Anyone on here a auto electrician/wireing god?

[foggyjames]

Nimminz was talking about starting from scratch. I'd favour starting with a 940 loom and simplifying it, but there are many ways to skin a cat!

cheers

James

[wiganer31]

ahh, thats obvs the route i choose but i have no idea were it whent wrong, i cant figure out why the battery keeps draining, ive given up myself now, might aswell just let someone who knows what there doing sort it so can get it all looking tidy


cheers

[foggyjames]

For future reference, the best way to trace it is use a clamp-type current meter around the lead leaving the battery to measure current, then start pulling fuses / disconnecting things.

cheers

James

[wiganer31]

cheers james i will have a play about one night doing that, cant make things worse if i dont take my snips and soldering iron lol. might have to find some wireing for dummies guides, as anyone who followed my build thread will know i do class as a dummie


cheers

[Chris_C]

As you have the blade fusebox dude from the 940, buy this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/automotive-curr ... ter-217879

It will measure any circuit up to 20A. Pull the blade fuse from the fuse box, check it's less than 20A, place it in the probey bit. Then place the probe into the fusebox. It'll tell you what current is being drawn through that fuse, so you can isolate the problem to a fuse number. Just measure each in turn, write down the current draw, post up the results and we can help.

I have one for the Corset, it's super useful.

[foggyjames]

Oh....want!

cheers

James

[Chris_C]

I've been meaning to make an adapter to use it with the standard 300 eurocrap fuses, but it is super useful.

[wiganer31]

Ooo i will have to go and get one of those chris cheers, will put the results up when i get one


Cheers

[wiganer31]

As you have the blade fusebox dude from the 940, buy this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/automotive-curr ... ter-217879

It will measure any circuit up to 20A. Pull the blade fuse from the fuse box, check it's less than 20A, place it in the probey bit. Then place the probe into the fusebox. It'll tell you what current is being drawn through that fuse, so you can isolate the problem to a fuse number. Just measure each in turn, write down the current draw, post up the results and we can help.

I have one for the Corset, it's super useful.

gonna order one of these, is it the maxi one i want?

[Chris_C]

I dont know what the 940 uses, maplins idea of maxi is "normal" sized blade fuses, so I'd imagine so

[wiganer31]

yea thats the idea ive gone with, tbh ive never given them names, just tend to go in the local shop and ask for a big or small fuse lol

[Ride_on]

The DC hall effect clamps will be a bit inaccurate and floaty/drifty (in an electronic way) at low currents. They get affected by the earths field, big bits of metal etc. Mine needs zero'd on attaching (with no current obviously) but has a 20A and 60A range.

You'd be best to just use the meter in series with the battery in the mA range, just don't turn anything on. Note even a 5w bulb will blow the fuse in my £5 maplin meter using the 200mA range. Mind you you might be using more than that, so start with a 10A range (usually a seperate socket for the red lead).

I was going to check my 940 standby current but I just spend £85 on petrol to fill the tank inorder to calibrate my MPGuino and it needs permanent power (consumes about 20mA), I think the alarm system+Clock uses about 100mA, but could be alot less. In the 360, disable the clock and any interior lights, you should be getting nothing (I think). I wonder could you have connected a permanent 12V where you should have an ignition-on 12V to the managment system or something (If it has both, it has a low power mode, eg for crank sensor). But disconnecting the big LH2.4 connector and/or EZK should prove than. Otherwise the RFID immobiliser might be permanently driving its internal relay, if you have the key attached to it permanently.

You can buy current measurement 'chips' that sit in the battery line, with close+rigid mechanical coupling of the hall sensor to the feed. I am thinking of getting one for my logger project to monitor battery capacity. They go up to 200A, my 940 starter needs 125A apparently.