Automotive: console battery kill switch - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

calumniate · 10-23-2016, 05:34 PM

I just had AMA come because I thought I had a bad battery, but my car has a 0.5 to 0.7 amp draw on it, even when it's off. This is and older car and I don't drive too much.

Right now ideally what I'd like is a battery kill switch that ran from the battery to my dashboard. With the rate of draw my existing battery froze from being dead so often :-( Would anyone have some tips on doing this in terms of parts, or anyone know who could do this for me?

Thanks!

Fuzz · 10-23-2016, 05:54 PM

You could try finding what is draining it:
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Parasitic-Battery-Drain

Do you have anything you leave plugged into your cigarette lighter? That would be the most likely culprit.

calumniate · 10-23-2016, 05:59 PM

Thanks, yeah nothing plugged in and I kick out my cd player when I remember. Still the same draw when the hood light is disconnected when we're looking at it.

This is a 91 town car if it helps. Lots of electronics. But it used to be a highly beachable car (meaning when it's off it's off, no gp's or car alarm etc). Just wondering if it's easier to go with a kill switch than chase relays etc. Plus then I'll have a kill switch in my car! How cool is that?? ��

PaperBagger'14 · 10-23-2016, 06:03 PM

Do you have catholic protection in your car? One of those electrical anti rust systems? They kill batteries too.

Edit: Catholic is supposed to be cathodic but I'm leaving it because it's funnier that way.

Fuzz · 10-23-2016, 06:03 PM

Aw, yes 90's electronic gremlins. God luck! The easiest would be to remove the master fuse if you have one. But ya, kill switch would be sweet, just don't hit it while you're rollin' Deerfoot!

calumniate · 10-23-2016, 06:14 PM

Master fuse eh? That sounds promising! Apparently my alternator is great, so when it runs it charges. But I have no idea what it's doing right now. At least a fuse would be I'm my cabin. Otherwise I've just been popping the hood and using a booster pack, but the hood of my car is like a gun going off when I close it.. first world problems

---
Do you have catholic protection in your car? One of those electrical anti rust systems? They kill batteries too.

Edit: Catholic is supposed to be cathodic but I'm leaving it because it's funnier that way.
__________________

No catholic or anti rust systems. Should I? Haha

PaperBagger'14 · 10-23-2016, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calumniate

Master fuse eh? That sounds promising! Apparently my alternator is great, so when it runs it charges. But I have no idea what it's doing right now. At least a fuse would be I'm my cabin. Otherwise I've just been popping the hood and using a booster pack, but the hood of my car is like a gun going off when I close it.. first world problems

---
Do you have catholic protection in your car? One of those electrical anti rust systems? They kill batteries too.

Edit: Catholic is supposed to be cathodic but I'm leaving it because it's funnier that way.
__________________

No catholic or anti rust systems. Should I? Haha

Haha no, I know a guy who bought a work van and it had one in it. Killed his battery without him knowing what caused it.

Fuzz · 10-23-2016, 07:07 PM

The master fuse is going to be under the hood, sorry. Still gotta go in there.

DownhillGoat · 10-23-2016, 07:13 PM

Yeah most kill switches are installed under the hood as well, AFAIK. If it's just an occasional driver have you looked at a battery maintainer?

I installed one under the hood of my truck and plug it in when I'm not using it. Plugin routes outside the hood, just like a block heater. Not a solution for what's draining it, but you wouldn't come out to a dead vehicle after a few days.

calumniate · 10-23-2016, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Yeah most kill switches are installed under the hood as well, AFAIK. If it's just an occasional driver have you looked at a battery maintainer?

I installed one under the hood of my truck and plug it in when I'm not using it. Plugin routes outside the hood, just like a block heater. Not a solution for what's draining it, but you wouldn't come out to a dead vehicle after a few days.

Not sure why I didn't think of that. I have outdoor parking but have a plug. Could do the trick for sure. Do you know which one you bought? I suppose it wouldn't matter

Slanter · 10-23-2016, 08:40 PM

I had this problem too, in my 2010 honda minivan. I just googled "parasitic battery draw honda odyssey van", and what do you know... Lots of people had the same problem.

