how much draw

[k0wtz]

I put in a car radio in the scamper I turn it off within a couple of days it draws down the battery.

I figure when the radio is turned off it must be pulling some amps to keep the memories alive I cant imagine this much draw.

I put a switch in the line to kill all draw off and it works.

anyone else had this problem?

thanks

bob

[ststefan]

I put in a radio power kill switch during our install. I was anticipating some power loss but not what you are experiencing.

[k0wtz]

It pertains to the radio hookup only! it started when I hooked the radio up. read the post and the problems with a hidden draw out of the radio even when the radio was turned off.

my conclusion is this radio even when off pulls quite a bit of amperage in order to keep the memories in the radio even when the radio is turned off it really isn't off!

my question was has anyone had this happen a very simple query.

thanks

bob

[1500]

Modern radios use Flash memory, so no draw for that. Only draw would be to keep the display on and the time correct. The radio in your car does not drain the battery in a few days, or even weeks.

[stevebaz]

Maybe its the draw that broke the camel back? Add up all your parasitic draws and then the additional radio just put it over the edge. Was this a new model radio or an old model being resurrected? New stuff doesnt need power to hold stations just power for the clock.

[Glenn Baglo]

I have a Sony portable radio ( AM/FM ). Runs forever on a couple AAs. Can be used inside or outside, or at home. Cost about $30.
I don't understand the desire to cut holes to accommodate a piece of dated technology.

[k0wtz]

steve I have a battery monitor I watch it pretty closely. I have no parasitics you can figure out why. our scamper is a base 13f no electronics.

the radio had wire saying ignition shut off but I am going directly to hot so it doesn't fit into the system.

I just put a single pole single throw switch in and it doesn't draw the battery down now.

I guess if a person let his car set with this radio off he would have a dead battery because in 2 days my battery was dead.

I have read the radio instructions looked at the wiring schematic I see no mention of current draw anywhere. I see a wire to maintain memories I am still thinking just because the radio is shut off doesn't mean it is off it is using using some current to hold the memories.

strange

bob

[ststefan]

I have a Boss radio in ours. If I push the off button quickly only the screen shuts off. I have to hold the off button to get the stereo to shut off.

[Wayne Collins]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

I put in a car radio in the scamper I turn it off within a couple of days it draws down the battery. ……."
bob

We had a frozen battery on our Parkliner, this winter, because of a small draw on the battery, I suspect from the smoke detector and monitor.
I don't like to leave it plugged in to the house all the time, as it might boil the cells dry. I guess it went too long, and we had sub zero temps. The discharged battery froze. Fortunately it did no permanent damage. I brought it inside the garage for a slow thaw. then put a slow charger on it.
Before putting it back in the trailer, I took it to a battery shop for a load test.
He said it is OK. NOW, it is equipped with a master disconnect switch. That is wired to the negative post. Could have just disconnected the (-) wire, but getting at the battery involves removing the LP tanks and 4 screws to remove the battery cover. Ugh! Now I can kill the circuit easily, and back on as needed.

[John in Santa Cruz]

the pioneer deh-x6900bt I've installed in most of my older cars/trucks, like most stereos, has a red and yellow power wire.

IIRC, the red wire is supposed to be always on, while the yellow one is switched by the vehicle ignition. red is just used for the clock and memory, while yellow powers the stereo. if yellow powered, the display lights up even if the stereo is off, unless you press and hold the "DISP" button for about a second, then the display blanks, reducing power draw considerably, however the stereo is still powered internally and will bluetooth link with my phone and act as a speaker phone in this mode. I've never measured my power consumption.

[k0wtz]

steve exactly the same one!!


bob

[Wayne Collins]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

We had a frozen battery on our Parkliner, this winter, because of a small draw on the battery, I suspect from the smoke detector and monitor.
I don't like to leave it plugged in to the house all the time, as it might boil the cells dry. I guess it went too long, and we had sub zero temps. The discharged battery froze. Fortunately it did no permanent damage. I brought it inside the garage for a slow thaw. then put a slow charger on it.
Before putting it back in the trailer, I took it to a battery shop for a load test.
He said it is OK. NOW, it is equipped with a master disconnect switch. That is wired to the negative post. Could have just disconnected the (-) wire, but getting at the battery involves removing the LP tanks and 4 screws to remove the battery cover. Ugh! Now I can kill the circuit easily, and back on as needed.

NOW, if we plug into shore power, with the battery disconnected, will it do any damage to the converter? Will the interior lights work?../wc

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

I don't like to leave it plugged in to the house all the time, as it might boil the cells dry.

if you have a modern 'smart' power converter/charger, like a PD46xx series, those will NOT boil your battery, they do a 3-stage charge, then revert to battery tender mode, and once a month will do a short boost cycle to keep the battery fully happy.

if you have an older converter/charger, like the Parallax that came in our 2008 Casita, then yeah, those can over cook the battery.

[John in Michigan]

bob, it would probably be best to install an on/off switch on the ignition switch wire (the wire marked "ignition switch shutoff").

This is because apparently some components inside modern car radios (such as the amplifier) are always on when the ignition switch is ON, even if the radio tuner is not "ON". This allows the radio to be used for sound input from other sources, such as a cell phone.

If you want to verify this is what is happening, you can measure the radio amperage draw by placing ammeter probes between the wire marked "ignition switch shutoff" and the battery.

[k0wtz]

well I put a single pole single throw switch on the 12v side of the radio I just kill all the power to the radio. I know that memory in that radio is drawing way to much power.

the way it operates its going to draw any battery down in a car even. I had a radio I put in a car one time if the car sat for 3 days or so and not started it would do the same thing.

I really don't care what is going on I don't think there is a cure for it so the switch installation which wasn't hard to do.

comments made here confirmed my suspicions as to what was happening and our battery didn't do this until that radio was installed.

thanks

bob