[R2D2]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

Is there a source apart from the service center from where one can procure these relays?

I checked your previous posts where you hinted it could be the blower fan relay in the fuse box as it was warm/hot to the touch. But to eliminate or confirm the possibility part(s) causing the problem the electrician should do the drain test. Please consult someone competent enough to do this test. Have you tried having Hyundai's dealer do the test for you?

The fan relay should be available at Opera House - which is "spare part central" as far is Mumbai is concerned and possibility at other places in the suburbs depending on where you live. However, you will require the part # for an exact match.

[KK_HakunaMatata]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

It's been a year and I have changed batteries too but I am still not able to figure out what the problems are with the drain. Even the service center is clueless.

One local mechanic claimed that the 'Main RLY' under the fusebox is heating up even after the car is switched off for 24 hours and that may be the culprit. But fuses/relays are not supposed to consume power right? They're only supposed to break the circuits if something is consuming additional power than required.

Should I just go ahead and get this fuse/relay replaced?

I had complete battery drain cases twice on my Corolla recently, with a 6 month old battery. It got drained completely twice within 24 hours and I was thinking it is a battery fault.

But after giving into Toyota ASC it turned out to be a case of dicky light not going off even after shutting it, which was rectified. Now it's fine.

KK

[kalpeshc]

Originally Posted by R2D2

I checked your previous posts where you hinted it could be the blower fan relay in the fuse box as it was warm/hot to the touch. But to eliminate or confirm the possibility part(s) causing the problem the electrician should do the drain test. Please consult someone competent enough to do this test. Have you tried having Hyundai's dealer do the test for you?

The fan relay should be available at Opera House - which is "spare part central" as far is Mumbai is concerned and possibility at other places in the suburbs depending on where you live. However, you will require the part # for an exact match.

I will try the drain test myself tomorrow. I have a digital multimeter. I'll disconnect the negative and then connect one end of multimeter to battery and other end to the cable which was disconnected. Then I can disconnect each relay/fuse and reconnect it to check which one causes the most fluctuations. Is that the right method to check?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

I will try the drain test myself tomorrow. I have a digital multimeter. I'll disconnect the negative and then connect one end of multimeter to battery and other end to the cable which was disconnected. Then I can disconnect each relay/fuse and reconnect it to check which one causes the most fluctuations. Is that the right method to check?

Yes, that would be the right method. Set the meter to "Amps" and connect it in series to the battery negative or positive terminal. When you pull a fuse and the amp draw drops then you have your culprit. The drain should be about approx. 0.02-0.5 A depending on the car. This drain is normal as it keeps the car's security alarms and other functions partially powered up.

Please watch this video for details and the exact DIY procedure:

How To Perform a Parasitic Draw Test

PS - The doors must be locked all accessories switched off. Wait for about 3 mins for the car's security system (if installed) to arm itself and move to standby mode. Ditto for the ECU.

[caffeineAM]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

I will try the drain test myself tomorrow. I have a digital multimeter. I'll disconnect the negative and then connect one end of multimeter to battery and other end to the cable which was disconnected. Then I can disconnect each relay/fuse and reconnect it to check which one causes the most fluctuations. Is that the right method to check?

If you suspect the fan blower, then why not just pull it's fuse and leave it out to see if the battery still drains? Hunting a drain down takes A LOT of patience. Maybe you have, I certainly don't

[kalpeshc]

While pulling the relays or fuses out, is there a risk to short them if its two terminals touches one other? While fixing the battery too there are small sparks when the cable is brought near the battery terminal. Is that a symptom of battery drain as some circuit maybe working?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

While pulling the relays or fuses out, is there a risk to short them if its two terminals touches one other? While fixing the battery too there are small sparks when the cable is brought near the battery terminal. Is that a symptom of battery drain as some circuit maybe working?

No, you won't short out any terminals as long as they DON'T touch each other. So be careful. Also make sure you plug in the DVM leads into the correct sockets. While the common (negative) lead remains where it is, the +ve lead needs to be switched to a socket marked 'A' or 'A/mA' and the rotary dial changed to the correct measurement mode. Please double check before connecting to the battery terminal and post.

When fixing the battery terminals a small spark is normal as there are systems that are continuously powered albeit at a very low wattage. But large sparks are not normal. If you see this stop measurements. A large draw at idle as it could blow your meter or worse.

