Current draw, when the car is off Options

[tradisrad]

I had a dead battery in my car yesterday, I jumped it and went on my way. After a 15 mile drive the battery was still dead and I had to jump the car again. I borrowed a battery from a friend and put mine on the charger.

And now I am wondering why my batter was dead. I disconnected the radio and with the car/ignition/lights/etc. off I put my Amp meter in line between the battery and the + cable an found that I have a 0.60 Amp draw on the battery.

Are there any usual suspects that may cause this drain on the battery?

The car is a 1970 with a 2056 D-jet.

[Cap'n Krusty]

The alternator is a "battery maintainer", NOT a "battery charger". Expecting it to charge your battery in a few minutes is expecting a miracle, and you'd be putting undue stress on the alternator. There's a risk it could permanently damage your alternator, according to Bosch.

Every single car equipped with an Optima battery that's been in my shop has had electrical system problems, specifically battery issues, and every one has had the battery replaced with a conventional battery. Except for one car, which has a significant battery drain issue, a replacement (conventional) battery has solved the problem. Some of the Optimas I've seen fail were just weeks old, some months, but all ended up being unchargeable.

I fail to see the obsession with Optimas among 914 and other Porsche people, especially people who drive their cars infrequently. If you're worried about overflow, simply protect the battery from the weather. If your car has overcharging problems, which will cause corrosion and overflow, fix the problem. If the battery is exposed to a small flood of water when it's wet out, cover the battery or enclose it in a box. Or move it.

I would guess nearly all the threads on this forum about Optimas involve some sort of failure issues, but I'm not gonna do a search to work up the numbers. As with K&Ns, too many people fall prey to the advertising and to other similarly clueless online "experts".

The Cap'n