mystro Posted 5December, 2022 Report Share Posted 5December, 2022 Hi PFA, Looking for any tips or tricks to find a parasitic draw? I've got a 997 and I know they generally draw power when locked/asleep but my car has it's battery drained in 2-3 days hence there is an excessive draw of current. If anyone has gone through the exercise to find their issue I'd love to hear your tips and tricks. Also if anyone knows what generally fails to cause the draw that'd be insightful. Thanks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleazius Posted 5December, 2022 Report Share Posted 5December, 2022 Lots of people with more experience than me, but one common issue is the light in the frunk/froot staying on in 997s and draining the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WB997.2GTS Posted 5December, 2022 Report Share Posted 5December, 2022 1st question, how old is the battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystro Posted 5December, 2022 Author Report Share Posted 5December, 2022 6 minutes ago, WB997.2GTS said: 1st question, how old is the battery? Brand spanking new. I thought it was the battery so I replaced it. 1 hour ago, sleazius said: Lots of people with more experience than me, but one common issue is the light in the frunk/froot staying on in 997s and draining the battery. Will check it out and see if its the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamr Posted 5December, 2022 Report Share Posted 5December, 2022 I've heard along the grapevine that the stereo can flatten the battery with a live draw. More research on that would be needed though. As for the globe in the frunk, I've removed it in my 996 as whenever I come back from a drive, I pop the lid in case the battery does go flat. I can get at least 2 months between starts and she'll fire up no problem. mystro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epilot Posted 7December, 2022 Report Share Posted 7December, 2022 (edited) Do you need to leave the battery connected ? If not these are fantastic https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/402907549199?chn=ps&_ul=AU&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=402907549199&targetid=1741701787658&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9072201&poi=&campaignid=18278742238&mkgroupid=141565058112&rlsatarget=pla-1741701787658&abcId=9301725&merchantid=7364522&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqY-sh6bm-wIVSraWCh09xADSEAYYASABEgLjw_D_BwE not pretty but functional Edited 7December, 2022 by epilot add photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystro Posted 7December, 2022 Author Report Share Posted 7December, 2022 20 hours ago, epilot said: Do you need to leave the battery connected ? If not these are fantastic https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/402907549199?chn=ps&_ul=AU&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=402907549199&targetid=1741701787658&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9072201&poi=&campaignid=18278742238&mkgroupid=141565058112&rlsatarget=pla-1741701787658&abcId=9301725&merchantid=7364522&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqY-sh6bm-wIVSraWCh09xADSEAYYASABEgLjw_D_BwE not pretty but functional Thanks mate - great idea although not ideal if you leave the car without switching it to off. The quest continues... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC9911 Posted 8December, 2022 Report Share Posted 8December, 2022 On 05/12/2022 at 15:48, mystro said: Hi PFA, Looking for any tips or tricks to find a parasitic draw? I've got a 997 and I know they generally draw power when locked/asleep but my car has it's battery drained in 2-3 days hence there is an excessive draw of current. If anyone has gone through the exercise to find their issue I'd love to hear your tips and tricks. Also if anyone knows what generally fails to cause the draw that'd be insightful. Thanks ! Whatever is draining the battery in 2-3 days sounds like a major power consuming component, not just a single globe. So you could try removing individual fuses one at a time & monitor how the long it takes for the battery to go flat. Another way to go is as you remove each fuse if there is an excess current draw on that fuse then you may see a spark as you remove & replace each fuse. I had a 997.2 & from memory there are 2 fuse box locations, also you can get the fuse diagrams & circuit diagrams of the web. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystro Posted 9December, 2022 Author Report Share Posted 9December, 2022 16 hours ago, GC9911 said: Whatever is draining the battery in 2-3 days sounds like a major power consuming component, not just a single globe. So you could try removing individual fuses one at a time & monitor how the long it takes for the battery to go flat. Another way to go is as you remove each fuse if there is an excess current draw on that fuse then you may see a spark as you remove & replace each fuse. I had a 997.2 & from memory there are 2 fuse box locations, also you can get the fuse diagrams & circuit diagrams of the web. Good luck. My weekend work which will be done! I will connect up a multimeter to see the amps drop. Hopefully its nothing major (major means $$$). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob H Posted 9December, 2022 Report Share Posted 9December, 2022 Faulty regulator?? Check to see if voltage goes up, with the motor running? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystro Posted 12December, 2022 Author Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 On 09/12/2022 at 22:28, Rob H said: Faulty regulator?? Check to see if voltage goes up, with the motor running? I checked it whilst running - 14.4 volts at the battery so its good. It actually has confused me now. I checked every single fuses by pulling it out to see if the amps dropped, nothing. I also removed the relays also; same thing. Really puzzled .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleazius Posted 12December, 2022 Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 I asked a family member; his 996 GT3 will drain a battery flat in under 3 weeks. Investigation revealed nothing, just keeps it on trickle charge now at all times when parked up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZ930 Posted 12December, 2022 Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 You replaced the old battery because it discharges within 3 days. Does the new battery do the same ? Is the car a daily driver or regular driver ? A common cause of battery “failure” is the clock. When a car is not used regularly, the slow draw from the clock will cause calcification of the plates in the battery and then will not accept a charge or will only take a surface charge if you are lucky. Once the plates are calcified a battery specialist “may” be able to recover some life from the affected battery but the battery life will be reduced significantly. I did this once with my parents car and in the end it wasn’t worth it. They killed the new battery doing the same thing, so I bought them a float charger. If you are not driving the car regularly then the best option is a trickle or float charger. There are some chargers that can cycle the battery. There was a thread on battery chargers here but I cannot find it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleazius Posted 12December, 2022 Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 CTEK MXS 5.0 for charging and maintaining (also has reconditioning) CTEK XS 0.8 for maintaining The price differential now is so small between the two that unless you're really price sensitive just by the 5.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystro Posted 12December, 2022 Author Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 3 hours ago, sleazius said: I asked a family member; his 996 GT3 will drain a battery flat in under 3 weeks. Investigation revealed nothing, just keeps it on trickle charge now at all times when parked up. It's on trickle charge now at the moment only because I don't want it dead. 2 hours ago, OZ930 said: You replaced the old battery because it discharges within 3 days. Does the new battery do the same ? Is the car a daily driver or regular driver ? A common cause of battery “failure” is the clock. When a car is not used regularly, the slow draw from the clock will cause calcification of the plates in the battery and then will not accept a charge or will only take a surface charge if you are lucky. Once the plates are calcified a battery specialist “may” be able to recover some life from the affected battery but the battery life will be reduced significantly. I did this once with my parents car and in the end it wasn’t worth it. They killed the new battery doing the same thing, so I bought them a float charger. If you are not driving the car regularly then the best option is a trickle or float charger. There are some chargers that can cycle the battery. There was a thread on battery chargers here but I cannot find it anymore. Yes, new battery is the same. Car is a weekender. I would be surprised if it is the clock as it is a high draw of amp. Additionally, I would have assumed to see the current pass through the fuses so I should have found it. 1 hour ago, sleazius said: CTEK MXS 5.0 for charging and maintaining (also has reconditioning) CTEK XS 0.8 for maintaining The price differential now is so small between the two that unless you're really price sensitive just by the 5.0 Yep - I got the 5.0. Got it off Amazon during the black Friday sales. Well worth it for me. BUT the question remains what is drawing power!? 🤔😢 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevepGT3 Posted 12December, 2022 Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 Alarm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeatesy Posted 12December, 2022 Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 Boot light left on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleazius Posted 12December, 2022 Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 5 hours ago, StevepGT3 said: Alarm Similarly is there an after market tracking system? My STI goes dead in 5 days from that if not on charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystro Posted 12December, 2022 Author Report Share Posted 12December, 2022 Thanks all. I'll try to disconnect the alarm somehow. Need to find it. Also I might rip out the alternator this weekend to see if it makes a difference. It is charging the battery at 14.4 v but it could be drawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystro Posted 29December, 2022 Author Report Share Posted 29December, 2022 Update: Turned out to be my PCM drawing. Will need to replace it. sleazius 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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