100ma Standby Current For A Head Unit? Battery Going Flat.

[Trav33]

Having problems with a JVC head unit, keeps causing the battery to go flat.

I've worked out the head unit draws 100mA in standby mode - is this excessive?

[BCMiller]

I would say thats quite a high current draw, but if it's causing your car to not start on a regular basis I would say your battery is shagged.

I have a JVC HU and only drive my car once or twice a week, and it starts every time.

[Chris Rogers]

VERY excessive. sounds like there is a short in the output stage of it. at idle you should see 0.005A (50mA) with everything closed.

100mA is enough to flatten a battery overnight.

[Trav33]

VERY excessive. sounds like there is a short in the output stage of it. at idle you should see 0.005A (50mA) with everything closed.

100mA is enough to flatten a battery overnight.

By 'idle', do you mean with the keys removed from ignition, head unit in 'standby' mode? 0.005A = 5mA (not 50mA), heaps less than 100mA.

Is it possible the installer wired the accessories + battery wires around the other way? Would that cause excessive standby current draw?

[Chris Rogers]

By 'idle', do you mean with the keys removed from ignition, head unit in 'standby' mode? 0.005A = 5mA (not 50mA), heaps less than 100mA.

Is it possible the installer wired the accessories + battery wires around the other way? Would that cause excessive standby current draw?

my bad I was a decimal point out. but yes at idle with nothing on it should be less than 50mA.

I would pull the fuses on the radio and put a new battery in it and watch it. think you will find that the radio has a short in it. nothing really to do with how it was wired.

if you have a meter with current capability use it and pull fuses until the draw goes away.