Battery going dead in 4-5 days

Graphic Man

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Location
Mississauga ont. Canada
TDI
looking to buy
2000 Jeta, new battery and starter, charging 13.8 V and can't find any drain on the system.....i do not know what the Alt. is putting out for amps....is this a common problem ??....maybe it's time for a new Alt.?

Thanks
Scott
 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
If you can start the car with a boost (assuption) and it stays running, then your alternator is likely charging properly, especially given your reading of 13.8v.

How have you tried to find the drain on the system - do you have an ammeter in line with one of the battery terminals?
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
It is not common.

Yes, you need to determine if the alternator is failing or you have a parasitic loss.
 

Plus 3 Golfer

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2008
Location
ARIZONA
TDI
Und tschüss! 2009 Jetta 12/23/2012
To quickly find a circuit with a high Ampere draw, simply measure the voltage drop across each fuse with a mulitmeter and compare with the table below. You can simply ratio up to get values not on the table. For example, if you have 1.2mV, use the .4mV values and multiply the mA values by 3.

 
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rhskcdn

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2005
Location
PTBO, Ontario
TDI
Golf Wagon 2014 Reflex Silver
How new is the battery and what model/spec is it? What is the voltage of the battery with the car off compared with the voltage when it running? What is the voltage with the car running when you turn on the lights, your seat warmers, heater blower, etc? What are the voltages across each fuse?
 
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Graphic Man

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Location
Mississauga ont. Canada
TDI
looking to buy
car is bone stock.....12.5V on the battery and 13.6V with everything on (lights etc ) 13.8V running with nothing on but i have not checked amp's on the Alt.

Battery is a new 1 month old 870CCA i believe

we did test with an amp meter....i believe it was 0.07 ma

i will check the fuses

Thanks
 

rhskcdn

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2005
Location
PTBO, Ontario
TDI
Golf Wagon 2014 Reflex Silver
From memory, I believe the voltage regulator specs are for an output of 14.5V and you should check at 1100 RPM. That being said, my reading was 14.3V this past summer. For a modern maintenance-free (calcium) battery, I think you are supposed to have more than 14.2V for propper charging. It might be worth checking the alternator connections... I had an issue witch corrosion on one of the two wires.
 
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bentwrench

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Location
Orillia Ontario Canada
TDI
2000 Golf GLS TDI
The most common places for a parasitic draw are the alternator (bigest fuse on the battery) and an aftermarket radio. there are always exceptions but that is where I would start. normal current draw with the car locked and in sleep mode is 30ma. that is the max! good luck!
 

GaryF

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Location
Lowbanks, Ontario
TDI
2013 Jetta TDI 6MT
It could also be something obvious like the trunk light or glove compartment light staying on (happened to me on one of my MK2TD's)
 

Graphic Man

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Location
Mississauga ont. Canada
TDI
looking to buy
battery has been testes with a good shop load tester and tested OK,.....i have checked the lights ...trunk , glove box etc. and all is good

i agree i like to see 14+V also

as soon as i get some time i will look into this a little deeper

Thanks
Scott
 
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