Battery drain, battery relay?

[Khranok]

So I have had a drain on my battery for a while now, I have coped with charging it every couple of days when not driving it. Anyway it has been that way since an engine swap I had last year, it started off that the winch seemed to be the cause of the drain as it drained the battery FLAT overnight. I unhooked the winch from the relay it was hooked onto and it seemed fine. Roll on winter and I started struggling to start again.

I am thinking could it be the relay that the winch and spot lamps were hooked onto? I have disconnected the relay from the battery now, but could it be the spotlamps were having a slight drain through the relay too?

Perhaps it isn't earthed? I can't see an earth wire. Does the relay need one? (I never fit it btw, it was on when I bought it) The fused wires are the spot lamps and the thick cable goes back to the positive on the battery. (The winch connection is tucked away).

Also this only started draining AFTER the engine swap, any ideas? Testing the fuses can be a bit of a pain too cause the thing has an alarm and immobilizer but any help at all is greatly appreciated, its starting to drive me nuts.

 

[Khranok]

No ideas anyone? What could change during an engine swap that could suddenly start a drain in the winch/battery relay? Perhaps some earth being taken off and not replaced?

 

[Station House]

Faulty alternator diode?

Did you swap the alternator over with the engine?

 

[Khranok]

Faulty alternator diode?

Did you swap the alternator over with the engine?

Just replaced the alternator last week

 

[landowner]

You need to disconnect te battery earth and then connect a multimeter between the batt and earth wire.
It should show a drain.
Then take fuses out one by one until its stops
Simples

 

[mundungus]

I can't help noticing from your picture that you have a lump of soggy wood connecting your dodgy looking battery live to your body work. That in itself will drain your battery.

What don't you replace it with a fused distribution board.

I used one of these in mine for my second battery and housed it in a sealable food container box to keep it a bit protected when wading.

6 Way Blade Fuse Box 1 Positive Bus in 12v LED WARNING Kit Car Boat Marine Trike | eBay

If its something else causing it, you're gonna have to diagnose by pulling fuses I'm afraid. But id start by disconnecting that live cable that's feeding your piece of wood.

 

[Khranok]

I can't help noticing from your picture that you have a lump of soggy wood connecting your dodgy looking battery live to your body work. That in itself will drain your battery.

What don't you replace it with a fused distribution board.

I used one of these in mine for my second battery and housed it in a sealable food container box to keep it a bit protected when wading.

6 Way Blade Fuse Box 1 Positive Bus in 12v LED WARNING Kit Car Boat Marine Trike | eBay

If its something else causing it, you're gonna have to diagnose by pulling fuses I'm afraid. But id start by disconnecting that live cable that's feeding your piece of wood.

Ha... Cars got wood. Would the wood (woodchuck chuck...) Drain more power the more stuff that was hooked into that relay? Like I said, it drains completely with the winch hooked on there too

 

[tottot]

That block of wood is a real bodge,get rid of quick before something worse than battery drain happens.

 

[mundungus]

Ha... Cars got wood. Would the wood (woodchuck chuck...) Drain more power the more stuff that was hooked into that relay? Like I said, it drains completely with the winch hooked on there too

I cant actually see a relay in your picture, but I'd say no. Chances are you have other problems also, when the winch is connected.

You can test the draining effect of that wood on its own. Disconnect your battery live entirely before doing this test (otherwise you might well kill your meter). Measure the resistance (put your meter in Ohm mode) from that bolt on the block of wood to your negative terminal of your battery. It will give an Ohm reading that simply using Ohms law will tell you how much current is leaking across it that wood. You will find that the damper the weather, the worse it will be because wood soaks up air moisture.

Aside from the fact that wood (especially damp wood) is not an electrical insulator, the position of that wood is dangerous. You basically have a live bolt an inch away from your bodywork. If you ever short that out accidentally with your spanner whilst adjusting that nut, you are going to know about it. I can well imagine that if your winch is also connected to that bolt, you have another big loop crimp around it from your winch cable, bringing it even closer to directly shorting on your bodywork.

 

[Khranok]

Huh... Well after fishing underneath the car to check my grounds, I saw a ground to the transmission but... I found this on the gearbox...

Completely sheered off. I haven't traced back exactly where it goes to but I am guessing that's a battery earth. Also... If I rehook this up, recrimp the wires and that. When I unbolt that bolt on the gearbox to put it back on its not gonna **** gearbox oil out everywhere is it?

 

[mundungus]

Feckin ell. I suggest you disconnect your battery immediately. Then trace those wires before connecting them to anything. They look like red wires to me, which usually would be live, not earth.

 

[trax]

Looks like a bodgy landy you have got there.

Do as said and discon your battery, then go and check all the wiring.. anything that looks non standard, assume it is crap.

 

[Khranok]

Feckin ell. I suggest you disconnect your battery immediately. Then trace those wires before connecting them to anything. They look like red wires to me, which usually would be live, not earth.

Just followed them back and they appear to attach to the Negative on my battery. I have had no electrical problems with the car other than this drain obviously. What do you reckon?

 

[Khranok]

Looks like a bodgy landy you have got there.

Do as said and discon your battery, then go and check all the wiring.. anything that looks non standard, assume it is crap.

Well it did have an engine replacement. Whether the bloke snapped the wire when taking the gearbox out and that's what is causing my drain?... Alsooo... Had a disco transfer box put in not so long ago so could be that too.

 

[trax]

Well it did have an engine replacement. Whether the bloke snapped the wire when taking the gearbox out and that's what is causing my drain?... Alsooo... Had a disco transfer box put in not so long ago so could be that too.

Check the engine has a strap when you are sorting it out. always best to use the correct colour wire.

 

[Khranok]

Check the engine has a strap when you are sorting it out. always best to use the correct colour wire.

Yeah no worries, where abouts is it attached to the engine? Also I am safe to just undo that bolt to replace the loop connectors aren't I? Its not gonna **** oil everywhere?

 

[trax]

Yeah no worries, where abouts is it attached to the engine? Also I am safe to just undo that bolt to replace the loop connectors aren't I? Its not gonna **** oil everywhere?

don't know, undo it a little and see if any falls on your head :lol:

 

[Khranok]

don't know, undo it a little and see if any falls on your head :lol:

Well... Is it meant to come out? Lol

 

[Khranok]

Hmm... Would help if anywhere sold Ring Connector's big enough. Halfords is useless :/

 

[landowner]

Hmm... Would help if anywhere sold Ring Connector's big enough. Halfords is useless :/

Vehicle Wiring products will have them mail order