Or, as @caffeineAM said, just pull the relay out of the fuse box, it is like yanking out a fuse, and check for any improvement in the amp reading and battery charge level overnight.
If you are not comfortable in troubleshooting car and other electrical systems I would suggest taking it to your Hyundai car dealer or an experienced auto electrician.

[kalpeshc]

Managed to do a first round of test. The 'Main RLY' is drawing more than 0.26 A. If i remove it, the drain drops to around 0.07 approximately. Do I have to check the fuses too? Or just the relay now that I have found the culprit. Since by name its main relay it may be driving quite a dew circuits. How do i pinpoint the problem?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

Managed to do a first round of test. The 'Main RLY' is drawing more than 0.26 A. If i remove it, the drain drops to around 0.07 approximately. Do I have to check the fuses too? Or just the relay now that I have found the culprit. Since by name its main relay it may be driving quite a dew circuits. How do i pinpoint the problem?

Relays are passive components and do not consume power unless activated by a trigger. Sometimes a relay can experience mechanical faults and get stuck in an on or off position.

The main relay is activated by a 'trigger' for e.g. turning on the ignition. Was the ignition and ALL other accessories including the courtesy lamps switched off? If the ignition and all other circuits were off, AND you waited for 3 minutes after locking the doors before measurements you may have your culprit. Note I say "MAY".

Because the matter doesn't end there - something MAY be causing the relay to activate. For e.g. a faulty ignition switch. You need to find out what it is. Start by pulling out fuses (keep a note of which type and rating goes where) for each circuit till you find a drop in the amps.

[sachinkudva]

Hi,

Im glad this thread has been sprung into life as recently as 3 days back. I am facing a horrible battery drain issue myself since a yr now. Hope to get some help here.

I own a 2012 Punto 90HP Diesel and in mid-2016 I replaced the stock ICE with a Pioneer Head Unit, Sony Amp, and JBL speakers.
Since mid-2017, I am facing too many electrical issues with the car. To start with, the alternator conked off on the highway (Hyd-Blr) after which I was forced to buy a new battery to complete my trip. After fixing the alternator, I had a grounding cable cut a few days later. After replacing the grounding cable, I slowly started having issues with battery drain. So much so, after a while I bought my own Bosch car battery charger.
My usual go-to electrical guy is a small electrical garage near the Bosch back gate, Adugodi, Bangalore. He was the one who fixed my alternator. Recently he cleaned the wiring of the amplifier by using proper connectors and also fixed a relay in between the amp and the battery. This fixed the issue partially. Now, instead of 12-15 hrs complete drain (down to ~7V) the battery now drains to ~11V in 36-48 hrs. As 11V is not enough to crank the engine, I have a starting issue if I don't use the car for even 2 days. (I cannot jump start as my parking is in the basement of an apartment with hardly any space to push the car.)
Also, not to forget, constant electrical issues also burnt my Airbag controller. I now have a permanent Airbag failure warning on my dashboard. (also means, no Airbags!!).
Meanwhile, the local Amaron person also told me that the replacement battery I purchased on the highway was that of a low end Indica, and mine being a top end Punto with ABS, Airbag etc, I need a bigger battery.

So now I am down to this:
- issue with a parasitic drain which needs to be found and fixed.
- Smaller capacity battery which may have lost a lot of health due to frequent discharge, disconnection and charging through home battery chargers. I plan to replace this with a brand new battery which fits the needs of the car.

What I now want is a reference to an electrical workshop who is willing to spend time to find the parasitic drain and end this ordeal once for all. Rather than a regular mechanic or a multi-brand service, I need a electrical specialist who is willing to get his hand dirty in localizing the issue by checking each and every circuit one by one, by removing the fuse.
Any references in Bangalore, preferably near Indiranagar, are welcome.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by sachinkudva

So now I am down to this:
- issue with a parasitic drain which needs to be found and fixed.
- Smaller capacity battery which may have lost a lot of health due to frequent discharge, disconnection and charging through home battery chargers. I plan to replace this with a brand new battery which fits the needs of the car.

Well, there is some good news: This is not a small parasitic drain!

For the bad news: You have got a whopping big electrical issue.

Almost certainly something is shortening out. And that is why your battery is draining in under two days. Should be fairly straight forward finding it. It is the parasitic drains that can be tricky to find, but here you are looking for something that is drawing a substantial current permanently.

