, thus draining the battery.

French Car Forum

Battery probs

Re: Battery probs