CAUSES OF A PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN ON A CAR -

causes-of-parasitic-battery-drain-on-car

In this article, we’ll show some of the most common causes of a parasitic battery drain.

This is a pretty rare car problem, but when it happens, it will cause the car battery to frequently go flat, especially if you leave the car parked for a longer period of time.

A parasitic battery drain is not a dangerous problem, but it’s a big inconvenience, to say the least.

So, here are some of the most common causes that may even help you solve the problem.

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CAUSES OF A PARASITIC BATTERY DRAIN

1. SOME APPLIANCE IS LEFT TURNED ON BY MISTAKE

The first and easiest thing you should check is if some appliance is left turned on by mistake.

This may seem unlikely but it does often happen.

Mainly check the appliances that work without the ignition on, like the lighter, cabin light, stereo system, and others.

Then check all the other appliances just in case.

2. A BAD SWITCH OR ELECTRIC CONNECTION

Sometimes a bad switch, a bad connection, a wiring problem, or else can turn on an appliance by accident.

A good example is if the boot switch is faulty. The switch can keep the boot light on all the time, and this will easily cause a parasitic battery drain.

3. A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC INSTALLATION

A short circuit can be caused by a faulty appliance, damaged wiring installations, and else.

With most short circuits, the fuse blows and you notice it immediately.

But in some rare cases, like when the wiring is partially pinched or the appliance works intermittently, the fuse will not blow and a parasitic drain may occur.

4. AFTERMARKET APPLIANCES

Aftermarket appliances should definitely be checked as a cause of a parasitic battery drain.

Some “suspects” are aftermarket stereo systems, alarms, light systems, and other popular accessories, which can cause this problem, especially if they are faulty.

Also, in this case, you should check the wiring and the connections.

5. A BAD ALTERNATOR

Last on this list is a bad alternator.

To be honest, this is a very rare cause and mostly happens if there was previously some bigger problem like switching the jumper cables for instance.

If there was, it can damage the rectifier, the voltage regulator, or else, and cause the parasitic battery drain.

CONCLUSION

The reason for a parasitic drain in most cases is hard to find. Know that you’ll need some time and patience to find it, especially if it’s a short circuit problem, for instance.

Also, this problem should be solved as soon as possible. In the long run, it can lead to damaging the car’s battery, the car’s appliances, and else.