As a mechanic with over 40 years experience, that is not normal. Cars sit on a dealer's lot for weeks at a time without getting started and they will start right up. There is a draw in you vehicle, something is staying powered up and running the battery down (picture a light bulb somewhere staying on somewhere). The way I see it, you have two choices. First trace down the draw, this can be a time consuming process. Second, install a Battery Disconnect Switch. This will isolate the battery from the vehicle, and keep the vehicle from draining the battery down. Upside: inexpensive and easy to use. Downside: you won't be able to use your remote to unlock the car after sitting, the clock will be wrong, the radio may lose it's presets, and the engine computer will lose it's memory which means it won't readily pass emission tests.
Yeah, it's a switch capable of decent amperage, to allow/disallow power to flow from one side to the other. Follow the wires to find out what's what.
Example amazon product page: https://smile.amazon.com/Ampper-Battery-Disconnect-Isolator-Vehicle/dp/B07413JWLD/
Well your first thing should be to get that shorted circuit issue sorted out. A manual disconnect switch could help if you're out of luck trying to solve the problem otherwise. Here is a simple example:
https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-Master-Disconnect-Switch/dp/B001N729FS
I went the lazy route on this one. I don't use my truck for months at a time and I was tired of coming back to a dead battery. It's a piece of shit so I wanted to "fix" the problem as cheaply as possible. Instead of tracking down the parasitic draw, I just installed a battery disconnect switch from Amazon for $10.
Really depends on your budget and what you are trying to monitor. The Victron bvm712 is what I went with.
The Display comes with a premade cable. If it's not long enough, you can make or have a longer one made from cat5 cable.
It's really just a multimeter with a remote screen. This particular one has Bluetooth so you can read it from an app and review history.
Basically the shunt is a two terminals side by side. It measures the current following through it so all devices must run through it to get measured. If measuring consumption, ALL of your negatives run through this. If I remember correctly basically everything you would run to your battery negative goes to one side of the shunt and the chassis ground to the other. Or it's everything that consuming power (fan, inverter, lights, fridge, etc) negative to one side and battery to the other with battery ground to the chassis.
Electrical system is a complex as you want it to be. If it's your first time, if recommend following and existing plan like this (the best and easiest to understand I've seen) where someone has already calculated your wiring gauges, fuse size, battery size, inverter, etc. Just be sure to understand the limitations of your system AND your capabilities. Next to gas, it's potentially the most dangerous element of your build.
https://www.parkedinparadise.com/solar-calculator/#100W-wiring-diagram
If you need cutoff switches try local Marine store. Amazon has these:
Ampper Battery Switch, 12-48V Battery Power Cut On/Off Master Switch Disconnect Isolator for Car, Vehicle, RV and Boat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07413JWLD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BavuCbG3166AT
you would connect a wire to the positive terminal of your battery using an electrical lug you can pick up from any autoparts store. Then that wire goes to a switch (need to make sure it is rated for the current.) and the other side of the switch goes to the wire that was on the battery before. Or you can buy a battery lockout switch and be done...here's one on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-Master-Disconnect-Switch/dp/B001N729FS
Yea I think i just killed my 2 year old trailer battery by letting it draw down so many times. Finally bought this:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07413JWLD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This took literally 5 mins to install and will be a life safer. Just screw it into your battery box.
Also bought a solar panel kit so i can ensure its always 100% topped off.
A generator is a small gas powered engine that produces electricity. Don't confuse this with a "solar generator" BS that goalzero and jackery try to pawn off to noobs as something magical... that's marketing BS designed to steal your money.
Isolators are pretty cheap, you can get them for under $50... but they don't actually charge your battery properly, so in the long run they are a bad ideal without solar to supplement and top off the battery. This isn't as complicated as it sounds, it's just a lot to learn at once... and things do get expensive fast.
Here's one for $20... not that I recommend it, but it'd work. https://www.amazon.com/Stinger-SGP38-80-AMP-Battery-Isolator/dp/B001HC6UJ0/
I'd highly advise reading the FAQ, as most of these questions are probably answered or at least alluded to there.
