How to Recognize & Treat a Parasitic Battery Drain
Are you having issues with your battery dying? You just bought a brand new, perfect battery, and it died after a few months. While your first reaction may be to call the battery manufacturer's customer care line and take advantage of the warranty, there could be another reason. The only evidence that your car has a parasitic drain is a series of battery failures.
WHAT IS PARASITIC DRAIN, AND THE WAY DOES IT AFFECT YOU?
When your car's electrical system continues to draw energy from the battery even when the vehicle is shut off, this is known as a parasitic drain. This drain is not the case when you leave your headlights on or don't completely close the door, causing the light to stay on all night.
Instead, this is when everything is turned off, and the battery continues to drain.
A tiny parasitic drain is typical to some extent. Computers, radios, internal clocks, alarms, power mirrors, and other electrical components cause a little draw known as parasitic drain. When the amount of electricity pulled exceeds the normal range, however, it becomes a concern that may impact the performance and longevity of your battery.
HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DIAGNOSE A PARASITIC DRAINAGE?
You'll need a multimeter to figure out what's wrong. The following is how it works:
- Remove the key from the ignition and make sure your vehicle is turned off.
- Set the multimeter to DC Amps and the highest amp level possible. This will prevent the device from being damaged.
- Next, disconnect the negative battery cable from the connector on your battery. It needs to be dark. Make sure the wire does not come into contact with anything grounded.
- The multimeter probes should then be connected to the battery cable. Keep the multimeter off to the side while performing this level with the battery terminal.
- Now you may use your multimeter to determine what the parasitic drain is. If no reading displays, gradually lower the setting until one does.
A typical measurement for a newer car is between 50 and 85 milliamperes. A reading of less than 50 mA is ideal for older automobiles. If your reading is higher than these, you've got an electrical problem that has to be checked by a professional mechanic. One of the circuits that power your car's accessories, such as lights, radio, speakers, or another gadget, could be malfunctioning. Your auto-electrician should be able to identify the root of the problem and repair the electrical component, so you don't have to deal with it again.
If your parasitic drain is within the typical range, what should you do? That's fantastic! You should still make efforts to maintain the health of your vehicle's battery. This effort entails operating your car regularly and taking long drives on occasion to let it fully charge.
Do you require a new car battery?
Batco Batteries, your local battery experts, can provide you with high-quality, long-lasting batteries.