Battery drain - 0.04amp too much?

[cat007]

Hey all

My supra battery is buggered - because it's been drained flat one too many times (read that as *more than once*).

Checking battery drain with doors closed, keys out of ignition etc etc and I'm getting 0.04amps

I have an alarm but that does seem to change the draw much - maybe up to 0.05amp - but seems to flick between 0.05 and 0.04.

Is that too much?

[holden_fan2005]

Up to .05a is 'acceptable' but I guess if you have an already buggered battery it will kill it again over time.

What type of battery is it? Some batteries require a special charger to correctly recharge the battery.

[Bling]

<0.5W doesn't sound like all that much draw? Have a stereo installed, and a clock? Perhaps disconnect those and see what it drops to if worried. A dead battery is dead though, they don't like going flat even once usually.

[Mr Ree]

I thought that too, but I have killed my battery atleast 30 times since I bought it, and it just keeps coming back for more.

Once I charge it up after it has died from sitting, it is back kicking in no time at all, and it has never let me down when out driving, as it always takes a good charge again.

[Dell'Orto]

The battery in my Levin has also taken a bit of a beating, twin amps drain it pretty quick at full noise! It has to be at least 4 years old now and still kicking.
Kinda goes against what I learnt about batteries, but it may be to something to do with the construction of calcium batteries too.

[Scottie]

What type of battery is it? Some batteries require a special charger to correctly recharge the battery.

they take a different type of electrons don't they

[cat007]

It's just an average lead acid battery.

Using some basic 18amp supercheap charger.

When fully charged I only get about 5 seconds of starter cranking before it starts to die.

[92mr2paddy]

tried jumping it and driving car for a decent amount of time, then disconnect battery and see if it starts the next day?

[Bling]

Likely drops to well well below 12v when cranking too. Unless you want to take the chance and get stuck somewhere, just buy a new one. They only cost a tank of gas.

Basic and 18amp charger doesn't quite seem right though. I got a good one a while back and that's only 8 amp and does all the fancy charging. Even with that though, a dead battery is dead as i've discovered.

[Dell'Orto]

Will be 1800ma. 18 amps is huge!

[cat007]

Will be 1800ma. 18 amps is huge!

Nah it's definitely 18amp. Calibre brand from supercheap.

Really cranks a charge into a battery - doesn't take long.

Yeah I've taken the car out for a good hour run or more - still no good. I guess I just don't want to invest in another battery only to have the 40mA drain kill the battery. But I suppose 40mA isn't all that much.

[Grrrrrrr!]

Will be 1800ma. 18 amps is huge!

Lol, just been checking out the chargers at a customers site.. 20kW battery chargers FTW.

[Bling]

A car won't do bugger all in an hour compared to a proper charge. So if the charger can't do the job, I just can't see going for a long drive being any use. Just my2c

Maybe check the draw on another car for comparison. Someone has borrowed my car otherwise i'd go check mine now.

[Doriftering]

0.04a is normal, just the draw of the radio and clock for memory. Will just be the battery

[matt dunn]

That amount of current draw is nothing, 40ma.

Usually anything less than 200ma at work we don't even worry about.

But in saying that any car left for long enough will go flat no matter what.

Usually much more than 2 weeks sitting and you need some form of battery maintainer.

How long does yours take to go dead.
( probably just a battery fault by the sounds anyway)

[Monsterbishi]

Also don't forget to let the Ammeter sit connected for a minute or two before taking the final reading - a lot of cars will draw considerably higher current when first connected whilst their ECU's do checks when power is first connected after being off.