/u/secessus also has an phenomenal website that even I still learn from. Track him down and look at his flair. It has the link.
> $14 solution
Very steampunk. I had one of these on a car for a while, it worked well.
> but its not like a modern vehicle with 98759 sensors every 3 inches apart.
The wiring diagram for that entire bus can probably be put onto an 8.5"x11" sheet of paper, with room for doodling around the edges. It's a great vehicle to introduce people to hating electrical problems.
I don't think that /u/WhaleF00d knows what he's getting into with this project. Good luck and all, but that's a big, expensive bite.
Hey if you’re tired of chasing ghosts and my recommendation is to install a battery disconnect directly to the negative terminal and unscrew and re-screw the turning handle appropriately after and before use.
You may as well be chasing that ghost with no end in sight so come up with a workaround. Mechanics may advocate to continue searching for this ghost as it brings you in to them more often but the solution I’m giving you here should do the trick (just a quick read through the nearly 5 star average rating will show a plethora of people who were chasing ghosts just like you):
Remember, always ask yourself if I did something to make somebody’s day better today. Have a great day :)
I have plenty of cars than can sit a month and still start just fine and some that only go 2 weeks. How short of distances are you driving it? Honestly sounds like you have a parasitic draw and would be better off with a battery disconnect or a solar battery charger. https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-Master-Disconnect-Switch/dp/B001N729FS/ https://www.amazon.com/SOLPERK-Maintainer-Waterproof-Controller-Adjustable/dp/B08GX19KT9/
I have the same issue on one of my cars. I use a battery disconnect switch. Easy enough to pop the hood, give it a couple turns, and it's all set. No drain.https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-Master-Disconnect-Switch/dp/B001N729FS
If you're only driving it a few times a year, you might want to just ignore the problem, and install a battery disconnect switch to unhook the battery when it's not in use.
Something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/Battery-Disconnect-Switch-Ampper-Isolator/dp/B07JZ8MKL2?th=1
I'm not sure how well you are at 12v installation but you could use a high amp relay like this one and have it only charge the battery with the key turned.
Bonus points if you wire it up from a tow hitch adapter.
If car theft is such a fear of yours that you remove the starter relay a much simpler option is a battery kill switch . Twist the switch on your battery and the the car has zero power. Can be bought decently cheap and easy to install. Add a quick release steering wheel or one of those steering wheel locks and parking in a some what tight area and nobody would want to bother trying to tow or push your car. Plus it avoids all the hassle of carrying a relay with you when you leave your car.
>Due to the car jackings
That, at least, should not be a concern. I think there have been five in the greater area from Everett through Burien this year, which is a spike for us. Generally, Seattle criminals avoid social contact just as much as the stereotypical Seattle resident, so most of our crime is non-violent property crime. Just like those stereotypical Seattle residents, meth and alcohol change that equation so avoid 3rd/Pike and homeless camps and outside nightclubs at 2am and you'll be perfectly safe.
Your "shit"? Don't bother. Get a battery disconnect like this and take the knob inside with you whenever you leave. They can cut any lock, and toss any scooter/bike into a van, but they won't bother diagnosing a dead car.
When I started camping like this, i always made sure to charge the battery before going. Sometimes you forget a USB plug is drawing power, etc. You might want to to install one of these between the battery and the fuse box if it doesn't have one already.
Electrons flow from negative to positive.
There are a lot of people confused about how electricity works. Effectively, if doesn't matter what side you put it on.
However, you may want to go one way or the other depending on the style of the switch.
If it is a remote switch with red wires, put if in the positive side to stick with color convention.
If the switch has a lot of exposed metal, like the one below, you should put it on the negative terminal. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N729FS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_PHVJM74NBXN20TAVFFEN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I had my car sit for 30 days (the usual amount of time before the battery will drain and not have enough power to start the car). I installed this and was able to disconnect it easily without tools.
