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Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Just wanted to ask:
Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) Thanks! |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
"sharx333" <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote in news:1163212200.212648.320350
@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > See the relevant page at Bill Darden's excellent Battery FAQ: http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq10.htm -- TeGGeR® The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
"sharx333" <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote in news:1163212200.212648.320350
@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > See the relevant page at Bill Darden's excellent Battery FAQ: http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq10.htm -- TeGGeR® The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
"sharx333" <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote in news:1163212200.212648.320350
@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > See the relevant page at Bill Darden's excellent Battery FAQ: http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq10.htm -- TeGGeR® The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
"sharx333" <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote in news:1163212200.212648.320350
@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > See the relevant page at Bill Darden's excellent Battery FAQ: http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq10.htm -- TeGGeR® The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > > Thanks! > sure, but it depends on the bulb and the drain!!! if you describe your problem, maybe we can address that question better? |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > > Thanks! > sure, but it depends on the bulb and the drain!!! if you describe your problem, maybe we can address that question better? |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > > Thanks! > sure, but it depends on the bulb and the drain!!! if you describe your problem, maybe we can address that question better? |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Just wanted to ask: > > Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. > > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) > > Thanks! > sure, but it depends on the bulb and the drain!!! if you describe your problem, maybe we can address that question better? |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. I had a light bulb that was a parasitic drain, once. I thought I just had a dying battery. It was a little sluggish starting sometimes, and dead if I didn't drive it every day. I bought a new battery, and that made things much better, and then it was dead again after it sat for a few days. I charged it up, got in, and noticed a strange glow on the floor. At first I thought it was a street light, then I realized that the glove box light was on. The switch had gotten knocked out of it's mounting. I didn't see the dim light under daytime conditions, and only happened to notice it at night. > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) I would say that a dual filament 1157 bulb should glow dimly. If it is at all bright, that is a pretty good load. At full brightness: bright filament: 12.8V, 26.9W, 2.10A (R=V/I=12.8/2.1=6.1 ohms) dim filament: 14.0V, 8.3W, 0.59A (R=24 ohms) -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. I had a light bulb that was a parasitic drain, once. I thought I just had a dying battery. It was a little sluggish starting sometimes, and dead if I didn't drive it every day. I bought a new battery, and that made things much better, and then it was dead again after it sat for a few days. I charged it up, got in, and noticed a strange glow on the floor. At first I thought it was a street light, then I realized that the glove box light was on. The switch had gotten knocked out of it's mounting. I didn't see the dim light under daytime conditions, and only happened to notice it at night. > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) I would say that a dual filament 1157 bulb should glow dimly. If it is at all bright, that is a pretty good load. At full brightness: bright filament: 12.8V, 26.9W, 2.10A (R=V/I=12.8/2.1=6.1 ohms) dim filament: 14.0V, 8.3W, 0.59A (R=24 ohms) -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. I had a light bulb that was a parasitic drain, once. I thought I just had a dying battery. It was a little sluggish starting sometimes, and dead if I didn't drive it every day. I bought a new battery, and that made things much better, and then it was dead again after it sat for a few days. I charged it up, got in, and noticed a strange glow on the floor. At first I thought it was a street light, then I realized that the glove box light was on. The switch had gotten knocked out of it's mounting. I didn't see the dim light under daytime conditions, and only happened to notice it at night. > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) I would say that a dual filament 1157 bulb should glow dimly. If it is at all bright, that is a pretty good load. At full brightness: bright filament: 12.8V, 26.9W, 2.10A (R=V/I=12.8/2.1=6.1 ohms) dim filament: 14.0V, 8.3W, 0.59A (R=24 ohms) -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> Is the "light bulb" test (putting a 12v bulb in series with the battery > circuit) an accurate test for a parasitic drain? My ammeter only goes > up to 0.25A, and I don't want to risk overloading the meter. I had a light bulb that was a parasitic drain, once. I thought I just had a dying battery. It was a little sluggish starting sometimes, and dead if I didn't drive it every day. I bought a new battery, and that made things much better, and then it was dead again after it sat for a few days. I charged it up, got in, and noticed a strange glow on the floor. At first I thought it was a street light, then I realized that the glove box light was on. The switch had gotten knocked out of it's mounting. I didn't see the dim light under daytime conditions, and only happened to notice it at night. > How bright should the bulb light up, if it should at all, for a > "normal" drain? (clock, ECU, radio memory) I would say that a dual filament 1157 bulb should glow dimly. If it is at all bright, that is a pretty good load. At full brightness: bright filament: 12.8V, 26.9W, 2.10A (R=V/I=12.8/2.1=6.1 ohms) dim filament: 14.0V, 8.3W, 0.59A (R=24 ohms) -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Sure, jim. And thanks.
Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden hose). Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for the preset memory, I guess). When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Sure, jim. And thanks.
Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden hose). Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for the preset memory, I guess). When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Sure, jim. And thanks.
Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden hose). Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for the preset memory, I guess). When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Sure, jim. And thanks.
Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden hose). Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for the preset memory, I guess). When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Sure, jim. And thanks. > > Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took > the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water > level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just > sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden > hose). > > Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some > posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. > I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). > > When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried > the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, > thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the > possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. > > I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm > puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. > well, first, you have to eliminate the battery as a problem - if it's draining itself, it's no good. after that, 170mA is a 2W bulb at 12V [hence bulb glow]. that drain seems high for the ecu memory [what you'd have left after disconnecting the audio.] i'd continue looking for leakage. check both sets of fuses pulling each one individually and connect the meter probes between the slots. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Sure, jim. And thanks. > > Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took > the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water > level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just > sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden > hose). > > Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some > posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. > I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). > > When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried > the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, > thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the > possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. > > I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm > puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. > well, first, you have to eliminate the battery as a problem - if it's draining itself, it's no good. after that, 170mA is a 2W bulb at 12V [hence bulb glow]. that drain seems high for the ecu memory [what you'd have left after disconnecting the audio.] i'd continue looking for leakage. check both sets of fuses pulling each one individually and connect the meter probes between the slots. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Sure, jim. And thanks. > > Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took > the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water > level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just > sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden > hose). > > Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some > posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. > I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). > > When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried > the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, > thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the > possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. > > I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm > puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. > well, first, you have to eliminate the battery as a problem - if it's draining itself, it's no good. after that, 170mA is a 2W bulb at 12V [hence bulb glow]. that drain seems high for the ecu memory [what you'd have left after disconnecting the audio.] i'd continue looking for leakage. check both sets of fuses pulling each one individually and connect the meter probes between the slots. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
sharx333 wrote:
> Sure, jim. And thanks. > > Last week, the battery drained overnight on my '95 Civic 1.6L. I took > the battery to be recharged at a shop, and we found that the water > level was low. But I suspected a "ground" somewhere, because I had just > sprayed the engine with a degreaser and rinsed it (low pressure garden > hose). > > Since my ammeter only goes up to 0.25A (250 mA), and I read on some > posts that the current could go over 1A, I tried the bulb trick first. > I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). > > When I disconnected the radio, the bulb was finally very dim. I tried > the ammeter and expected less than 80 mA (from the battery FAQ link, > thanks to TeGGer). But I still got 170 mA or so. I've checked all the > possible bulbs, and I think a bulb would pull more than that. > > I finally concluded that there was no parasitic drain at all, but I'm > puzzled as to what could be making that extra load. > well, first, you have to eliminate the battery as a problem - if it's draining itself, it's no good. after that, 170mA is a 2W bulb at 12V [hence bulb glow]. that drain seems high for the ecu memory [what you'd have left after disconnecting the audio.] i'd continue looking for leakage. check both sets of fuses pulling each one individually and connect the meter probes between the slots. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Ok. Thanks for the heads-up.
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Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Ok. Thanks for the heads-up.
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Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Ok. Thanks for the heads-up.
|
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Ok. Thanks for the heads-up.
