Odyssey battery died; Is there an aux circulating pump?

[ekological]

Hi guys,

I went to the Glen last week which is about 400 miles round trip not to mention the 300 miles of track driving Anyway, I washed the car after the trip last weekend and forgot to disable the alarm. I then took the car for a short ride (maybe 30 minutes) on Wed night and disabled the alarm when I parked it. Today, I went to finish off claying the rest of the rubber marks off. I got into the car, turned the key and noticed the dash lights a bit dimmer. I lowered the window (so I could push the car out of the garage) and the motor was way down in speed. Yep...the battery is near dead.

So...my question: Is there an aux pump of sorts that circulates coolant or oil through the system if the car is hot and the engine is off? I recall reading that somewhere but wasn't sure. If so, I guess that could explain why the battery was near dead.

Any other ideas?

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by ekological

Hi guys,

I went to the Glen last week which is about 400 miles round trip not to mention the 300 miles of track driving Anyway, I washed the car after the trip last weekend and forgot to disable the alarm. I then took the car for a short ride (maybe 30 minutes) on Wed night and disabled the alarm when I parked it. Today, I went to finish off claying the rest of the rubber marks off. I got into the car, turned the key and noticed the dash lights a bit dimmer. I lowered the window (so I could push the car out of the garage) and the motor was way down in speed. Yep...the battery is near dead.

So...my question: Is there an aux pump of sorts that circulates coolant or oil through the system if the car is hot and the engine is off? I recall reading that somewhere but wasn't sure. If so, I guess that could explain why the battery was near dead.

Any other ideas?

It's more likely that it was not charging properly than having that large a drain on the battery in such a short time, unless you left a light on. The alarm uses a minuscule amount of electricity. Any possibility you left the light in the middle position somehow? It's easy enough to bump it there by mistake.

[TimMullen]

Yes there is a small coolant recirculation pump in the bypass circuit (flows the hot coolant through the cars heater core. But it only runs for a short while. From the Factory Service Manual (I sound like a broken manual, but you have downloaded the Service Manual for $25, haven't you?):

Heat Soak
In order to help control engine temperature after switching off an engine whose temperature is over 88°C, the ECU will remain powered for a period of 20 minutes to allow heat soak management.

A coolant re-circulation electric pump is mounted below the coolant header tank and is plumbed into the heater supply line. When energised, the pump circulates coolant through the engine and heater system, drawing coolant from the back of the cylinder head, and pumping it through the heater matrix to the heater return pipe and back into the thermostat housing. The pump functions only with ignition off in conditions where the ECU remains live. The pump is then activated at coolant temperatures over 110°C, switching off at 100°C on fall. If temperature should rise to 115°C, the pump will be supplemented by the two cooling fans running at half speed, switching off at 110°C on fall.

[Bruce]

which Odyssey do you have? There is no pump that circulates water or oil after the car is off. The cooling fans might be programmed to run after shut off on extreme high temps. I don't know if the Elise is programmed like that but you would hear those. I think it's just a case of using a battery for street purpose that doesn't have adequate reserve and you running it down. Could just be a bad battery also. I think that some of the small Odysseys some guys are running don't have the reserve to standup to normal use.

I stand corrected on the coolant circulation pump. I would know that if Lotus would send my damn password so I could download the manual

[ekological]

Originally Posted by TimMullen

Yes there is a small coolant recirculation pump in the bypass circuit (flows the hot coolant through the cars heater core. But it only runs for a short while. From the Factory Service Manual (I sound like a broken manual, but you have downloaded the Service Manual for $25, haven't you?)

Yup, bought the manual but haven't had time to go through all of it. Thanks for the info. 100 celsius...that's 232F, no? I don't think my car was that hot....actually, it never has come close unless they are talking about heat soak where after you shut off the engine, areas can reach that temp without the fluid flowing...

[ekological]

Originally Posted by Bruce

which Odyssey do you have? There is no pump that circulates water or oil after the car is off. The cooling fans might be programmed to run after shut off on extreme high temps. I don't know if the Elise is programmed like that but you would hear those. I think it's just a case of using a battery for street purpose that doesn't have adequate reserve and you running it down. Could just be a bad battery also. I think that some of the small Odysseys some guys are running don't have the reserve to standup to normal use.

I think I have the PC680...I forget which one. But I've been running the car like this for quite a while with no problems...this is the first time.

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by ekological

Yup, bought the manual but haven't had time to go through all of it.

I'm one of those strange people that have actually read the entire thing...

100 celsius...that's 232F, no?

Nope. 100 Celsius = 212 F; 110 Celsius = 230 F.

Still, it's hot.

[ekological]

I found the culprit. User error. I forgot to disconnect the V1 when I parked it on Wed night. DOH!

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by ekological

I think I have the PC680...I forget which one. But I've been running the car like this for quite a while with no problems...this is the first time.

The 680 isn't as bad as some of those real small 545's people are using but it does have less than half of the reserve of the stock battery. I could see running it down if you were opening and closing doors a lot or using the power windows without the engine on. I've run down much larger batteries than that while working on interiors and adjusting power windows. I've never put an ammeter on an Elise to see what the parasitic drain is from the ECU and alarm. While it's usually small, it can drain a battery over time especially if it's in a weak state to begin with. And you're starting with one that already has less than half of the normal reserve capacity. With that battery I would keep one of those battery maintainers on it while it isn't being driven. You could also have a larger than normal parasitic drain. The only way to find out is to put an ammeter on it.

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by ekological

I found the culprit. User error. I forgot to disconnect the V1 when I parked it on Wed night. DOH!

It's nice when it's one of those easy fixes.

[Tyger]

Originally Posted by ekological

100 celsius...that's 232F, no?

100C = 212F = the boiling point of water at sea-level atmospheric pressure. Of course the cooling system is pressurized, and not just water, so its boiling point is closer to 250F. That is one reason why it is dangerous to open up the system when the engine is still warm. The drop in pressure can cause flash boiling of the coolant.
The Celsius system is convenient to remember in that water becomes liquid at 0 and becomes a gas at 100.
Incidentally, Fahrenheit (the man) picked his point of 0 and 100 degrees as the coldest and hottest temperatures he ever recorded outside his house.