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Quote: Originally posted by jennifernn on 31/12/2009

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You don't want to be letting the battery drain like that.
Why do you not just leave the battery clamps off, then it cannot be drained.

At a steady 0.2 amps it would theoretically be drained in 550 hours (about 23 days), but in actual fact much sooner.

Measuring low currents in low voltage systems is very difficult, it could actually be drawing more.

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That's about how long it takes for our new 110amp battery to go flat. Gary advised me to put a meter in line but as I've no idea which setting to put it on, I'd be wasting my time. The only thing left on in our van was the TV amp, why that was on I've no idea because we never use the ariel.

BB

Set the meter to DC current or DC Amps. It might be a straight line or dotted line for DC and a letter S on its side for AC. Start on a highish scale and gradually reduce to a low scale say 1Amp.

If you haven't got a meter, dab one battery lead on the terminal with the other lead  connected. A small spark means there is a current drain. There should be no spark at all if everything is off.

Most vans have a DC switch on the control panel which switches everything off. This should effectively isolate the battery. If you leave it on, current will leak away through various ways.

in the motor industry a vehicle should eventually shut down with a current draw of below 0.05 amps after 30-45 minutes after switching & locking the doors  so i would have thought 0.2 is fairly high but i have not checked my caravan so i am not sure.

i know this does not help but i thought it was something as a guide

when i shut my van down, my radio memory goes, have to re scan everytime i go back to the van,

Q. does your ziggy have a switch. caravan, car, and if its in the centre the van power is all off?

does it have an alarm fitted? if so this will draw a few milli amps.

Quote: Originally posted by eddie marris on 31/12/2009

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You need to find out where the draw is from? maybe the tv amplifier etc.

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As others have said above . If you set this switch to it's middle position http://www.1carpc.co.uk/wcdr/user/cimage/PIC-0049a.JPG it cuts the supply from the battery and stops the relays from draining the battery .

atb

Wizard

Quote: Originally posted by wizard9956 on 02/1/2010

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As others have said above . If you set this switch to it's middle position http://www.1carpc.co.uk/wcdr/user/cimage/PIC-0049a.JPG it cuts the supply from the battery and stops the relays from draining the battery .

atb

Wizard

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Quote: Originally posted by AndrewK on 03/1/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by wizard9956 on 02/1/2010

As others have said above . If you set this switch to it's middle position http://www.1carpc.co.uk/wcdr/user/cimage/PIC-0049a.JPG it cuts the supply from the battery and stops the relays from draining the battery .

atb

Wizard

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It does if you have one. Many vans do not.

Andrew

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