Hi everyone I know I'll have a reputation as a moaner - but............ I'm now very fed up with the battery problem. I bought a new one originally thinking it was duff - later realising there was nothing wrong with it, it was just the Cobra which drains the new one just the same. Now, I often have to go abroad and leave my car at airports - how can I possibly do this if the battery will be flat on return - disconnecting it is an unsatisfactory solution. I wasted a lot of money buying spare keys etc on purchase but now I want that ****** alarm off the car. Any help would be gratefully accepted - is it a knowledgable technician job? Can it be done?
There are different things that can drain your battery. The website below describes them. The Top 5 Things That Will Drain Your Battery | YourMechanic Advice Check the 5 things listed to try and solve the problem. Alternatively you can disconnect the battery if you know the car will be unused for a long time. If you really want to disable the alarm because it is what you believe to be the problem then there must be a way to turn it off. I'm not sure how to turn it of, because I don't think my Copen has an alarm, so check the owners manual to see if there is a way of turning it off.
I feel your pain. I spent a fair few quid trying to resolve my battery drain using reputable auto electricians and fitted a new alternator. Turned out there was a faulty cell on the battery and that has improved things no end, although out of choice, I tend to run the Copen more frequently than the expensive X5 sat behind it. Do you know how long the battery lasts before it drops below the level to start the car ? One of those cigarette lighter voltmeters will tell you as long as you remember to look at it before starting. If the alternator is fit, you’ll park up with 12.8v but drop in a few hours to 12.2 ish. Mine will start at 11.8v which takes 5+ days. You can extend this by using the key to lock the central locking. If you use the Cobra remote, it will activate the full alarm but using the key just activated the immobiliser. For peace of mind on my last extended break, I disconnected the battery and it was fine after 4 weeks laid up. Obviously I lost my radio preferences and the window and roof ECUs were a bit sluggish on first operation. I’ve now bought a solar cell top up Jonnie from Aldi. As the Copen doesn’t have permanent live to the ciggie lighter, I’m going to modify the cable to wire it to the battery. It’s a quick connect plug to the solar cell at the other end so I’ll cable tie it towards the rear of the engine compartment so I can leave the solar panel in the car. Removing the Cobra unit completely needs a professional and is quite tricky due to the interfaces to the fuel pump, central locking etc. You’d also lose the convenience of remote central locking and opening the boot. Hope this helps.
you can check the current. After some time airbags and doors go to sleep.. think so after 5 minutes.. parasitic draw somewhere Battery empty but in real its only 8 til 10 days..
Thanks for your ideas everyone - I'll have to get my multimeter out and see what's up. I suppose I could carry a spare battery but that would defeat the point of aluminium bodywork.................
Rather than carrying a spare battery, just get a lithium ion jump start pack. It’s about the same size and weight as a couple of mobile phones. I keep one in the glovebox anyway and they’re handy if someone else needs a jump start as it saves faffing with leads etc.
I'm with BarnselyRob on this one - a rechargeable battery pack has been an absolute lifesaver for me, well worth the investment.
checked again..after 10 to 14 days near empty to 12,1Volt..full loaded Batt..seen with Voltmeter before start 12, 8 Volt, garage no moving..after 8 days with engine started roof opened..battery goes up to 12,2 Volt.. car outside everything open. key in Lock, Doors open ...after 10 hours with full loaded Batt 13,8 Volt goes to 12,0 Volt... hi david..
I keep mine on a trickle charger whenever I'm parking it for more than a couple of days. Bought one of these for less than the cost of a new battery. Rather intelligent too, apparently. Just plug in and forget about it (well, you will obviously want to remember to unplug before driving)
CTek are really good units, particularly if you buy the extension lead which you can permanently wire to the battery and just connect/disconnect the charger body to it.
You're absolutely right. It actually came packed with the charger, so no need to order it separately. Here's mine connected:
