Draining battery - stereo related?

[Amber_Nunny]

Hi guys,

I recently fitted my new stero and sub into my car.

A few hours after everything was fitted, my battery died so we fiddled around with a few things and made sure that the stereo and amp turns off when the keys are out of the ignition etc - this seemed to solve the problem.

When I went to get a new battery I also got them to check my alternator which is fine.

The new battery has been on for about a week and has this morning decided to die.

Just a normal dead battery situation where the lights are displayed on my dash but when you try to turn it over it just clicks.

I assume its something to do with how the wires are connected behind the stereo but I really can't see anything that's wrong with how it's wired up at the minute :\

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[jordon123200063]

it may be that your alternator cannot cope with the power you are asking from it have you put a power inverter in when you installed your audio equipment

[Pete91]

How much power does your system draw? It needs to be a feck load before needing an alternator upgrade.

[Amber_Nunny]

I assume not too much... It's only a single 12" sub and a new double din that I've added.

[jordon123200063]

power capacitator not invetor sorry

[Pete91]

Do you know which sub it is? Shouldn't be an issue for the alternator unless it's a really powerful sub. Have a look at your power cable from the amp to the battery and check all the connections

[Amber_Nunny]

Do you know which sub it is? Shouldn't be an issue for the alternator unless it's a really powerful sub. Have a look at your power cable from the amp to the battery and check all the connections

It's a fi sub, not sure of the exact model number though.

Will do

Edited February 14, 2013 by Amber_Nunny

[loepan]

I presume this is a powered/active sub not ran through a seperate amp?

Edited February 14, 2013 by loepan

[Amber_Nunny]

The amps separate to the sub if that's what you mean.

It's not just one of the sub boxs you buy from halfords lol!

Edited February 14, 2013 by Amber_Nunny

[loepan]

And the remote is wired to the back of the unit?

[Amber_Nunny]

Yes the remote is wired to the power on the back of the stereo as the remote wire didn't quite kick out enough power to bring the amp to life, the amp turns on and off as it should so this isn't the problem,

Just to fix some of Amber's mistakes,

The battery died after fitting the stereo, prior to fitting the amp and sub so that's not the issue,

The battery wasn't just a flat battery it killed a cell in the battery meaning it couldn't be re-charged so I assume it must be some kind of short not a drain,

Same again this morning another completely flat - uncharitable battery

And the alternator is already an upgraded high capacity alternator due to the sub wall previously fitted to the car, could the oversized alternator be overcharging the battery and killing it?

[James827]

id put a standard alternator back on, I mean you had an electrical fire and now you keep over charging batteries!

1+1=?

[Amber_Nunny]

The cars had no issue with the battery and alternator prior to me changing the head unit.

And the electrical fire was due to the previous owner not fixing the fuse box in the correct place.

[James827]

is there much 'Custom' Wiring around the car? Especially behind HU? might be an issue with poor quality connections or as you say an electrical short

and then obviously fitting the new HU just disturbed it!

[Amber_Nunny]

The previous owner had a sub wall in and did a bit of custom wiring but when we fitted the new head unit we chopped the wires back to before he messed with it and tidied it all up.

We checked the wiring behind it last night but still can't see what would be wrong.

The second battery has been killed by my car as after hours being on charge it was still just clicking when trying to start it

We've checked all the fuses and nothing has blown. Really have no idea what the hell is wrong :\

[Pete91]

Probably not what you want to hear but if it was mine then what I'd be doing is diconnecting it all and removing the HU, make 100% sure it's not just a coincidence that it's happened since fitting the system, and then put it all back in again.

[Amber_Nunny]

I have taken the head unit out now. The amp and sub is still connected but even without the head unit in today I tried the battery from my sport and it wouldn't do anything :\

[Skezza]

Probably not what you want to hear but if it was mine then what I'd be doing is diconnecting it all and removing the HU, make 100% sure it's not just a coincidence that it's happened since fitting the system, and then put it all back in again.

This + 1!

Also try the inverse of what you've done today, kill the connection to the amp and see if you still get a drain. There might be something else causing you to drain your battery.

Edited February 15, 2013 by Skezza

[Amber_Nunny]

Yeah, this weekend I'm just got to test every connection and see if anything is being strange.

If we can't figure it out then Henry shall be making another trip to the auto electrician

[electricracer]

have you got an ammeter? and do you know how to use it?

if so its really easy to find out if you have a drain

[Amber_Nunny]

Got a multimeter and yes I know how to work it

Going to test everything tomorrow.

Found out I can get another replacement battery for free which is nice

[vpolo]

check to see if the wires arnt shorting out in and around the amp put mine in the other day to return to a killed off cell =[

matt

[Amber_Nunny]

I've tried my battery on my boyfriends dads arosa tdi and it started fine :\

So I assume its just my starter motor.

[Vinnyzf]

If after all that trouble it's the starter motor that would be annoying! Hopefully you've solved the problem though

[Amber_Nunny]

Trouble with the earth so totally unrelated to the new head unit, replaced the starter motor too just to be sure plus it's done a lot of miles so was probably on the way out anyway.

All sorted now and I've had no more problems since