612 parasitic current draw measurement? | FerrariChat

612 parasitic current draw measurement?

Discussion in '612/599' started by Always Irreverent Megan, Oct 5, 2019.

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  1. Always Irreverent Megan

    Sep 24, 2019
    11
    Gig Harbor, WA
    Full Name:
    Megan Mae
    #1 Always Irreverent Megan, Oct 5, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2019
    Hello All, My first post here. I recently purchased an '05 612. It has a fairly new 94R battery in it. It's dated 2/19. Battery's dead after two days of sitting. Is this normal? I measured the battery voltage, key off, at 12.49V. Engine running, 14.48V. After fully charging the battery with my CTEK 7002, I started to perform a parasitic amp draw test today by putting my multimeter between the neg battery terminal and the car's neg battery cable. As the car's powering down/going to sleep, the amperage draw drops from 3.21 amps to 2.09 amps, and after about 5 minutes to 0.10 amps (100 milliamps). Seems high to me. Does anyone know what the acceptable power draw is for this car? Is it common for the battery to be flat enough that the car won't start--after only two days? I'm using the battery disconnect in the trunk daily, which is a bit of a PITA.

    Also, does anyone have a link, jpg, etc. of the wiring schematic for this car? I'm trying to resolve an issue with the trunk latch not showing as latched on the digital dash display. Thank you for any and all responses, Megan
     
  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,985
    Clarksville, Tennessee
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    Terry H Phillips
    Ferrari usually quotes 40 ma as the highest draw you should see.

    Sounds like you need a new battery. No telling how it was treated before you got her.
     
  3. Always Irreverent Megan

    Sep 24, 2019
    11
    Gig Harbor, WA
    Full Name:
    Megan Mae
    Thank you for your reply. I was wondering that. I put a brand new Optima red top that I bought for a project BMW of mine. The car drained that battery in two days as well. Kinda surprised me.
     
  4. TrojanFan

    TrojanFan F1 Rookie
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    Nov 17, 2008
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    Peter
    I've had a red top in my car for 2.5 years with no issues. My 612 can easily sit for a week and start right up. I wouldn't push it to 2 weeks though. I usually have it on my CTEK if its not going to be driven for more that 3-4 days or longer. Also have a 355 which shouldn't have as much electronics on it. I can go a week to 10 days on thats car so it sits on a CTEK too.
     
  5. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 19, 2008
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    Megan- Sure sounds like she has a short somewhere or the battery ground strap is not making good contact.
     
  6. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    612 and FF can eat batteries. use an interstate. i can leave my 612 and FF off a tender for 3 weeks now.
     
  7. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 19, 2008
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    Yup, have never been fond of Optimas since they moved production to Mexico.
     
    Rifledriver likes this.
  8. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,348
    Weston, MA
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    Paul
    I've had the best experience with Interstate in all my cars. The only exception is the Panasonic that was supplied with my Lexus LS460. I had it for 9 years and I only changed it because I thought why press my luck with a northeast winter arriving. I should have kept it to see how long it would go.

    Megan, I would think something is definitely drawing current.
     
  9. Cribbj

    Cribbj Formula 3

    Keep your ammeter connected and start pulling fuses to see which is the circuit that is drawing the current.

    If none of them are culprits, start suspecting leaky diodes in the alternator.
     
  10. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 5, 2002
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    Two days is crazy. Mine is good for a week or two (at least), but I generally keep it on the charger when in the garage. But I take it on trips and leave it for a few days, no problem.
     
  11. brogenville

    brogenville Formula 3
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    Apr 24, 2012
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    Robin
    +1 on the pulling fuses. Definitely seems like something is amiss if you're only getting 2 days out of the battery. It could just be the immobiliser though getting old and crappy. If that's the case, you may want to consider getting an immobiliser delete.
     
  12. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 19, 2008
    37,985
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    Terry H Phillips
    The 612 alarm system is much more modern than the one fitted to 360s and earlier Ferraris. Has not caused much in the way of problems compared to the old systems.
     
  13. TrojanFan

    TrojanFan F1 Rookie
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    The Optima wasn't my first choice but I needed a battery that day (car was delivered to me with a dead battery) and the proper Interstate size was a special order. When for the Optima which was available at 1/2 the price and its been no issues, but I do try to keep it on a tender.
     
  14. Cribbj

    Cribbj Formula 3

    Did the OP find the problem? It's always good to know what the diagnosis was, and if there was a solution.
     
