Re: Battery draining
 

Wow - a fat lead going to the fuel pump -- imagine that...
Maybe this they are using the type of pump that you can also clear a
port-a-potty with :)

Scratch what I said in my previous two posts.

Re: Battery draining
 

Wow - a fat lead going to the fuel pump -- imagine that...
Maybe this they are using the type of pump that you can also clear a
port-a-potty with :)

Scratch what I said in my previous two posts.

Re: Battery draining
 

Wow - a fat lead going to the fuel pump -- imagine that...
Maybe this they are using the type of pump that you can also clear a
port-a-potty with :)

Scratch what I said in my previous two posts.

Re: Battery draining
 

lol, well its a volvo, so who the hell knows?!?

Very Funny!
t

Re: Battery draining
 

lol, well its a volvo, so who the hell knows?!?

Very Funny!
t

Re: Battery draining
 

Thanks for the info Tom.

This was a Motomaster Eliminator from Canadian
Tire up here in Canada. They are notorious for
being of low quality. I also have one for my 98
civic, and I have to say I am not impressed, I
will probably go for a Honda OEM battery next
time, my original lasted over 8 years!

However, it is not a maintenance free battery.
I pulled the caps off, just to make sure the
water level was good, but did not perform any
other tests on the electrolytes.

So the big question here, is 800mA enough to
drain a battery over night, or a couple days?

Terry

Re: Battery draining
 

Thanks for the info Tom.

This was a Motomaster Eliminator from Canadian
Tire up here in Canada. They are notorious for
being of low quality. I also have one for my 98
civic, and I have to say I am not impressed, I
will probably go for a Honda OEM battery next
time, my original lasted over 8 years!

However, it is not a maintenance free battery.
I pulled the caps off, just to make sure the
water level was good, but did not perform any
other tests on the electrolytes.

So the big question here, is 800mA enough to
drain a battery over night, or a couple days?

Terry

Re: Battery draining
 

disallow wrote:
> lol, well its a volvo, so who the hell knows?!?
>
> Very Funny!
> t

Yeah, Volvos are quirky cars -- I had a 1972 145E, I guess their first
entry in the fuel injected market. Have worked on some DLs friends
owned. Built like a tank, that much is sure.

I've owned two 900 Saabs (the other Swede) as well -- talk about
quirky!! They are great fun to drive but do have some not so
straightforward issues when it comes to repair.

Hope you got it resolved?
Remco

Re: Battery draining
 

disallow wrote:
> lol, well its a volvo, so who the hell knows?!?
>
> Very Funny!
> t

Yeah, Volvos are quirky cars -- I had a 1972 145E, I guess their first
entry in the fuel injected market. Have worked on some DLs friends
owned. Built like a tank, that much is sure.

I've owned two 900 Saabs (the other Swede) as well -- talk about
quirky!! They are great fun to drive but do have some not so
straightforward issues when it comes to repair.

Hope you got it resolved?
Remco

Re: Battery draining
 

> >800 mA/hr is not normal and may get your battery drained
> >sufficiently enough to not start the next day.
> >Remco
> There is no "/hr" in the units for electrical current. "800 mA" is
> correct.

You are right in stating that mA/hr should not have been used: I started
typing something else and forgot to delete the /hr.

Actually - not to have the last word - but there is a measure called
Ampere-Hour or Amp/Hr in relation to batteries - it is in relation to the
useable capacity of a battery (commonly referred to as C rating. ie C/10,
C/20 state the discharge rate over time).

If you draw more current than specified per hour, your battery capacity is
diminished.
But batteries are rated at some Amp-Hr. A 80 Amp/Hr battery would put out 20
Amps for 4 Hour or 1 Amp for 80 hours before it is totally empty.

Anyway, 800mA is not a normal current draw for a car parked - that's what I
meant to say.

Re: Battery draining
 

> >800 mA/hr is not normal and may get your battery drained
> >sufficiently enough to not start the next day.
> >Remco
> There is no "/hr" in the units for electrical current. "800 mA" is
> correct.

You are right in stating that mA/hr should not have been used: I started
typing something else and forgot to delete the /hr.

Actually - not to have the last word - but there is a measure called
Ampere-Hour or Amp/Hr in relation to batteries - it is in relation to the
useable capacity of a battery (commonly referred to as C rating. ie C/10,
C/20 state the discharge rate over time).

If you draw more current than specified per hour, your battery capacity is
diminished.
But batteries are rated at some Amp-Hr. A 80 Amp/Hr battery would put out 20
Amps for 4 Hour or 1 Amp for 80 hours before it is totally empty.

Anyway, 800mA is not a normal current draw for a car parked - that's what I
meant to say.

Re: Battery draining
 

"disallow" <loewen_t at yahoo.ca @> wrote in message
news:afb46712af047275c15d0ebe6e9c288e@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> Just got this info from a guy on the Volvo
> group, in case anyone is interested:
>
>> I just happen to have a wire diagram book for '87 handy. That fuse
> only
>> feeds the fuel pump relay. With the key off, check for power at the
>> following: The red-yellow wire at the injectors and the orange wire on
>> pin 5 at the air mass meter. If either have power then the fuel pump
>> relay is stuck in the on position and you need a new one.
>>
>> Also, assuming the battery is fully charged, then this draw shouldn't
>> kill it in 10 hours. However, car batteries aren't designed for this
>> kind of discharge/recharge and can be quickly damaged when subjected to
>> it.
> Mike F. Thornhill ON
>

Super! Mike F is the top guru on Volvos.

Mike

Re: Battery draining
 

"disallow" <loewen_t at yahoo.ca @> wrote in message
news:afb46712af047275c15d0ebe6e9c288e@localhost.ta lkaboutautos.com...
> Just got this info from a guy on the Volvo
> group, in case anyone is interested:
>
>> I just happen to have a wire diagram book for '87 handy. That fuse
> only
>> feeds the fuel pump relay. With the key off, check for power at the
>> following: The red-yellow wire at the injectors and the orange wire on
>> pin 5 at the air mass meter. If either have power then the fuel pump
>> relay is stuck in the on position and you need a new one.
>>
>> Also, assuming the battery is fully charged, then this draw shouldn't
>> kill it in 10 hours. However, car batteries aren't designed for this
>> kind of discharge/recharge and can be quickly damaged when subjected to
>> it.
> Mike F. Thornhill ON
>

Super! Mike F is the top guru on Volvos.

Mike

Re: Battery draining
 

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:OqydnZlj9PEvphbfRVn-ig@sedona.net...
> "remco" <whybcuzREMOVE@THISyahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:_2Gie.12210$yx.81@fe08.lga...
>> >
>>> After taking all of your advice, we found nuthin!
>>>
>>> BUT, there is this blade fuse in line with a wire
>>> coming directly off of the positive terminal of
>>> the battery. Apparently, it feeds the fuel pump
>>> relay. Its a 30 Amp fuse.
>>>
>>> Anyways, when I pulled that fuse, the draw on the
>>> battery went from 0.87amps to 0.01amps. I'm
>>> thinking my problem is there.
>>>
>>> Any ideas on how to fix this? Once the power goes
>>> to the relay, where would it go from there?
>>
>> Seems odd that they'd fuse a fuel pump with 30Amps and feed it directly
>> off
>> the battery since a a fuel pump doesn't take very much power to run.
>> Power
>> delivery (ie power drop across wires, requiring fat wires) is usually not
>> a
>> problem.
>>
>> My old volvo was an older model and don't remember if they had direct
>> line
>> going to the pump.
>> What is more logical is that this fuses the alternator. An alternator is
>> usually directly connected to the battery. It does have diodes inside
>> that
>> short and cause current to flow when it shouldn't. Can you follow that
>> wire
>> to see where it goes?
>>
>> Also, I'd imagine that if that fat wire and fuse indeed do feed the pump
>> through a relay, it would most likely be connected to the contact of the
>> relay (the switch side) -- there's no point connecting a high current
>> wire
>> to the coil (actuator side) of the relay as that is definitely low
>> current.
>> That being true, the only way that you can have any appreciable current
>> running is if the pump is running, even with the car shut off. That relay
>> must be driven somehow.
>>
>> I'd still first check to make sure that that fat wire/fuse is not
>> connected
>> to the alternator, though..
>>
>> Remco
>>
>>
>>
> Nope - the fuse is for the fuel pumps. There is a small in-tank impeller
> pump that draws a little under an amp and a main pump under the car below
> the driver's seat that typically draws a bit under 10 amps... probably
> more on startup. Both are controlled by separate sections of the fuel pump
> relay. The in-tank pump is on any time the ignition is on, while the main
> pump is timer controlled.
>
> The alternator is not fused.
>
> Mike
>
Sounds like a bad fuel pump relay, the in tank impeller pump side welded
closed, main pump contact working normally.

Have Fun,
John

Re: Battery draining
 

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote in message
news:OqydnZlj9PEvphbfRVn-ig@sedona.net...
> "remco" <whybcuzREMOVE@THISyahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:_2Gie.12210$yx.81@fe08.lga...
>> >
>>> After taking all of your advice, we found nuthin!
>>>
>>> BUT, there is this blade fuse in line with a wire
>>> coming directly off of the positive terminal of
>>> the battery. Apparently, it feeds the fuel pump
>>> relay. Its a 30 Amp fuse.
>>>
>>> Anyways, when I pulled that fuse, the draw on the
>>> battery went from 0.87amps to 0.01amps. I'm
>>> thinking my problem is there.
>>>
>>> Any ideas on how to fix this? Once the power goes
>>> to the relay, where would it go from there?
>>
>> Seems odd that they'd fuse a fuel pump with 30Amps and feed it directly
>> off
>> the battery since a a fuel pump doesn't take very much power to run.
>> Power
>> delivery (ie power drop across wires, requiring fat wires) is usually not
>> a
>> problem.
>>
>> My old volvo was an older model and don't remember if they had direct
>> line
>> going to the pump.
>> What is more logical is that this fuses the alternator. An alternator is
>> usually directly connected to the battery. It does have diodes inside
>> that
>> short and cause current to flow when it shouldn't. Can you follow that
>> wire
>> to see where it goes?
>>
>> Also, I'd imagine that if that fat wire and fuse indeed do feed the pump
>> through a relay, it would most likely be connected to the contact of the
>> relay (the switch side) -- there's no point connecting a high current
>> wire
>> to the coil (actuator side) of the relay as that is definitely low
>> current.
>> That being true, the only way that you can have any appreciable current
>> running is if the pump is running, even with the car shut off. That relay
>> must be driven somehow.
>>
>> I'd still first check to make sure that that fat wire/fuse is not
>> connected
>> to the alternator, though..
>>
>> Remco
>>
>>
>>
> Nope - the fuse is for the fuel pumps. There is a small in-tank impeller
> pump that draws a little under an amp and a main pump under the car below
> the driver's seat that typically draws a bit under 10 amps... probably
> more on startup. Both are controlled by separate sections of the fuel pump
> relay. The in-tank pump is on any time the ignition is on, while the main
> pump is timer controlled.
>
> The alternator is not fused.
>
> Mike
>
Sounds like a bad fuel pump relay, the in tank impeller pump side welded
closed, main pump contact working normally.

Have Fun,
John