avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

[CieraSL]

When cleaning car interiors, and you know you will need to have the doors open for a couple of hours, what do you do to avoid draining the battery? I usually don't have this issue with any of our cars, since I always keep up on the interiors, so when I have to do anything more extensive (carpet cleaning, cleaning and dressing the plastics, etc.) it really doesn't require much time. However, I have had this come up on other details. Do you disconnect the battery? Turn off the interior lights (although I don't think you can usually disconnect door lights, lights located under the dash, etc.)? Just curious, because I want to avoid draining any batteries. Thanks!

[Superior Shine]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

I have 20+ years in the biz and drained a battery on one vehicle ever. Turns out that vehicle had an old battery.

Afully charged GOOD battery shoul dbe able to support interior lights for a few days.

Disconnecting the batt. or turning of dome lights will help if you have an issue.

[gofastman]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

I have 20+ years in the biz and drained a battery on one vehicle ever. Turns out that vehicle had an old battery.

Afully charged GOOD battery shoul dbe able to support interior lights for a few days.

Disconnecting the batt. or turning of dome lights will help if you have an issue.

I would be careful about disconnecting the battery on some newer cars. It can clear the adaptive strategy out of the engine computer and cause all kinds of problems.

[cnfowler]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

Not to mention clear the presets on the radio (bass, treble, preset stations, etc) You'll make a customer really upset when they get back into their car and have to reset all the radio functions. Some of the fancier radios make it difficult to go through all the settings to write them down before disconnecting the battery.

Colin

[dope92cc]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

Turn the stereo off(of course), shut the doors when you can, if it has a dome override, then use it. Run the engine for a bit,

Anybody with an old crummy battery probably won't mind if you rush things.

[SAH Dad]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

I would just use a small trickle charger and try not to disconnect the battery as it reset's everything. It can also cause starting and idling problems for the first few key cycles until the computer relearns like Gofastman said.

[Cole Ziegler]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

always plug the cars im detailing into a battery cycler

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

1. Open glove box
2. Remove manual
3. Look up interior light fuse location
4. Remove fuse
5. Problem solved

[Tekman00]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

I killed my sis-in-law's battery in her older Ford Expedition after about an hour. I guess it was weak to start with. I put it on a charger for a few hours to bring it back to life. A couple of the fords, and mercury's I have done (for family) have an automatic timer that will shut off the interior lights after having been on for 15 min. However, if you close all the doors and open them again the 15min. starts all over again, so I try to leave the drivers door cracked until i am finished working on the interior. Turning the key or opening the trunk may also restart the cycle again? Some vehicles will turn off the dome lights by turning the dimmer switch on the dash all the way to the lowest setting. So, my approach would be to 1) try to use a switch to turn them off, 2, just time them to see it they go off while i am working, and if not, 3) maybe let the engine run a few minutes in intervals/ or have a charger handy just in case.

[Eddie6th]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

Happened once with one of my older cars. 1 interior light on for a couple of hours and the battery gone. That was because the battery was duff.

I've never had that problem again. If the battery is in good condition,then a couple of hours of 5w shouldn't be a problem. Just switch off what can be switched off. If the door lights are a concern,you should have an under-dash fuse for 'interior lights'.

[Jeepster04]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

A fully charged GOOD battery should be able to support interior lights for a few days.

Are you serious? Leaving interior lights on will drain a battery in a nights time easily.

With my jeep I can turn the interior lights off via the Multifunction switch where you him the dash lights. I typically keep them off unless Im trying to find something at night since there is no need to have the interior lights come on during the day when Im getting in and out.

If Im detailing I usually put a charger on the battery so I can leave the stereo on. With my sub it'll kill the battery in a matter of hours. Just be very careful if you close the hood with the charger hooked up to the battery since it may short out on the hood. Just leave the hood latched down also, down slam it shut as it may hurt the cables on the charger.

You may not have access to a charger and power though. Just make it quick and maybe start the engine every hour or so and let it run for 5-10 min.

[RaskyR1]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

I would just use a small trickle charger and try not to disconnect the battery as it reset's everything. It can also cause starting and idling problems for the first few key cycles until the computer relearns like Gofastman said.

+1

That is what I do if I know I'm going to have the doors open for a long time and the car is older. Most newer cars will shut the lights off after a certain amount of time or some even have switches.

[Tex Star Detail]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

I'll run the car for a few minutes every 30 minutes or so. Like said, some shut off after a few minutes

[StadiumDetail]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

x2 for the trickle charger.

Drained batteries happen, especially on newer cars like the tahoe I just did. Interior lights, automatic seats that are moved many times, electronic rear gates, electronic retractable steps when the door opens, engine bay lights, windows up down while cleaning, etc. They all take a toll on the battery, and if a long time is spent on the interior it drainage just happens.

[SHYNEMAN123]

Re: avoiding draining the battery when doing interiors

x2 for the trickle charger.

Drained batteries happen, especially on newer cars like the tahoe I just did. Interior lights, automatic seats that are moved many times, electronic rear gates, electronic retractable steps when the door opens, engine bay lights, windows up down while cleaning, etc. They all take a toll on the battery, and if a long time is spent on the interior it drainage just happens.

Tahoe and most GM's are bad with battery capacity, I Help with security at the drive In during the summer and it never fails after 2 movies we always have to jump GM vehicles.