Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: Joiner on 17 January 2012, 13:50:09

Title: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: Joiner on 17 January 2012, 13:50:09
Hi all, question one of what will probably be many.

I have recently disconnected my power sounder as it was going off at random times for some reason so there is obviously a problem somewhere else. However, since disconnecting it (around two weeks ago) my mysterious battery drain seems to have stopped. Before I disconnected the sounder I would have to charge my battery over night at least twice a week or I would be greeted by a flat battery. Now for some reason it has stopped. My question is, have I unknowingly fixed my battery drain and if so, how/why dis that little black box cause the problem to start with? ???
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: Lazydocker on 17 January 2012, 14:24:29
Quite possibly... Have you removed it from the car completely? They have a habit of spontaneously catching fire :o :o

It could be that the powersounder was drawing from the battery to try and recharge the faulty batteries
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: deviator on 17 January 2012, 14:38:43
As above, more than likely. There is battery backup in the sounder. Over the years the battery gives up and often starts leaking. This can short things inside the siren. At best it'll just die quietly, unfortunately, this doesn't always happen. It can, as said set on fire.....

(http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/V110LOP/powersounder003.jpg)
(http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/V110LOP/powersounder004.jpg)
(http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/V110LOP/powersounder005.jpg)
(http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/V110LOP/powersounder006.jpg)
(http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/V110LOP/powersounder007.jpg)
(http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae147/V110LOP/powersounder008.jpg)

(Shameless stolen from another forum)

Or it will just set it's self off when it likes. This is probably the cause of your battery drain.
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: Joiner on 17 January 2012, 15:05:57
Thanks for the replies :y

As for the risk of it catching fire, that is now the problem of my local council as it found its way into my wheelie bin ;D

Anyway, its either a huge coincidence or that sounder was draining my battery. The last couple of mornings for example I have gone out to the car and it has been white with frost. Prior to removal of the sounder, if I had not left the battery on charge over night, in such conditions the battery would have definitely been drained flat but this has not been the case. :D
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: raywilb on 17 January 2012, 15:14:30
after reading your post, i,m wondering if the same is happening to me. in a way i,ve hijacked your thread to ask where on my tractor is the powersounder, & how would i test it :y
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: D on 17 January 2012, 15:54:49
Thanks for the replies :y

As for the risk of it catching fire, that is now the problem of my local council as it found its way into my wheelie bin ;D

Anyway, its either a huge coincidence or that sounder was draining my battery. The last couple of mornings for example I have gone out to the car and it has been white with frost. Prior to removal of the sounder, if I had not left the battery on charge over night, in such conditions the battery would have definitely been drained flat but this has not been the case. :D

I hope you are kidding. If not then there are various battery disposal sites across the country that would take your battery for free rather than release the various chemicals in it into the very food chain that you get you food from.
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: Joiner on 17 January 2012, 15:58:38
in a way i,ve hijacked your thread to ask where on my tractor is the powersounder, & how would i test it :y

Help yourself mate ;D

On the subject of its location, if they are all the same place then its under the skuttle drivers side tucked away. You need to remove the offside wiper arm and release the skuttle to get to it. As for testing the sounder, cant you there I'm afraid :-\
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: omega3000 on 17 January 2012, 18:26:34
Quote
They have a habit of spontaneously catching fire   
:o :o :o :o :o :o

Learn something every day , something to keep in mind  :y
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: raywilb on 17 January 2012, 20:16:39
in a way i,ve hijacked your thread to ask where on my tractor is the powersounder, & how would i test it :y

Help yourself mate ;D

On the subject of its location, if they are all the same place then its under the skuttle drivers side tucked away. You need to remove the offside wiper arm and release the skuttle to get to it. As for testing the sounder, cant you there I'm afraid :-\
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: Webby the Bear on 17 January 2012, 20:19:13
Quote
They have a habit of spontaneously catching fire   
:o :o :o :o :o :o

Learn something every day , something to keep in mind  :y

Can't remember where it is but there was one chap on here who posted pics of his whole engine fire after the PS decided it wanted to set everything on fire! He was in his front room having a cup of tea when it happened!  :o
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: Jimbob on 18 January 2012, 08:32:18
this was ours.....but caught in time...

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1259433462
Title: Re: Power sounder & Battery drain
Post by: Chris_H on 18 January 2012, 18:58:32
My take on this whole powersounder fire thing is that the batteries leak (known fact) causing a short circuit on the pcb (assumption).  Now one of the feeds to the powersounder is via an 80amp (very unwise) fuse if Haynes is to be believed.  So, if the short-circuit drains main battery power it would flatten your main battery over time.  If the short-circuit happens to be low resistance (pure chance) then it could draw up to 80 amps before the circuit is isolated. That is a lot of power, which in a small space could create some very high temperatures - enought to start a fire.  The powersounder is in an area of the car with some other flammable materials around so a fire could spread.  Also, the wiring feeding the <80amps will take a path through the car that could also get ignited.

I baulk at the suggestion that disconnected powersounders self-combust but am open to persuasion.

HTH

(Owner of two powersounders in bits on my desk)