Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Buckley, North Wales
Posts: 1150
Hi Pete
I’ve been getting completely conflicting information and was told that my YouTube video wasn’t the correct setting or reading
Also was told it should read less than 30ma for it to be ok, IF this video was correct. So it’s reading over the amount
I have today since coming back from the garage with no solution… gone from 12.8 to 12.50 in 4 hours
I have tried many variations and settings with no issue to my multimeter or car. I literally just got back in the warm now.
I have (this attempt) disconnected the main positive terminal, but then reattached the fuse box chunky wire… so that the starter motor wire is not connected to the battery positive. And I am hoping this will give me an indication if it’s the starter motor earth, by breaking the circuit for it by disconnecting the positive…
Failing that, I was thinking about rewiring the starter and alternator wiring tomorrow and checking it’s definitely wired in solid.
Hopefully now the positive of the starter has been disconnected… the voltage will stop going down to Jen I check in a few hours.Disco 3 SE Manual 2005 V6 2.7
Buckley, North Wales
13th Dec 2022 6:15 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10735
Usually with a fault you get 150ma or more and that will drain a battery.
You are only slightly over spec. However something did keep waking up. How long did you leave it to sleep before the video?
Poor connections rarely cause a battery drain.
But your alternator maybe causing a drain due to fault
13th Dec 2022 6:23 pm
cmb2020
Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Buckley, North Wales
Posts: 1150
I left it for 40 minutes prior to getting a reading
That video is the only one from all the different methods, that actually gave any reading
I’d ruled the alternator out as I was getting 14v when running and over 10v when cranking so presumed that meant the alternator was ok?Disco 3 SE Manual 2005 V6 2.7
Buckley, North Wales
13th Dec 2022 6:27 pm
cmb2020
Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Buckley, North Wales
Posts: 1150
I think I’ve got a result!
The car went down from 12.7 to 12.5 in a few hours
Then I disconnected the starter motor cable (I think) from the battery terminal. As well as disconnect the fuse box cable from the terminal and connect it to the battery - see image
So 2 hours and 40 minutes later and the voltage has gone up to 12.55!
Usually it will go down as low as 12.4 overnight.
I’ll test again tomorrow and then start rewiring the starter and alternator as I’m starting to think that’s where the problem lies!Disco 3 SE Manual 2005 V6 2.7
Buckley, North Wales
13th Dec 2022 8:41 pm
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15272
Fingers crossed for you that you get a result. ...... always on the road less travelled 🚧
< ‘tis but a mere scratch …….. it’ll polish out.
13th Dec 2022 8:47 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10735
With a meter that has a working fuse on the 10a terminal.
Do the same trick as before. Bridge the thick starter cable with the meter using the 10a connector.
Disconnect the thick cable and measure the current.
Shouldn’t need to wait for car to sleep on this one.
If you see current. Likely an alternator drain fault.
EDIT. I see you have some aftermarket cable coming off that battery clamp that is disconnected.
Could well be that. What is it? Need to measure the current doing down that too
13th Dec 2022 8:52 pm
cmb2020
Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Buckley, North Wales
Posts: 1150
Cheers and the battery cables I’m certain are original as the terminal clamps seem aged and ground cap on to body
And do you mean do the same settings as my YouTube video… but bridge the thick starter cable to the positive terminal?
So basically exactly as my previous image, but with the multimeter from the starter to the battery positive?
CheersDisco 3 SE Manual 2005 V6 2.7
Buckley, North Wales
13th Dec 2022 9:09 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10735
Kinda. Of.
Test the meter fuses as above first.
That battery clamp has 1 cable out the bottom, and 2 nuts on top.
You have disconnected 1 cable from a top nut and eliminated at 50ma.
Now to test the other 2 cables.
The top one looks like winch or split charge?
13th Dec 2022 10:34 pm
Flatlander
Member Since: 20 Jul 2015
Location: Here
Posts: 575
Well it looks like you're getting somewhere, just a note on the current drain values, bear in mind that as electronics age, capacitors get a bit 'leaky', although the advertised maximum quicient current draw is around 30-35mA, an ageing vehicle will likely draw a little bit more, hence the advice to investigate above 40mA and a hard limit of 50mA.
Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Buckley, North Wales
Posts: 1150
Hi again
Updating on this nightmare been on my back 3 hours on ice haha
Redone the starter wiring. Cleaned and super tight.
I did spit this faulty earth wire on the starter. I high has been cleaned and insulated now.
Just locked car up bonnet open 12.85v. I’ll check again in 2 hours. And again morning. I’ll know if it’s gone down it’s not been fixed.
Battery stayed at 12.80v for 3 hours while disconnected. But as soon as I reconnected it and completed work… the voltage went to 12.55v. So it seemed to have an immediate drain in minutes.
Pete: As for the split charge cable in the right, I already disconnected that last week and saw no improvement while I re-grounded the split charge box (again to check it wasn’t that)
The starting of the engine as it cranks seems to make the sat nav screen flicker then turn off for 5 seconds. And get yellow transmission fault for half a second.
Going to remove alternator next when I swap my viscous fan due to be delivered tomorrow. See if the earth is bad there (if I don’t see improvement after the starter earth fault find) attached
Flatlander: my image you sent me was not the settings used in the YouTube video. Using the settings image you sent, I got nothing. Using the settings on the YouTube video, I got readings.
I’ll try the settings again tonight on each cable. But I’m thinking I should expect to see the voltage not drop fast while the starter ground wire damage has been repaired. Praying its done now haha
Thanks as always
Disco 3 SE Manual 2005 V6 2.7
Buckley, North Wales
14th Dec 2022 3:52 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10735
Rather than get under the car in this weather, just measure the current going down the thick wire (out the bottom of battery terminal)
Use the 10A and Com terminals
14th Dec 2022 5:08 pm
cmb2020
Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Buckley, North Wales
Posts: 1150
My heads absolutely battered after today haha
I’m || this close to going LR official down the road for help
Can’t get it in anywhere else
Even if I find the fault I’m probably too mentally exhausted I don’t have the energy to go much further on it
So I should be performing the same test as in my YouTube video with same settings but this time on the starter main chunky wire?
And while I’m there check the split charge separately?
ThanksDisco 3 SE Manual 2005 V6 2.7
Buckley, North Wales
14th Dec 2022 5:23 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10735
Yes.
Try and use the 10A terminal first though.
Cleaning earths won’t fix this
14th Dec 2022 5:24 pm
cmb2020
Member Since: 08 Sep 2020
Location: Buckley, North Wales
Posts: 1150
Thanks - problem is the alarm goes off if I remove the chunky cable off the positive terminal
Or should I leave it unlocked?Disco 3 SE Manual 2005 V6 2.7
Buckley, North Wales
14th Dec 2022 5:27 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10735
Well check the meter fuse as above. ^^^^
Need to know the fuse is good, otherwise yo will have a false reading of 0
For the sake of these tests. (starter/Alt and split charge) you don't need to lock or wait anymore than 3 mins.
Turning the ignition on, off and disconnecting the wire quickly should prevent alarm going off. Well that's what the yellow label near the fusebox hints at
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