SC430 Battery Drain?
06-12-21, 11:41 AM
#136
Pole Position
Batteries do not can not parasite themselves. And everyone, almost, is having the same problem with the same car but different batteries. I have a new $300 AGM yellow-top Optima battery and it dies out in a week. I also have a Prius with an older Optima and it never dies.
06-12-21, 12:11 PM
#137
Driving more is technically the same as an overnight charger. The question is does it drain excessively while sitting
compared to other cars. Maybe not, Maybe people with SCs just drive less. But I've experienced a dead new Optima
after just five days of sitting. I'd not be surprised if there were some component, such as the ML stereo, that's doing
something. I've put a meter on my car while parked and it went from a fully charged 12.6 volts down to 12.1 in four days.
On the other hand a parasitic loss test showed only 300 milliamps of drain, which is not good but also not so bad. Anything
over 100 milliamps is supposed to be a problem. I have nothing non-stock that's electrical, radar detector was unplugged,
ML stereo is stock. I had an old Audi A4 I left parked in the winter for 3 weeks and hiked through a snowstorm to get to
it in the middle of nowhere. Was late night and a blizzard when I finally got to it and it was covered in snow. Started right
up. Nobody for miles around. I'd have died if it had not. This was before cell phones.
Actually was a bit of an adventure. Was on an island in NH and stayed too late into the season. Left in December in a
small steel skiff with a 3 HP on it. My end of the lake was deeper so not frozen but the end of the lake where my car
was parked 3 miles away was shallow and frozen. No one still up on the lake. I cranked that 3 HP to break through the ice
but got stuck in the middle with one mile to go and it was now dark and snowing. I turned 90 degrees to head for the nearest
land while standing on the bow breaking the ice with an oar and paddling, barely making any progress. After a couple of
hours made it to land and left the boat in the pitch dark. No flashlight. Water was down on the lake so I literally had to
stumble and feel my way around the shoreline to the landing where my car was parked. That took another two hours and
I was truly frozen. Had the car not started, I'd not be here to tell the tale.
compared to other cars. Maybe not, Maybe people with SCs just drive less. But I've experienced a dead new Optima
after just five days of sitting. I'd not be surprised if there were some component, such as the ML stereo, that's doing
something. I've put a meter on my car while parked and it went from a fully charged 12.6 volts down to 12.1 in four days.
On the other hand a parasitic loss test showed only 300 milliamps of drain, which is not good but also not so bad. Anything
over 100 milliamps is supposed to be a problem. I have nothing non-stock that's electrical, radar detector was unplugged,
ML stereo is stock. I had an old Audi A4 I left parked in the winter for 3 weeks and hiked through a snowstorm to get to
it in the middle of nowhere. Was late night and a blizzard when I finally got to it and it was covered in snow. Started right
up. Nobody for miles around. I'd have died if it had not. This was before cell phones.
Actually was a bit of an adventure. Was on an island in NH and stayed too late into the season. Left in December in a
small steel skiff with a 3 HP on it. My end of the lake was deeper so not frozen but the end of the lake where my car
was parked 3 miles away was shallow and frozen. No one still up on the lake. I cranked that 3 HP to break through the ice
but got stuck in the middle with one mile to go and it was now dark and snowing. I turned 90 degrees to head for the nearest
land while standing on the bow breaking the ice with an oar and paddling, barely making any progress. After a couple of
hours made it to land and left the boat in the pitch dark. No flashlight. Water was down on the lake so I literally had to
stumble and feel my way around the shoreline to the landing where my car was parked. That took another two hours and
I was truly frozen. Had the car not started, I'd not be here to tell the tale.
Last edited by buddhi; 06-17-21 at 09:14 PM.
06-12-21, 12:14 PM
#138
Instructor
Yes, the batteries do die early but its not the cars fault. Its the batterys fault and the publics fault for demanding all the bells and whistles. If you want the battery to last longer, get a better battery OR get a 1949 Ford without all the bells and whistles. Your choice.
Also, with electronics that are 10 years old, the electrolytic capicitors age till they leak so your cure might be to replace all your electrolytics. NOT EASY, but not the cars fault.
Also, with electronics that are 10 years old, the electrolytic capicitors age till they leak so your cure might be to replace all your electrolytics. NOT EASY, but not the cars fault.
06-12-21, 12:19 PM
#139
Well I got just about the best battery made. Didn't help. The SC is famous for parasitic drain, other cars are not.
A '49 Ford has a 6-volt system - not what you want. Had one once and it started fine with the choke when cold
but would never start when warmed up. You had to let it sit for a while.
A '49 Ford has a 6-volt system - not what you want. Had one once and it started fine with the choke when cold
but would never start when warmed up. You had to let it sit for a while.
06-12-21, 12:33 PM
#140
Instructor
As I said, my Rolls Royce, Lincoln Town Car and the Sky Roadster all have the problem. Other cars that are over 10 years old DO have the problem. Ever since we demanded all those electronics its been a problem. Either better batteries like the LiFePo or better capacitors. And I am sure Lexus doesnt have any control over capacitor development and if the battery cost $350 + the customers would *****. LiFePo are the batteries we need and Optima is STILL a lead acid battery Not good.
06-12-21, 12:50 PM
#142
Instructor
Oh. BTW. lead acid batteries DO PARASITE themselves. LiFePo not so much. That is why they are better.
And once again, you are blaming the SC. Its NOT THE CARS FAULT!!
And once again, you are blaming the SC. Its NOT THE CARS FAULT!!
06-12-21, 12:58 PM
#144
Instructor
Do you have any idea why the concrete floor drains a battery? I have been hearing that for years, but no one ever explains how that works. I am a physicist and Electronics Engineer and I dont see how, but everyone says it does. I would like to have it explained to me.
06-12-21, 01:43 PM
#145
I wish I knew. Got told that while working in a warehouse, during high school
four decades ago. They said to put it up on 2 x 4s.
But that may have been a myth even back then, based on the older battery
cases from the 60's. Modern plastic batteries should not discharge.
four decades ago. They said to put it up on 2 x 4s.
But that may have been a myth even back then, based on the older battery
cases from the 60's. Modern plastic batteries should not discharge.
06-12-21, 01:48 PM
#146
Pole Position
Batteries do not can not parasite themselves. And everyone, almost, is having the same problem with the same car but different batteries. I have a new $300 AGM yellow-top Optima battery and it dies out in a week. I also have a Prius with an older Optima and it never dies.
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Caflashbob (06-12-21)
06-12-21, 03:14 PM
#147
Instructor
The cases should not make a difference as the old ones were petroleum based tar and didnt conduct electricity any more than the new plastic cases. If they did, they wouldnt stay charged ANYWAY because the case connects the positive and negative poles together.
But if someone could explain it to me, I would love to hear the science behind it.
06-12-21, 03:27 PM
#148
Pole Position
Maybe the advice came from colder climates where the concrete might be substantially colder than wood? Too, if the case and floor had high moisture content, due to high humidity, it could possibly result in drain.
06-12-21, 03:50 PM
#149
Instructor
06-12-21, 04:04 PM
#150
Pole Position
From terminal to terminal, via the moisture/dust on the case. The case moisture would increase in a moist environment, as in having it sitting on cement has a high moisture content.