Current draw on battery, possibly glowshift gauges? - Toyota Yaris Forums

goku87 · 01-01-2009, 08:38 AM

I have three glowshift gauges installed, volt, rpm, and water temp. I have had them installed for a while, but recently I have been noticing some issues with my battery. Every time I go to start my car I have to get a jump start. I thought it was just the cold + a bad battery, but when I took it in, the dealership said that there was something pulling more current than normal. I think he said it was somewhere around 330mA. Is it possible that my gauge cluster is causing this?

mikenacarato · 01-01-2009, 10:27 AM

the 3 gauges wont draw nearly enough power to make even the slightest difference.

IllusionX · 01-01-2009, 04:05 PM

300mA is not going to affect anything. It's like 1 extra 5w light bulb. lol

Desperauto · 01-01-2009, 04:59 PM

Interesting my HB is one year old and the battery did the same thing, I have gauges also and a stereo amp +++ and an alarm system. The battery would keep going dead. I realize that the alarm pulls current but not that much. I finally put the battery under and extreme test and found that one of the cells in the battery was shorting out and draining the battery. They must use cheap batterys in the factory install. It gave me the excuse to put in a yellow top, even though they cost 3 times as much.

ChinoCharles · 01-01-2009, 05:47 PM

Make sure your stereo systems are grounded.

goku87 · 01-01-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desperauto

Interesting my HB is one year old and the battery did the same thing, I have gauges also and a stereo amp +++ and an alarm system. The battery would keep going dead. I realize that the alarm pulls current but not that much. I finally put the battery under and extreme test and found that one of the cells in the battery was shorting out and draining the battery. They must use cheap batterys in the factory install. It gave me the excuse to put in a yellow top, even though they cost 3 times as much.

Interesting. Well, I disconnected the gauges last night so I could see if I needed a jump start this morning. Just to see if it was the gauges. I couldn't find my multimeter to actually measure the amperage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChinoCharles

Make sure your stereo systems are grounded.

I have the stock stereo system. :(

IllusionX · 01-01-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desperauto

Interesting my HB is one year old and the battery did the same thing, I have gauges also and a stereo amp +++ and an alarm system. The battery would keep going dead. I realize that the alarm pulls current but not that much. I finally put the battery under and extreme test and found that one of the cells in the battery was shorting out and draining the battery. They must use cheap batterys in the factory install. It gave me the excuse to put in a yellow top, even though they cost 3 times as much.

Panasonic seem to be making pretty bad batteries lately. I'm hearing several cases of OEM batteries going bad. But Toyota dealers here replaces with "toyota" batteries, mfg'd by East Penn, and are 550amp vs 330amp panasonic.

goku87 · 01-02-2009, 07:34 AM

Unhooked the power from the gauges. Battery was fine many many hours later. Why are my gauges pulling so much current?

firemachine69 · 01-02-2009, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desperauto

They must use cheap batterys in the factory install.

They do. My completely stock Yaris (minus speakers that draw nothing while they're off) needed a boost the other day. POS car...

mikenacarato · 01-02-2009, 12:03 PM

your gauges wouldnt have anything to do with the battery dying, unless you have the power wire tapped into a constand 12v source. they do turn off when the car is off right?

goku87 · 01-02-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikenacarato

your gauges wouldnt have anything to do with the battery dying, unless you have the power wire tapped into a constand 12v source. they do turn off when the car is off right?

Correct. The +12v is connected to +12v and the ACC is connected to the ACC, so when the car is off, the guages go off. I tapped off of the guage cluster wires. Thought that was appropriate.

Found my multimeter last night. I'm going to confirm that it's my gauges, and then try to figure out which gauge it is. But I really don't want to with it being so cold out. -16F is just cold.

talnlnky · 01-03-2009, 06:14 AM

330ma hahaha... thats a 4watt drain. yeah... that will take a long time to drain a battery
equation is Amps * Volts = watts
.330A * 12V = 3.96watts

check all your aftermarket electronics... lights, glowing dash crap, stereo... make sure that none of the connectors have any strands of wire that is frayed out and can possible short out on metal somewhere. That could cause a short which might speed up the discharge rate.

goku87 · 01-03-2009, 08:41 AM

With the exception of the gauges (which are now disconnected) I have no aftermarket electronics in the Yaris. And to my surprise, I found out about an hour ago I could not start my car because the battery had gotten to low. It did just the "click-click-click-click-click-click" thing cars do when their battery isn't dead, but low.

What could possibly be draining my battery???

goku87 · 01-03-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camelll

Your battery is either crap or your alternator is not charging the battery properly. My .02 cents.

When my car is on the alt voltage hovers around 13.5v to 14.5v depending on temperature, weather, rpm, etc. I think the alt might be fine.

Altitude · 01-03-2009, 10:20 PM

My stock battery died after leaving the headlights on for 10 minutes without the engine running. I've owned many cars over the years and never had one go that quickly. Replaced it immediately with a Red Top.

I would agree that the stock batteries are crap - or at least there is a bad batch of them running around out there.

talnlnky · 01-04-2009, 03:42 AM

There's more to checking if an alt or battery is good then just checking the voltage. The amperage is also important. if your alt can charge at 14v but only puts out 20amps at 3000 rpms, then something is horribly wrong.

its much harder to check amperage however as you need an ammeter/amp clamp which are spendy.

goku87 · 01-04-2009, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talnlnky

There's more to checking if an alt or battery is good then just checking the voltage. The amperage is also important. if your alt can charge at 14v but only puts out 20amps at 3000 rpms, then something is horribly wrong.

its much harder to check amperage however as you need an ammeter/amp clamp which are spendy.