Anybody with a bit of electrical knowledge and a multimeter should be able to find what is going on.

You really need to find somebody that can do a proper diagnose rather than rip and replace and see what happens.

Good luck

Jeroen

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by sachinkudva

Im glad this thread has been sprung into life as recently as 3 days back. I am facing a horrible battery drain issue myself since a yr now. Hope to get some help here.

You have a major power leak. Since you have not experienced blown fuses there are two prime suspects:

a) Rectifier diodes in the alternator are defective. Get that alternator checked again.
b) Your aftermarket ICE components - one or more of them is not switching off. In my Palio 1.6 the ignition switch does not control aftermarket accessory power. The switch has no 'ACC' (accessory) position as in most cars. We had to install a separate switch for the car stereo to prevent it from draining the battery.

Meanwhile, the local Amaron person also told me that the replacement battery I purchased on the highway was that of a low end Indica, and mine being a top end Punto with ABS, Airbag etc, I need a bigger battery.

It's a fallacy to believe a car draws power from the battery. The main source of power is ALWAYS the alternator. The battery is a reserve that is used when the engine is off OR if alternator output is lower than required power draw. Just replace the battery with the same type and capacity as the one from the factory. Punto diesels, as with many Fiat cars, have either a DIN50 or DIN55 battery.

[sachinkudva]

Thanks Jeroen & R2D2.

Funny but kind of warming when you say I'm lucky its not a small drain but a huge leak!

Btw, can I run a quick home check on the alternator with a multi-meter? I did check some articles on google once which mention 0 V AC across the alternator as a check. But I guess I don't have the right kind of multi-meter to do that. If I remember correctly I get a 26V AC reading and a few articles mention that is not wrong because of the type of multi-meter.

Anyway yes that's exactly what I want to do - need to find a guy who can do it for me.
Regarding after market ICE components, this is also a possibility. Well after attaching the relay between the amp and the battery, the drain is slower as per my earlier post but still possible the head unit is draining battery.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by sachinkudva

Btw, can I run a quick home check on the alternator with a multi-meter? I did check some articles on google once which mention 0 V AC across the alternator as a check. But I guess I don't have the right kind of multi-meter to do that. If I remember correctly I get a 26V AC reading and a few articles mention that is not wrong because of the type of multi-meter.

26 V AC?! At which test point(s) did you note this voltage? Make sure your alternator's rectifier and regulator are in good order.

A alternator diode bridge check isn't difficult - voltage flows in one direction only. If you get conductivity when you switch terminals then it is a goner. Disconnect the battery before performing this test. The regulator OTOH needs to output between 13.8-14.4 VDC at around 2000-2500 engine RPM. A simple multimeter would suffice.

Regarding after market ICE components, this is also a possibility. Well after attaching the relay between the amp and the battery, the drain is slower as per my earlier post but still possible the head unit is draining battery.

I am not sure how installing a relay helps. How is it connected into the circuit and from where does it receive its trigger signal or input?

[kalpeshc]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Was the ignition and ALL other accessories including the courtesy lamps switched off? If the ignition and all other circuits were off, AND you waited for 3 minutes after locking the doors before measurements you may have your culprit. Note I say "MAY".

Because the matter doesn't end there - something MAY be causing the relay to activate. For e.g. a faulty ignition switch. You need to find out what it is. Start by pulling out fuses (keep a note of which type and rating goes where) for each circuit till you find a drop in the amps.

Yes, I did wait for a while before initiating the tests. Although I have to admit, I am an absolute n00b in matters of DIY in general, but then this issue does not seem to have any solution.

So the tests did not go very well. After the main relay identification, I tried to pull out the various fuses. For the small ones, there's a small plastic pin provided but there's nothing for the large ones, so I tried a plier, but then I may have pulled more strongly than required and the cover plate of the fuse broke! Thankfull there was no damage to the fuse. While putting I also pulled on the multimeter wire by mistake and that broke the negative probe itself!

I was ashamed with my own attempts to do this and realize that I have to request some FNG to help me with these endeavors. I'd rather pay someone to have this done than try it myself and do more damage to the fuse box. But now I understand the concept of debugging this and hopefully would be able to instruct the FNG electrician to get this done.