[paulslp]

Hi everyone,

I recently installed a Rover CD changer into my cabby, and soon after the battery went flat! The changer is a genuine Rover item bought secondhand, and it just plugs straight into the back of my R770 radio. I performed a current draw test on the battery and the results are as follows:

• Everything plugged in, ignition off - 0.6A

• Radio disconnected - 0.34A

• Radio disconnected and associated fuse (No.2, dashboard) removed - 0.02A

So evidently the problem lies with entertainment system somewhere, but I can't work out where! The radio functions perfectly fine, no damage or anything; the CD changer works perfectly as well, although when reconnecting the battery, it does whirr and buzz for about 30 seconds, not sure if that's normal or not. A few days before the changer arrived I did unplug and remove the radio unit to give it a quick clean (with brushes by the way, no water involved), and I did notice the battery went flat about a day after that, without the unit plugged in.

Any help or suggestions would be immensely appreciated, I hate seeing my girl slowly die like this!

Paul

[RoverRevival]

The charger is obviously staying in and either isn’t getting the kill signal from the radio or the car.

[Johnny 216GSi]

Those figures are a bit concerning to be honest. I haven't got figures for a "healthy" car, but the battery should only be running the alarm/immobiliser system and clock, as well as providing retention power so the radio remembers its stations. At 0.34 amps, no wonder the battery is going flat. When you say "radio removed" do you mean completely disconnected from the car loom, i.e. power plugs out? I can't see how you can blame the radio when, if removed, there is still a 340mA draw from the battery. Also, taking fuse #2 out, if it's only for the radio, should be the same as taking the radio out. My thoughts are that there is something else running from fused supply #2 that is drawing too much current.

I'd suspect a faulty "other electrical component" on supply #2 or a problem with the switched live connection if it were me, as all electrical items should be in low-power mode with the ignition switch in position zero. Maybe a courtesy light on, or some hidden dashboard illumination possibly associated with the radio, e.g. clock backlight?

[paulslp]

Dist, do you know which pin or plug etc is the charger?

Johnny yeah the plugs are all out, basically the head unit can be taken anywhere!

The fuse diagram says that #2 powers the radio, clock, and interior lights, do you guys know what else it powers?

Thank you both for replying, it is hugely appreciated

[Johnny 216GSi]

Dist, do you know which pin or plug etc is the charger?

Johnny yeah the plugs are all out, basically the head unit can be taken anywhere!

The fuse diagram says that #2 powers the radio, clock, and interior lights, do you guys know what else it powers?

Thank you both for replying, it is hugely appreciated

Interior lights then - maybe there's a switch that's failed, so you're getting permanent glove box illumination, or ashtray illumination??? Does the overhead courtesy light stay on? The clock should remain powered so it carries on telling the time, but the illumination should switch off so you can't actually see the figures on the display. 340mA does sound like a small bulb or two is still on somewhere... I bet the overhead courtesy light is a 5W festoon type bulb, and 0.34A would be about 4W of power being dissipated - so maybe not the courtesy light but something else? On the dash your mileometer and trip counter backlights should also be off, as should key barrel illumination, etc., etc.

[Montegoman]

How about the boot light? It would be easy to eliminate by simply taking the bulb out.

[Johnny 216GSi]

How about the boot light? It would be easy to eliminate by simply taking the bulb out.

That's a good suggestion, and not easily seen as a fault of course - so a good call. When I had my car's underside rustproofed, the boot was left open and the boot light stayed on for 3 days. The car barely started when I went to collect it, and that was with a nearly new, fully charged, very high capacity battery.

[paulslp]

Update: Fiddled around with various things and all looks good now. Checked to make sure all lights were extinguishing when doors were shut, and for good measure oiled the sensor things that tell the car when the door is shut, and also changed two festoons to LEDs. No longer having a flat battery and have a happy current draw of 0.02 from the battery