xantia battery

allanmc · Post by **allanmc** » 13 Aug 2011, 18:41

Last week I took the car to a local garage to have the battery checked as if car sat for a two days the battery was flat they said the battery was done then checked the output from the alternator which was ok, bought an exide battery from eurocar parts and everything was ok untill after the car had not been used for two days it was reluctant to start so switched off and checked the battery with my meter and it read 11.88 volts so went back to the garage and they said that it must be draining somehow and said that I should get an auto spark to look at it, what do you think
allanmc

carpysmith · Post by **carpysmith** » 13 Aug 2011, 19:48

Hi Allan.
should be easy enough to check if anything is draining the battery, just disconnect battery and connect an ammeter in circuit between battery post and terminal and see if you get a reading!! failing that you could just leave battery disconnected for 2 or 3 days and if it then starts you will know that something is draining it!!
it,s usually things like the boot light or something staying on!!
Regards
Steve (aka carpysmith)
Citroen Xantia 2.0hdi sx (estate)

spider · Post by **spider** » 13 Aug 2011, 19:50

Its probably being drained then.

There's a few causes for this.

Check if possible boot light is not on all the time (happens more than you think)

Here's how I test them (at your own risk)

Get a multimeter if you do not have a ammeter. Put it on the 10 amp range. Connect it in between the battery and the positive cable, insulate carefully. Caution: do not switch ignition on or anything on when its like this. Keep keys out of switch.

Look how much is being 'drained' , remove a fuse at a time (put one back take one out) and check to see which is the cause.

I'd suspect you are seeing a drain of an amp or two to drain it that quickly. A small constant drain is normal (radio / clock / alarm etc) but more than say 500ma / half an amp is too much I think.

The other possibility is the alternator diodes are shorted, they still charge like this but when not running they consume power too , as its effectively powering the coils inside it.

allanmc · Post by **allanmc** » 13 Sep 2011, 10:17

Hi guys thanks for your sugestions about the cause of my battery draining drew all the fuses and and didnt show a drain its been sugested that there could be a fault with I think its called the body computer unit if this is the problem where is it
Thanks
Allanmc

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 13 Sep 2011, 10:54

allanmc wrote:its been sugested that there could be a fault with I think its called the body computer unit if this is the problem where is it

Its up/behind the glove box which needs to be removed to get to it.

allanmc · Post by **allanmc** » 13 Sep 2011, 11:50

Thanks for getting back to me about the BCU now I know where it is I will get onto it when I get back from holiday next week, thanks again
allanmc

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 13 Sep 2011, 12:50

allanmc wrote:Hi guys thanks for your sugestions about the cause of my battery draining drew all the fuses and and didnt show a drain its been sugested that there could be a fault with I think its called the body computer unit if this is the problem where is it
Thanks
Allanmc

i might be reading your reply totaly wrong, but it seems to read you removed fuse's to try and trace the power drain,

if this is the case you need to test with an amp meter without removeing any fuse's,

if this shows current being pulled you then pull one fuse at a time to disconect each circuit, but before removeing another fuse fit the fisrt one back in each time,

if im wrong just pretend i didnt speak,

regards malcolm

allanmc · Post by **allanmc** » 13 Sep 2011, 16:00

Malcolm, I would like to explain a wee bit more, the story seemed to be that you disconect one of the battery leads and conect a multi meter between the batt. and the lead which I did but got no reading I was then told to use a bulb instead of the meter and then draw the fuses one at a time and if the light want out then that was where the fault was unfortunatly the light never went out so I had the batt. checked again and the alternator and everything was good thats when the body computer unit was mentioned as it is not fused this could be the problem thats where I am at the moment
allanmc

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 13 Sep 2011, 16:16

What model Xantia is this?

dnsey · Post by **dnsey** » 13 Sep 2011, 17:07

the story seemed to be that you disconect one of the battery leads and conect a multi meter between the batt. and the lead which I did but got no reading I was then told to use a bulb instead of the meter and then draw the fuses one at a time and if the light want out then that was where the fault was unfortunatly the light never went out

That doesn't sound right!
If the bulb remained lit, there was current being drawn throughout the test, so you should have had a meter reading. What range was the meter set to?

allanmc · Post by **allanmc** » 14 Sep 2011, 09:48

Right its a Xantia 2Lt HDI 110 BHP 2000 Iam not sure about the setting on the meter all I know is that it was on the amp range so thats why I used the bulb
allan

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 14 Sep 2011, 10:41

allanmc wrote:Right its a Xantia 2Lt HDI 110 BHP 2000

Is it an Exclusive with Hydractive suspension?

allanmc · Post by **allanmc** » 02 Oct 2011, 11:17

Dickie G, sorry for taking so long to get back to you anyway its just a Xantia 110 HDI and since I was last on I took the car to a guy who said it was a fault with the body computer unit that was the problem, I left it with him and he thought he had fixed it but unfortunatly no so I dont know where to go now NOT CITROEN I hope, any ideas would be appreciated
allan

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