Flat Battery every Morning !!

DGJsaver

Hello

Any advise welcome...

We have a V reg Diesal Astra 1999 model , every morning for the last 4 days the cars battery has been flat after being left overnight...We had the AA out who tested the battery after jumpstarting , and the report said `Good Battery` , so he left the car running and said thats all fine.....every morning since its been flat again , i have taken all internal lights out ,the boot light , and the glove box light , even went as far as not locking the car as thought there may be a fault with the immobiliser/central locking but still , again this morning , i was welcomed with my flat battery...jumpstarting every morning so far !

Any help welcome !

Dan

aqueoushumour01

cd player draining power? one day I came back to my car and the cd player was on despite being no power to the car!

gilbert_and_sullivan

I used to keep an old Smiths ammeter for these sorts of problems cos they would show current up to 30 or so amps (useful for checking glow plugs insitu), but a good multimeter will do the job.
Disconnect battery and reconnect it via the meter to see what current is being drawn, that should give you a clue as to whats causing the draw.
It must be a fair current to completely flatten the battery over one night, a couple of thoughts....faulty glow plug solenoid meaning the glow plugs are running continuously (disconnect tonight if no joy?), or faulty alternator (disconnect)
If you don't have any joy at all disconnect the battery overnight and see if it's OK next morning.

DGJsaver

Thanks gilbert , will try those things you suggest mate....aqueoahumour , i have taken the cd player out (well , the front at least)

Strider590

I don't care what the AA man says, I think it's the battery..... They measure the battery voltage, but there's an element they don't measure and that's the ability to supply massive starting current.

Old battery's develop sulphate, a build up of crud in the battery.
So in laymans terms, imagine the battery as being a bucket of water, on the surface you've got your 5 litres (voltage), but if the bucket was full of rocks, you'd still measure 5 litres at the top when in fact you only have 2 litres that you can actually use!

DGJsaver

Ok Strider , cheers , was thinking of jumping it when i get home , running it for an hour...then disconnecting the battery overnight , reconnecting in the morning ...no power = battery knackered power = something else ?

DGJsaver

just a note the battery has a posh looking scale on it that shows a green light.....to a layman like me it makes me think battery is all good ! maybe not lol

shaven-monkey

Put a blanket over the bonnet overnight to keep the battery from freezing / chilling.
If you have off road parking get a trickle charger and leave it hooked up to the battery overnight.
Buy a new battery ?

DGJsaver

Obviously i will but a new battery....once i work out it it IS the battery !

Strider590

DGJsaver wrote: »

Ok Strider , cheers , was thinking of jumping it when i get home , running it for an hour...then disconnecting the battery overnight , reconnecting in the morning ...no power = battery knackered power = something else ?

Yeah not a bad plan..... If the battery wont start the car after a night of being disconnected then it's the battery for sure.
Ignore the little meter on the battery, that only measures voltage and as I stated battery condition is far more complex.

vaio

/\ +1..............