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  #1  
Old 12-06-2011, 11:02 AM
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E300D Battery Going Dead After a Couple Days

I have a 1996 E300D with an older battery so when I heard the starter begin to struggle with starting the car I ran down to Sears and had the battery checked out. They said the battery was bad and sold me a new one. That was back in May. The car was driven daily until a month ago ... then we discovered the car had to be driven daily or the battery would go dead. Ran the car back down to Sears they tested the electrical system and said the Alternator was good but the battery was bad and gave me a new one for free. That was great but it didn't solve the problem, the battery still goes dead after a day or two of not driving. I checked the easy stuff like making sure the trunk and glove box lights go out and I couldn't find any obvious problems with the lighting functions. Any ideas where I should start investigating? Any tricks to finding the culpret circuit? Thanks for any ideas/help

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  #2  
Old 12-06-2011, 11:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DAR2KMR2 View Post
I have a 1996 E300D with an older battery so when I heard the starter begin to struggle with starting the car I ran down to Sears and had the battery checked out. They said the battery was bad and sold me a new one. That was back in May. The car was driven daily until a month ago ... then we discovered the car had to be driven daily or the battery would go dead. Ran the car back down to Sears they tested the electrical system and said the Alternator was good but the battery was bad and gave me a new one for free. That was great but it didn't solve the problem, the battery still goes dead after a day or two of not driving. I checked the easy stuff like making sure the trunk and glove box lights go out and I couldn't find any obvious problems with the lighting functions. Any ideas where I should start investigating? Any tricks to finding the culpret circuit? Thanks for any ideas/help

Last year I had a similar issue, the battery would discharge in about 10 hours. Turned out that one or more of the alternator diodes failed, and the alternator case was draining off power via the engine block. New alternator installed, and the problem was solved.
Hope this helps........ __________________
96 E300d

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  #3  
Old 12-06-2011, 12:06 PM
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Just wondering .... but wouldn't Sears have caught such a failure when they do their battery/alternator check before giving me a new battery at their cost? Or are they just lost? As a side note when I got the car back from them it was running but after turning it off it wouldn't start back up ... I found a blown fuse for the security security system .... replaced the fuse and car as run fine ever since. I don't know if the blown fuse is a clue to my problem or just a coinsidence in that they must have shorted something in removing and replacing the battery.
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  #4  
Old 12-06-2011, 12:22 PM
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The alternator is one of the few things that is connected to the battery when everything else is off. The test at Sears probably just looked at the alternator's ability to produce current, which it still will even with one bad diode. Have an auto electric place test the alternator.

Another possibility is the alarm system. Try removing its fuse or fuses and see if that stops the discharge problem.

Until the problem is found and repaired, try disconnecting the battery if the car is not going to be used for a few days. You don't have to pull the seat to do that. There's a plastic panel in the right rear passenger footwell. Behind that panel is a connection to ground for the battery negative (13 mm wrench). Remove that and the battery is disconnected.

If you have a meter, you might also measure the amount of current that is being drawn from the battery when the car is off. It should be no more than 10 milliamps but obviously in your case it is a lot more.

Jeremy
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Old 12-06-2011, 12:23 PM
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i'm having similar problems with the cold weather days. i'm going to say that it's my alternator bc the head lights dim when just idling. it will be a better charge by giving if some peddle at the lights.
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  #6  
Old 12-06-2011, 12:30 PM
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Originally Posted by pimpernell View Post
Last year I had a similar issue, the battery would discharge in about 10 hours. Turned out that one or more of the alternator diodes failed, and the alternator case was draining off power via the engine block. New alternator installed, and the problem was solved.
Hope this helps........ __________________
96 E300d

Right now I have an identical problem with a 240D that whunter and I put a new alternator in. I'm thinking it may be time to change the voltage regulator.
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  #7  
Old 12-09-2011, 07:13 PM
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Still stumped!

Took the alternator off (a rebuilt Bosch unit from the previous owner) and took it to a very reputiable local rebuilder. He indicated that the alternator output and diodes tested good. Before I went to pick it back up I placed my multimeter between the positive terminal of the battery and the battery cable .... and found that the car pulls only 110 milliamps when the key is out, everything turned off, and the doors shut. That can't be enough draw to cause any sort of significant drain on the battery. I also took out all the fuses one by one (those in the engine compartment and under the seat) and none had any effect on the amp readings. So now I'm really stumped ..... any thoughts anyone?
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Old 01-03-2012, 10:48 PM
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Bump to the Top

I'm still having problems with the battery dying .... we were gone on a week long trip and the fully recharged new battery was totally dead upon our return. Maybe 100mA is too much draw when parked? Any suggestions?

..........Dave
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  #9  
Old 01-04-2012, 12:18 AM
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a 1 amp draw will kill a standard auto battery in 12 hours...
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
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1987 300TD
1987 300TD
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Old 01-04-2012, 12:18 AM
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or is that 120 hours... hmmm
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #11  
Old 01-04-2012, 12:46 AM
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the best info I can find on the group 49 excide/johnson controls batteries is between 45 and 80 amp-hours, so 1 amp draw should deplete the battery in 80 hours... but it's not that simple, that is a rating, so a steady 1amp (100mAmp) will bring a battery down to below useful charge in about 32-40 hours. it'll still have the 1amp availble, but will be unable to crank a heavy motor like ours...
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #12  
Old 01-04-2012, 12:43 PM
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1 mAmp is one milliAmp, which is 1 thousandth of an Amp.

100 mAmp is 1/10 of an Amp.
1000 mAmp is 1 Amp.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 357K
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  #13  
Old 01-04-2012, 02:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DAR2KMR2 View Post
Took the alternator off (a rebuilt Bosch unit from the previous owner) and took it to a very reputiable local rebuilder. He indicated that the alternator output and diodes tested good. Before I went to pick it back up I placed my multimeter between the positive terminal of the battery and the battery cable .... and found that the car pulls only 110 milliamps when the key is out, everything turned off, and the doors shut. That can't be enough draw to cause any sort of significant drain on the battery. I also took out all the fuses one by one (those in the engine compartment and under the seat) and none had any effect on the amp readings. So now I'm really stumped ..... any thoughts anyone?
Based on your test, if that is the current draw, it is not enough to drain your battery in one weeks time. I know that you state in your post that you had the alternator checked out, but I would suggest that prior to re-installing it, you set you multimeter to the continuity setting, and touch one lead to the battery terminal of the alternator, and the other lead to the case of the alternator. If there is a strong continuity, then I would say that one or more of the diodes has failed. If you have already re-installed the alternator, I would suggest that you disconnect all wiring to the alternator, and then, using your meter, measure the current draw between the battery post of the alternator and the battery cable leading to it. If you have a higher current draw, your alternator is the culprit. Good luck
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  #14  
Old 01-05-2012, 01:07 AM
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Thanks

The alternator is back in the car. I'll retest the alternator as you suggest, plus I'll try testing the current draw again across each of the circuits, including the dozen or so lighting circuits located behind the headlight switch on the drivers side of the dash with the alternator hooked up (last time I did it the alternator was out). I'll have some time to do that this weekend ... for now I'm just driving it every day to keep it charged.

To clear up any confusion regarding amps ..... I had 100 milliamps, or 1/10 of an amp, draw on the battery with the key out, doors shut, and security system activated.

............. Dave

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