how long should a battery hold a charge?

[Luc1f3r]

in a car that is parked and not turned on? i hit a deer 2 days before christmas, my sat for almost a week before i started it again, it kinda stuttered but started, it then sat for prolly 2 weeks and i had to jump it. that day i rewired some things and ever since then if the car sits for more then 2 days the battery is dead, its an optima Red Top, does that sound right or did i do something when i rewired?

here is a list of all the electrical things i have in my car, would all this draw enough when the car is off to kill the car? (everything is wired correctly and if it should be on acc power, it is.)

...Street Glow...
1 6 LED pod
1 LED Wheel well kit
1 lava neon
6 9" LED bars
8 3" LED bars
9 strobes
...Oznium...
2 OEM Red led switches
4 4" cold cathodes
10 12" cold cathodes
…Whelen…
2 CSP660
10 Strobes
…Other…
1 LED under body kit
2 6" cold cathodes
2 LED fans
24 LED Singles

Pioneer Avic-D3
Apple 80gb iPod Video
Kicker SS65.2
Kicker Zx1500.1
Kicker Zx450.2
Kicker 12” L7 x2
XO Vision 8” Sun visor monitor x2
XO Vision 7” Rearview monitor
PAC SWI-X
Pioneer CD-I200
KnuKonceptz 30ft 1/0 wire
1/0awg connecters
1/0awg fuse holder x2
Dash kit
Wire harness
Stinger 4ch RCAs
Digital battery terminals
Digital distro block
Fahrenheit video amp
Scangauge II
Sony PSP
6000k HIDs

Viper 791xv
Mini piezo x2
Battery back up
556u
Passport 9500i

the day this started was also the day i installed the scanguageII though that shuts off automatically after 10seconds i think...

normal, or where should i start hunting?

[Spock]

sounds like there is something that is draining. I would check how many amps you are pulling with the car off. Also has the battery gotten a full charge since it has been discharged? If not that could be the problem too.

[triniosito]

you need to upgrade your battery to a optima red top or yellow top and a couple of capacitors for your music system and also your alternator to a one with higher ouptut

[Luc1f3r]

you need to upgrade your battery to a optima red top or yellow top and a couple of capacitors for your music system and also your alternator to a one with higher ouptut

please dont post in another one of my threads until you can read and understand an electrical system. :wallb::deadhorse::passedout:

[Spock]

please dont post in another one of my threads until you can read and understand an electrical system. :wallb::deadhorse::passedout:

LOL...:rofl:

[ntwrkguru]

you need to upgrade your battery to a optima red top or yellow top and a couple of capacitors for your music system and also your alternator to a one with higher ouptut

pwnd....

Something is draining it dude. Start by getting it fully charged; either with a trickle charger or drive that jawn for an hour or so. Then unplug anything that can be unplugged, like the radar detector, etc.

Are the monitors and such hooked to constant power? Or are they switched power? (Or do they have a switched and constant power leads?)

If you have a clamp-style DC ammeter, you could just turn the car and all accessories off and look for current. Then it's just trial and error until you find the offender.

[hawgs74]

Normal -- With all the shiz u have hooked up finding a single power drain will be a pain in the asshole. Easier to invest in a jump box. And maker sure your car gets started every few days. BTW Mine and Bryans do the same thing and we both have optimas.

I like my alarm cause I can set it to start my car everyday at a certain time even if Im away on vacation or someting.

[Luc1f3r]

the tvs have constant power to the monitors, but the monitors themselves have on off buttons. i like Brandons answer the best just because i would be a PITA to hunt down the issue. i will play with it today at the shop and when i get it back set the alarm to random start. and make sure i drive it daily.

[Butters]

i have a kindof dumb idea for you but get a wiring diagram and a multimeter and check every wire that needs power or should get power when the car turns on. or check your fuse box and see what fuse is getting power when the car is off. dumb idea but it may help. and i did not fully read what was going on.

Edit:
ok i just read it now. um check to see how much current is being drawn from the battery. if a lot. check the things that draw 12 volts if very lil like realy lil number then check led's. otherwise brandons idea is very good.

