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Battery Load with Everything Off?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by *Goldfinger*, Jun 11, 2014.

  1. *Goldfinger*

    *Goldfinger* Junior Member

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    Everything off, including interior light etc, disconnected battery earth and tested load, getting 0.65 Amp. Is this normal?
     
  2. nh7o

    nh7o Off grid since 1980

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    No, that is much too high. However, if you disconnected, and immediately reconnected and measured, there may be some short term transients. Long term load should be <20mA.
     
  3. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    The Prius seems to know when you open a door or anything and it powers up various systems in response. I think this is why people generally measure 12V battery voltages that appear somewhat low for a "resting" battery (eg 12.3 to 12.4 instead of 12.6 to 12.7 for a battery in good health).

    One day I was measuring the 12V battery voltage at the jump point under the hood (after it had sat overnight) and it was only about 12.3 volts. After about 5 minutes or so I heard a relay click off so I quickly place the voltmeter back on and saw the voltage rapidly rise from 12.3 to about 12.5 or 12.6 volts over a period of about 20 seconds. This was the battery recovering after the thing eventually timed out and turned off that ECU loading.
     
  4. *Goldfinger*

    *Goldfinger* Junior Member

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    Thanks for your replies.
    I first tested it immediately after disconnection, it measured 1.3 Amps. After a couple of hours, de-scaling my brake discs, I rechecked it before reconnecting the battery, it then read o.65 Amps. Any ideas regarding what could be drawing the current?
     
  5. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    What are you measuring it with Goldfinger, DC clamp?

    Try again, make sure the key is not in range (if you have the SKS) and make sure that all doors (including the hatch) are closed. Yeah I know that may be difficult, but I don't see any other way to ensure it will sleep.
     
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I suggest the OP describe exactly how he is measuring 12V battery current, and whether any doors or the hatch are open. All doors and the hatch must be closed and as previously suggested, the Smart fob (if the car has that feature) must be at least 15 feet away. Also, the OP needs to wait several minutes after reconnecting the 12V battery before the quiescent current will drop down to its final value.

    Once the current value has been established, if it is much more than 0.02A then something is wrong. If there are any aftermarket options like an alarm, they should be disconnected. If nothing obvious can immediately be found, then it would be necessary to remove fuses, one at a time, to see what impact that has on the quiescent current. Try the DOME fuse to start with.

    Once the OP has determined a fuse that has a big impact on the quiescent current, then he needs to investigate the circuits downstream from that fuse. At this point the Electrical Wiring Diagram is needed, which the OP can obtain from the Toyota Europe techinfo website.

    Toyota Service Information
     
  7. *Goldfinger*

    *Goldfinger* Junior Member

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    I connected my Multimeter/Ammeter as follows: one end to negative terminal on battery other end to earth strap. I did have tailgate open and drivers door window. I did only have it hooked up for about 30 seconds (although it did seem to have settled to 0.65 Amp) so maybe I should have waited longer.
     
  8. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The hatch (what you call tailgate) definitely needs to be closed. Place the meter in a location where you can see it when the hatch is closed.

    A better way to measure 12V battery quiescent current is to remove the 10 mm nut on the positive jumpstart terminal located within the main relay/fuse box next to the inverter. Pull up the wire attached to the stud. Then place your ammeter to measure current between the wire and the stud.

    That allows you to have the doors and hatch closed. The Prius body ECU doesn't care if the hood (the part that you call the bonnet) is open because there is no switch to advise the ECU of the hood's position.
     
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  9. *Goldfinger*

    *Goldfinger* Junior Member

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    Thanks for your great advice Patrick, I will give it a try and post back if it's still high.