Cold starting again but battery drain this time

[Leah&John]

Yet another cold starting issue but unlike most of the others I have read.

So we have a winterpack Friende - with two batteries, both for starting - no leisure battery.

Normally she starts well, we normally allow the glowplug light to go out, hear the click, and give the key a twist and she is off. On colder days though when the key is turned she dies - as if the batteries have very little power at all - she turns but very weakly and not enough to catch.

We have a portable jump starter and with that attached she starts and will run perfectly. She will then keep starting until she is left for a number of hours - overnight normally then she will do the same thing.

I assumed that the batteries or alternator were duff BUT we have had them checked, twice and are being told they are fine.

So what is draining the batteries? Any normal suspects?

[g8dhe]

Poor earth connections are often reported. Do you get good runs in between starts so that the batteries are charged ? It can take 20 minutes at a constant 40+mph to replenish a battery from the starting process, if you spend all week on short runs the batteries never get charged and with the cooler days/nights they will end up holding less charge than expected.

As to any extra load the only way is to measure the discharge with a meter with everything off and then to track down which circuit is the cause by removing/replacing fuses.

[Bob]

Can you leave a charger on it overnight until you get it sorted?

Good luck.

[Leah&John]

Update - Posting for the benefit of others.

Fixed - cold start relay knackered. So after a long stand the relay activates and shorted the system!

Hadn't seen that mentioned before.