[xtremesplokc]

As a long time alarm/remote start installer I can tell you that the DEI 564t and similar (two way pager alarm with rem start, or the version without rem start, 563t) will all drain the battery if the alarm is armed and the car sits for a very long period of time. They usually dont draw more than 500ma but this is enough that if the car isnt started over a 2-3 week period it could drain the battery enough that the vehicle either wouldnt start or would be a bitch to start. Basically the larm requires a small amount of current to keep the logic in the alarm brain functioning, and also the shock sensor if one is connected. basically so if someone bumps the car it sets it off, or if a door is opened, etc. Ive had several customers Ive installed alarms for on cars that only go to shows eveyr month or so and sit in the garage the rest of this time, and it took me quite awhile to convince them its not a "faulty" alarm draining their battery, the alarm just requires a small amoutn of current to keep it functioning. The only solution I informed them was, if youre keeping the car in a garage - dont arm the alarm :) Else the car will need to be ran everyonce in awhile to keep the batt charged, and this is with all vehicles. The only one i never saw this with was my spl vehicle (Jeep grand cherokee) which had 4 optima d31 blue tops in it :) It sat for over a month armed with no noteable discharge. So obviousely the only way to get around it is either a start the car regularly, b dont keep the alarm armed, or c have an immense battery system :) Also I have noted the smaller cheapo alarms sometimes also have the same drain if not even higher as they use logic circuitry with higher current requirements as the ic's are cheaper.

[Luc1f3r]

the alarm hasnt been armed at all during this time... connected, but not armed.

[ntwrkguru]

2nd battery for all the stuff...with a cut-off switch....and upgraded alt? Then the car would charge the 2nd batt, but none of the add-ons could drain the starting battery. They use a similar setup on boats so that the trolling motor, radios, radar, etc. can't kill the starting battery. That would cost you some coin though.... cheaper and easier to do what Brandon does. :-)

[Spock]

As a long time alarm/remote start installer I can tell you that the DEI 564t and similar (two way pager alarm with rem start, or the version without rem start, 563t) will all drain the battery if the alarm is armed and the car sits for a very long period of time. They usually dont draw more than 500ma but this is enough that if the car isnt started over a 2-3 week period it could drain the battery enough that the vehicle either wouldnt start or would be a bitch to start.

Umm a 500ma current draw with the car off will kill the battery within 2-3 if not sooner I don't know how you think it will take 2-3 weeks.


Frankly adding batteries or anything else is just an expensive band aid that is going to fail eventually. You need to take the time and figure out what is drawing the power. I would start with the scan gauge since it was the most recent addition. Best way to do it is while checking the current draw and the car off start pulling fuses to your accessories and when the current draw drops you have found the problem.

[Luc1f3r]

well, i went to the shop today and my car was outside.. i asked the guy if he had to jump it to get it out, and he said he hadnt jumped it in over a week, hes been pulling it in and out every day and not just letting it sit. i will at one point (after i get to FL) figure out what is wrong, but for now, that was enough to make me happy!

we got the rear bumper fitted, the side skirts fitted and a custom camera mount made. everything will be painted by Wednesday or thursday. and we also got a second battery added to the guys Hyabusa(sp)

[Butters]

why dont you just disconnect the battery when your done driving it for the day and put the alarm on a different one battery. just get a small 12 volt out of a motorcycle. only reason i say that is cause the alarm is pretty useless now seeing that your car dies in a day. i understand it dont fix it but its something til you do fix it.

[Krdshrk]

Optima batteries are meant for daily driven vehicles with higher power draw. They do not hold a charge very well if left sitting for a while - especially in colder weather.

[Luc1f3r]

Optima batteries are meant for daily driven vehicles with higher power draw. They do not hold a charge very well if left sitting for a while - especially in colder weather.

did not know that, fun fact. thank you.

[scionxb.org]

Don't they make a cutoff that will kill everything once the amps get below starting range.? That way you always have enough to start the ride. Don't remember for sure and don't know if it would be the answer, but it may.?

[Luc1f3r]

if i could wire my alarm to work around that bypass, it would be pretty cool, but i think with the auto run on the alarm it would be an issue.

[Spock]

if i could wire my alarm to work around that bypass, it would be pretty cool, but i think with the auto run on the alarm it would be an issue.

are you talking about the 556u? why would you want to wire around that bypass?