Lucky for me I work on electronics, and an ammeter I have. I'll check that next. About how many amps should I be looking for?

yarisugi · 01-04-2009, 07:12 AM

Though it may seem too early to get a new battery considering that's it's still a pretty new car - get a new battery.

01-01-2009, 08:38 AM	#1
goku87 Drives: Black HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: AK Posts: 542	Current draw on battery, possibly glowshift gauges? I have three glowshift gauges installed, volt, rpm, and water temp. I have had them installed for a while, but recently I have been noticing some issues with my battery. Every time I go to start my car I have to get a jump start. I thought it was just the cold + a bad battery, but when I took it in, the dealership said that there was something pulling more current than normal. I think he said it was somewhere around 330mA. Is it possible that my gauge cluster is causing this? __________________ Selling: [NST Short Shift Kits] [Clazzio Seat Covers] [Carbon Fiber Shift Knob] [180mm Double Din Dash] [Replacement Stock Headlight Bulb] [Various Interior Trim Pieces]

01-01-2009, 04:59 PM	#4
Desperauto The Old Man Drives: 2008 yaris HB black sand pearl Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 57	Interesting my HB is one year old and the battery did the same thing, I have gauges also and a stereo amp +++ and an alarm system. The battery would keep going dead. I realize that the alarm pulls current but not that much. I finally put the battery under and extreme test and found that one of the cells in the battery was shorting out and draining the battery. They must use cheap batterys in the factory install. It gave me the excuse to put in a yellow top, even though they cost 3 times as much. __________________ Life is Grand

01-02-2009, 07:34 AM	#8
goku87 Drives: Black HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: AK Posts: 542	Unhooked the power from the gauges. Battery was fine many many hours later. Why are my gauges pulling so much current? __________________ Selling: [NST Short Shift Kits] [Clazzio Seat Covers] [Carbon Fiber Shift Knob] [180mm Double Din Dash] [Replacement Stock Headlight Bulb] [Various Interior Trim Pieces]

01-03-2009, 06:14 AM	#12
talnlnky Audio Junky Drives: 08 liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Spokane, Wa Posts: 1,412	330ma hahaha... thats a 4watt drain. yeah... that will take a long time to drain a battery equation is Amps * Volts = watts .330A * 12V = 3.96watts check all your aftermarket electronics... lights, glowing dash crap, stereo... make sure that none of the connectors have any strands of wire that is frayed out and can possible short out on metal somewhere. That could cause a short which might speed up the discharge rate. __________________

01-03-2009, 08:41 AM	#13
goku87 Drives: Black HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: AK Posts: 542	I guess I need to clarify: With the exception of the gauges (which are now disconnected) I have no aftermarket electronics in the Yaris. And to my surprise, I found out about an hour ago I could not start my car because the battery had gotten to low. It did just the "click-click-click-click-click-click" thing cars do when their battery isn't dead, but low. What could possibly be draining my battery??? __________________ Selling: [NST Short Shift Kits] [Clazzio Seat Covers] [Carbon Fiber Shift Knob] [180mm Double Din Dash] [Replacement Stock Headlight Bulb] [Various Interior Trim Pieces]

01-01-2009, 10:27 AM	#2
mikenacarato SIPNDEW View User's Garage Drives: 15 STI Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brentwood, TN Posts: 2,281	the 3 gauges wont draw nearly enough power to make even the slightest difference.

01-01-2009, 04:05 PM	#3
IllusionX It's the illusion you see View User's Garage Drives: 07 Yaris Sedan Aero Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brossard, QC Posts: 3,888	300mA is not going to affect anything. It's like 1 extra 5w light bulb. lol

01-01-2009, 05:47 PM	#5
ChinoCharles Banned Drives: LB Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: OH Posts: 7,787	Make sure your stereo systems are grounded.

01-02-2009, 12:03 PM	#10
mikenacarato SIPNDEW View User's Garage Drives: 15 STI Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brentwood, TN Posts: 2,281	your gauges wouldnt have anything to do with the battery dying, unless you have the power wire tapped into a constand 12v source. they do turn off when the car is off right?

01-03-2009, 10:20 PM	#15
Altitude Drives: '08 LB MT Bayou Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,671	My stock battery died after leaving the headlights on for 10 minutes without the engine running. I've owned many cars over the years and never had one go that quickly. Replaced it immediately with a Red Top. I would agree that the stock batteries are crap - or at least there is a bad batch of them running around out there.

01-04-2009, 03:42 AM	#16
talnlnky Audio Junky Drives: 08 liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Spokane, Wa Posts: 1,412	There's more to checking if an alt or battery is good then just checking the voltage. The amperage is also important. if your alt can charge at 14v but only puts out 20amps at 3000 rpms, then something is horribly wrong. its much harder to check amperage however as you need an ammeter/amp clamp which are spendy. __________________

01-04-2009, 07:12 AM	#18
yarisugi やりすぎだ～ View User's Garage Drives: Me: Nuts: Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: ハワイ Posts: 2,041	Though it may seem too early to get a new battery considering that's it's still a pretty new car - get a new battery.

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