For me, it was just a relay to the air conditioner compressor that was stuck on. Quick fix was to pull that fuse, long-term fix was to buy a new relay (which cost $10).

You can probably solve your problem easily by hooking up a voltmeter to check the draw, and then methodically pulling fuses. If you find out what fuse stops the draw, you might be able to figure out what needs to be fixed (manual should tell you what each fuse is for). If it's something you don't need, you can just leave the fuse unplugged!

I'd check the AC fuse first.

DownhillGoat · 10-23-2016, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calumniate

Not sure why I didn't think of that. I have outdoor parking but have a plug. Could do the trick for sure. Do you know which one you bought? I suppose it wouldn't matter

I bought a Canadian Tire branded one (MotoMaster), and it doesn't look like they carry them anymore.

Something very similar though:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/no...1926p.html#srp

Don't need anything huge since you're not charging from dead or anything. I think the one I have is 2-4 amp.

Can also check with AMA. They carry Battery Tender brand (for bikes at least) at a fraction of the cost. Not sure if they have anything to permanently mount though.

Fuzz · 10-23-2016, 08:54 PM

This thing looks cool.

http://www.autozone.com/ignition/kil...ch/558401_0_0/

Wireless, and can monitor the battery and automatically disconnect when low. Not sure the price or where to get it in Canada.

Traditional_Ale · 10-23-2016, 09:09 PM

http://batteryworld.net/battery-tend...y-charger.html

Mount the eye-cables on the battery, then simply plug the battery tender in and forget about it. Total maintenance/float charging.

calumniate · 10-23-2016, 09:09 PM

Thanks for all the help so far. Maybe not as cool as a kill switch, but definitely some options in here

#22 · 10-23-2016, 10:34 PM

https://www.summitracing.com/int/sea...MobileSwitchNo

This will give you an idea of what's out there. Very common to have these on race cars for safety reasons.

I put a basic top mount on my 1980 911, as it has similar issues. I do have to open the hood to get at, but it's a simple twist and it cuts the circuit. There are some in car options as well. Just remember to mount it on the Negative post, never the Positive.

puffnstuff · 10-24-2016, 01:26 AM

I have a small solar panel battery trickle charger, use it at the cabin. Was cheap from Princess Auto. You can lay it on the dash and it plugs into the power point (cigarette lighter).

speede5 · 10-24-2016, 07:49 AM

I put a kill switch in my Windstar a few years ago for the same reason. It had an aftermarket remote start that I was sure was causing the problem but didn't have time to diagnose. I bought a 25$ kill switch, drilled a hole under the dash to mount it in reach but out of sight, in case i ever fixed it, and ran a pair of cables through the firewall and up to I think the + battery post. Took me an hour, I had extra cable so it didn't really cost that much.

Total PITA as your clock is always at 12:00.

Canadian tire has one just like this:
https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...3011/overview/

We always disconnect on the positive side in our race cars, and I think I did my van like that because then an accidental grounding doesn't allow power drain. I had no issues but I see there's opinions on not doing the + side so do some research before. In theory either side should work. The only downside would be having hot wires coming through the firewall which is not ideal.

Aleks · 10-24-2016, 12:28 PM

They sell those kill switches at Princess Auto, I install one on every travel trailer I've owned to prevent exactly what you're describing while parked. Just put in line with your NEGATIVE side, its safer to do that way, so you're just removing the battery to car ground connection which should stop your draw. You could get creative and install it somewhere in the grille area, you just need extra cable to do so

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detai...ch/A-p8105033e

calumniate · 10-24-2016, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleks

They sell those kill switches at Princess Auto, I install one on every travel trailer I've owned to prevent exactly what you're describing while parked. Just put in line with your NEGATIVE side, its safer to do that way, so you're just removing the battery to car ground connection which should stop your draw. You could get creative and install it somewhere in the grille area, you just need extra cable to do so

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detai...ch/A-p8105033e

Cool - so I'd just need extra battery cable to run from this to the terminal if I had it around the grille? Thanks!

Edit - on second thought I may get two longish cables and try to put it in my glove box. Cheers