Car battery isolator vs CCA

[Harry Bloomfield]

I’ll bash on with that Harry, thanks

pulling relays, one at a time, might also help ID the leak.

 

[norseman]

Thanks Harry, i quite agree. But as i say, nobody seems to want to know. And that’s just for a diagnosis. Re. fixing the symptom, would the CCA fry the isolator? Ah also, we have another car, the Jag is not required for daily use.

I empathise with your 'lack of interest' situation, it's a 21st century attitude.

I've been searching over a year for someone to remove my android head unit to check for a possible bad connection (something I don't trust myself to do due to poor eyesight & arthritis in my hand) but if I wanted an expensive replacement installed it would be a different story

 

[JohnD]

Ah yeah been disconnecting neg terminal then connecting a cable from battery negative to the negative cable, in parallel with the multimeter. Then wait 20 minutes. Then disconnect the cable leaving the multimeter connected. So all the current goes through the multimeter. Have to use this “shunt” method cos the multimeter times out

Clamp meter.

 

[elcaro]

Meanwhile, best wishes for New Year! Also, can we re-visit the question at the start of the topic : can i click my isolator to “on”, jump in and start the engine? ChatGPT reckons no - it’d fry the isolator. Some bloke in Australia reviewing an isolator on Amazon reckons he’s starting his 6 litre Mercedes with one …. So do we believe artificial intelligence… or Aussie intelligence?

 

[elcaro]

Amazon link https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DHR8G...EFZ0WOSZ&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_ii

If i’ve posred that right??

 

[thomp1983]

I'd give it a go, amazon's return policy is pretty good so if the cca killed it you'd likely still be able to return it, I'd also believe someone's real life experience over chat gpt.

Having said all that I'd have to get to the bottom of the cause it would drive me mad otherwise.

 

[elcaro]

Thanks thomp1983. Just to recap, i want to disconnect the battery, say overnight. The battery is in the boot. The boot latch is powered so the boot can’t be securely closed without power. So i need a remote-control isolator. Which solves the boot-closing catch-22 problem. If next day i had to disconnect the isolator and directly re-connect the battery cable before starting the engine - well it’s hard to see why anyone would buy an isolator. So i think you are right to suggest giving it a go.
Yes I’d like to solve the mystery of the parasitic power leak - maybe in the spring when it’s a bit warmer outside lol!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've been searching over a year for someone to remove my android head unit to check for a possible bad connection (something I don't trust myself to do due to poor eyesight & arthritis in my hand) but if I wanted an expensive replacement installed it would be a different story

Spending many hours, diagnosing, and testing, just doesn't pay well these days. Labour = expensive, goods = cheap.

 

[thomp1983]

Only other thought is do you have a manual way into the boot, if your isolator fails in the battery disconnected position how are you getting back in to remove it?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Only other thought is do you have a manual way into the boot, if your isolator fails in the battery disconnected position how are you getting back in to remove it?

The other issue is - if you install this item, and it works OK, you will have much less inclination to trace the actual fault..

 

[thomp1983]

The other issue is - if you install this item, and it works OK, you will have much less inclination to trace the actual fault..

That's true but over time the fault may also show itself in another way, I'm with you Harry in fix the original issue but I can understand why people look for a solution to allow life to move on until they revisit things

 

[Old Salt]

You need to find the cause, anything else is just a sticking plaster.
Check out RMS Diagnostics on you tube he has some good explanations of fault finding in a logical fashion.

 

[elcaro]

Thanks guys. Re opening the boot without power, it can be opened with the key. But the key is hard to turn so maybe not a good idea to use that method all the time, feels like it might wear or break something!

 

[JohnD]

Thanks guys. Re opening the boot without power, it can be opened with the key. But the key is hard to turn so maybe not a good idea to use that method all the time, feels like it might wear or break something!

The Chubb Ava lock has several rotating disks, similar to an Abloy. It has no springs, and the disks are returned to their resting position when you turn the key back prior to withdrawing it. I have never seen one worn out, but they can get dirty or tarnished, and salt spray might get in. If you are using a copy key, it might perhaps be inaccurate.

You are not usually supposed to oil locks, because the oily surfaces can hold dirt and grit, and grease can dry out and go gummy.

But I have freed mine by squirting WD40 inside the cylinder through the keyhole, and letting it drip out onto a rag, bringing dirt with it. If you keep putting the key in, turning it, and taking it out, the disks will rub against each other, rubbing off dirt that the WD40 will wash away. Wipe the key clean each time. If you think of a pile of smooth brass washers or coins, and you rotate the top one, they should rub smoothly against each other and turn easily, and the disks are like that. I suppose it would be technically correct to use contact cleaner to rinse off the WD40, but in this car, it will trickle downwards towards the keyhole.

Once every ten years should be enough.

I have taken old full-size Avas apart, but I don't recommend you try that.

 

[elcaro]

Thanks JohnD