  15. Always Irreverent Megan

    Sep 24, 2019
    11
    Gig Harbor, WA
    Full Name:
    Megan Mae
    Hi, no, I haven't found it yet. I unplugged all the mini fuses one by one in the rearmost fuse block. None of those made any difference in the "resting" amp draw. Still at 100 milliamps. I am going to move forward to the other blocks with the larger fuses to see what I can see. The change in weather here (SW of Seattle) has convinced me to install a radiant heater in our garage, insulate the walls and ceiling, and make my garage life generally a bit more comfortable. So I've been distracted with garage remodeling for a couple of weeks. My car also has no fuse block covers, so I'm not even sure what any one fuse connects to. (I bought my car from a CoPart auction.) i tried finding a wiring schematic online--to no avail. I was wondering if the 456 schematic might contain any helpful info?
     
  16. Cribbj

    Cribbj Formula 3

    I would next disconnect the large lead that goes from the alternator to the battery at the alternator end.
     
  17. Always Irreverent Megan

    Sep 24, 2019
    11
    Gig Harbor, WA
    Full Name:
    Megan Mae
    Thank you so much for your reply. I have read about leaky diodes in the alternator. I will try your suggestion next. ☺️
     
  18. vtfnupe

    vtfnupe Karting

    Feb 20, 2013
    96
    Orange County, CA
    Full Name:
    Vince
    Really! 3 weeks! I need to change. I don’t feel comfortable goingn more than a day or two


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  19. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
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    Brian Crall
    100mA is too high.
     
  20. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Jul 19, 2008
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    Here are Ferrari's numbers from the 456M WSM:

    Less than 40 ma = 25 days
    40-60 ma = 20 days
    60-80 ma = 15 days
    80-100 ma = 10 days

    Note the 456M has a lot less electrical equipment than a 612 and its Motronic 5.2 system likely pulls less current than the 7.1.1 (early)/7.3.2 (late, I think) system on the 612. My 7.1.1 575M, though, can sit for over three weeks and still start fine.
     
  21. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 29, 2004
    33,736
    Austin TX
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    Brian Crall

    I don't think the batteries know math. Even with a known current draw the batteries never last as long as the charts say they will. Should all do 3 weeks easily but way too often do not get used that often. Also your average Ferrari already has a compromised battery in it.
     
  22. gsholz

    gsholz Formula Junior
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    #22 gsholz, Nov 15, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2019
    0.1 amps times 48 hours (two days) would only consume 4.8 amp hours. Now, starting batteries are not deep cycle batteries but, depending on group size, they should provide at least 50 -100 amp hours when fully charged at that low level of draw. Something else is going on here.

    There are some low-cost logging Bluetooth voltmeters (search for Battery Monitor BM2 $30) that would allow you to see if some additional loads show up after you leave the car. It logs voltage for several days. You can check status and history via an app on your phone.
     
  23. Always Irreverent Megan

    Sep 24, 2019
    11
    Gig Harbor, WA
    Full Name:
    Megan Mae
    Hi, I'd like to resurrect this thread with a bit of info. (I finally got things in the garage a bit more comfy. Also got distracted with a master bathroom remodel. And a million other things. Anyway...) So I spent a few hours this evening, trying to track down the parasitic draw issue I'm having with my 612. Things have gotten just weird since last I responded. Now I seem to have approx. 2 amps :eek: of constant power draw when the car is off. I started pulling fuses again. I did find that the radio amplifier circuit seems to be pulling about half of that. So I've pulled those two fuses (a large 30A and a micro 25A) for the time being. Still have just over an amp (1,090 milliamps) of power being drained somewhere. I did disconnect the alternator at the alternator end. (I'm going to need a new alternator now, as I twisted the terminal off trying to remove the nut, which had corroded and seized.) Anyway, that didn't seem to be the issue. I pulled all the fuses in the trunk and under the hood. I still need to pull the fuses under the dash. (I just learned there are fuses there, too.) Should I also be pulling all the relays? Those can go bad, too, right? Or, could pulling the right one also help me track down the problematic circuit(s)? Thank you again everyone, Megan
     
  24. Always Irreverent Megan

    Sep 24, 2019
    11
    Gig Harbor, WA
    Full Name:
    Megan Mae
    Also, would anyone have a legend or map or diagram of some sort that would show/tell me which each fuse connects to? I found a 612 user manual online, but there's no diagram. And my car came without any of the fuse box covers, which usually have a legend inside them. Thank you, Megan
     

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