So, lo and behold, my battery was dead again today. This is the original battery, which I’m pretty sure is good. And the new one didn’t drop any voltage after sitting for several days. So, it’s not a dodgy battery. Damnit!
So now I’m back to square one. I blame the amp. But it seems if I disconnect the battery while the car’s off, then measure the current, it’s not being used… but I know it is, before I disconnect it. So something in the car is presumably meant to be shutting down when the car turns off, but isn’t (until I yank all power, that’ll do it). Sodding heck. Since I don’t have any of those groovy instruments for measuring current by induction, I’m at a loss. I figure it can only be the amp or the stereo, most likely the former; I can’t imagine the stereo would draw that much power anyway.
So I guess I’ll have to have at it sometime, and pull it all out and see what gives. But, another time, I think. For now, I have a workaround – a nifty little marine battery valve which lets me turn the battery off as I please. Courtesy of my mum, for my birthday. Along with a battery charger, which is in use right now charging that old battery back up again.
‘course, it’s a bit of a pain to have to pop the bonnet and close the valve every time I start the car, but it’s better than the alternative. And it may well deter casual thieves… which would surely be the only sort taking any interest at all in my car. :)
A word of warning though – battery terminals are really, really soft… so soft that after first attaching the battery valve, it cut itself a real nice groove into the terminal. Ultimately I had to file off the top sides of the terminal to remove it again. Stupid terminals.
I coincidentally discovered that a healthy sized spanner works wonders as a crowbar. :D