|
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb specs, but I think you found your culprit. > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb specs, but I think you found your culprit. > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb specs, but I think you found your culprit. > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk > light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb specs, but I think you found your culprit. > I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, > with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that > it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for > the preset memory, I guess). I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. -- --- Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5 |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote:
> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk >> light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. > A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com > to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb > specs, but I think you found your culprit. > >> I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, >> with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that >> it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for >> the preset memory, I guess). > > I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the > Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a > few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. > There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. > > A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a > heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of > power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on > with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its > amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. > > Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote:
> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk >> light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. > A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com > to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb > specs, but I think you found your culprit. > >> I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, >> with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that >> it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for >> the preset memory, I guess). > > I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the > Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a > few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. > There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. > > A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a > heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of > power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on > with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its > amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. > > Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote:
> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk >> light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. > A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com > to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb > specs, but I think you found your culprit. > >> I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, >> with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that >> it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for >> the preset memory, I guess). > > I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the > Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a > few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. > There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. > > A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a > heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of > power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on > with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its > amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. > > Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote:
> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> I don't know the exact rating of the bulb (aftermarket dome/trunk >> light), but it glowed brightly. (All doors/trunk was closed, key off) > > That might be a low wattage lamp, and glow brightly at a low current draw. > A stoplight bulb is a better choice, perhaps. I could look at autozone.com > to find the dome light bulb number, and then sylvania.com for the bulb > specs, but I think you found your culprit. > >> I tried pulling underhood fuses and even disconnecting the alternator, >> with no result. Then I tried pulling the cabin fuses, and I found that >> it was the Pioneer head unit that was pulling most of the power (for >> the preset memory, I guess). > > I think you are indicating that 170mA made the bulb glow dimly, and the > Pioneer made it bright. That's not good. The pioneer should only draw a > few milliamps in standby. There should be a figure in the manual. > There should also be a standby control on the Pioneer. > > A voltage supplied to the Pioneer that is always on is expected to be a > heavy current feed for the amplifier, that also draws a tiny amount of > power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes on > with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its > amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. > > Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
jim beam wrote: > dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote: >> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> .... also draws a tiny amount of >> power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes >> on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its >> amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. >> >> Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. >> > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio > needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. The obvious question is - can you see the Pioneer front panel lit up? -- Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro.org.uk/ Wessex Astro Society's Website Dorset UK Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
jim beam wrote: > dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote: >> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> .... also draws a tiny amount of >> power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes >> on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its >> amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. >> >> Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. >> > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio > needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. The obvious question is - can you see the Pioneer front panel lit up? -- Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro.org.uk/ Wessex Astro Society's Website Dorset UK Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
jim beam wrote: > dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote: >> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> .... also draws a tiny amount of >> power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes >> on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its >> amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. >> >> Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. >> > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio > needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. The obvious question is - can you see the Pioneer front panel lit up? -- Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro.org.uk/ Wessex Astro Society's Website Dorset UK Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
jim beam wrote: > dold@XReXXParas.usenet.us.com wrote: >> In rec.autos.makers.honda sharx333 <emil.santos@gmail.com> wrote: >> .... also draws a tiny amount of >> power in standby. There should be another switched control that comes >> on with the radio or ignition that cause the Pioneer to turn on its >> amplifiers. I think yours is switched on all the time. >> >> Or maybe not... ;-) Check the manual for some specs on the Pioneer. >> > but the 170mA is /after/ the audio is disconnected! yes, the audio > needs to be addressed, but there's still unusually high residual drain. The obvious question is - can you see the Pioneer front panel lit up? -- Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro.org.uk/ Wessex Astro Society's Website Dorset UK Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Yes, jim's right, there is 170mA *after* the Pioneer's fuse is
disconnected. With it connected, the bulb glows brightly and it's too high for my ammeter. Strangely though, the battery has not discharged yet. I've left it connected for two days now without charging/starting it. And of course, all the measurements were taken with the Pioneer off, front panel dark, "demo" mode off.. Hard to see how the wiring could be wrong, but yes, the standby draw seems too high. I'll look into the manual for the specs. Will post again ASAP. Many thanks. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Yes, jim's right, there is 170mA *after* the Pioneer's fuse is
disconnected. With it connected, the bulb glows brightly and it's too high for my ammeter. Strangely though, the battery has not discharged yet. I've left it connected for two days now without charging/starting it. And of course, all the measurements were taken with the Pioneer off, front panel dark, "demo" mode off.. Hard to see how the wiring could be wrong, but yes, the standby draw seems too high. I'll look into the manual for the specs. Will post again ASAP. Many thanks. |
Re: Parasitic Drain - Bulb Trick
Yes, jim's right, there is 170mA *after* the Pioneer's fuse is
disconnected. With it connected, the bulb glows brightly and it's too high for my ammeter. Strangely though, the battery has not discharged yet. I've left it connected for two days now without charging/starting it. And of course, all the measurements were taken with the Pioneer off, front panel dark, "demo" mode off.. Hard to see how the wiring could be wrong, but yes, the standby draw seems too high. I'll look into the manual for the specs. Will post again ASAP. Many thanks. |
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