Top Post Battery Master... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N729FS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I think tou might have a "battery drain" something is using up the battery while the car is off. I had the same issue, replaced the battery and it continued to happen. Then I disconnected the negative to the battery over night and the car would start up when I reconnected it in the morning. They sell these... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N729FS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I know it's dumb but this was one of my best mods.
Top Post Battery Master Disconnect Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N729FS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_W9JAF48T3EXHW7Y685T3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
NOCO NCP2 MC303 Oil-Based Battery Terminal Protectors, Anti-Corrosion Washers, And Battery Corrosion Pads (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DKUTR0/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_5BSYDG4QPW13YN4WN7MA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
You could do something like this relay. These are used in most RVs to charge the house battery when the alternator is running. It's wired to the key switch. Then, a momentary switch on the dashboard is tied in parallel to the input signal on the relay. In the case of the chassis battery dying, you hold down the momentary switch, which sends power from the house battery to the chassis battery, and helps start the vehicle.
The existing lead looks reasonable in gauge, but looks can be deceiving. Catch the actual gauge from the writing on the side of the wire casing if you can. 4GA is my preference, even if I don't need it according to a wiring chart.
As for keying to accessory to use specific items, I wouldn't try to do that. You'll be undervolting the gear due to voltage drop over distance. Instead, run a sufficient sized lead from your aux battery to the fuse block location, break it out as-needed, fusing in-line if you need to, then re-fees those circuits with it via the OEM fuse block. Those fuses should accept regular male spade terminals, if you have to trim them slightly. Then those items will work off of the aux battery, which still works while the engine is running. Skip adding disconnects to the negatives. That's hacking up OEM stuff for no reason.
As for the disconnect from starter to aux battery, how is it routed? I like a switch mounted within reach of the driver, so I can eye the volt meter in the dash as I operate it, usually near the seat belt for convenience, something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Disconnect-Vehicles-Waterproof-Isolator-Position/dp/B07HT19T5V/
You'll need to give the size of your aux battery to know if the gauge and switch rating are sufficient, though, and it'll need to be AGM or Lead chemistry to charge directly off the alternator properly. Those will pull up to half their size rating when empty, which you don't wanna get them to, but want to recover from in case of an oopsie. Don't forget fusing each end of the charging circuit lead.
If you don't want to drive it enough each week to keep it charged this is probably the simplest solution. Easier than a charger and the battery should last months in the winter without dying. There are different types so make sure you get the right connection and that the size/shape won't be an issue. Just disconnect it each time you park.
Could be a million different things and could take quite a bit for a skilled mechanic to diagnose. Basically connect a multimeter to the battery and fuse and various wires to track down what's draining it over time. Here's a video to get the idea:
Alternatively you can install a quick release plug for your battery. Something like this:
Spurtar Top Post Battery Disconnect Switch Battery Master Switch Isolator with Green Knob 12V or 24V for Car Truck Boat Vehicles Power Disconnect Cut Off https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074HW532B/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_7PHTM6A761V5EVRN47YR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Then whenever you park the car for the a couple hours you can quickly disocnnef the battery so it doesn't drain. Not an ideal solution but tracking down electrical faults can be tricky and costly.
This is the tool you need along with a multimeter to test the parasitic drain. The reason this is important is because sometimes a relay will latch on and as soon as you disconnect the battery it will unlatch and the problem disappears until the next time. This disconnect allows you to connect the multimeter set to amps DC across it and then disconnect the battery. The drain problem doesn't go away because it doesn't know the battery is disconned.
If you're gonna leave the car for extended periods, consider this:
Now, to your problem, a good battery should not drain in
Store it. Here's a device that will allow you to let it sit for a short time:
Your procedure is good with one exception. Let's say there's a relay latched on for some reason. As soon as the battery is disconnected, that relay is gone electrically. You will never find it unless you maintain contact through the multimeter when you disconnect the battery. Here's the solution to this problem:
You can put this inline and then drive the car for a while to get whatever's happening to happen again. When you get ready to test, clip your meter on each side of the knob. When you unscrew the knob, ALL the amperage will go through the meter. Be aware that most meters will only take 10 amps because of a fuse.