Can I reduce battery drain from the radio?

BMSTANG

New Member
Mar 31, 2005
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Sometimes while the engine is off and I'm listening to a hockey game on the radio (stock Shaker) I will lower the volume/bass and adjust the speaker balance so only one front speaker can be heard. I'm trying to reduce battery drain. Is this working, or will the radio consume the same amount of energy as it does at full volume?
 
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How exactly is BMSTANG wasting his time? It sounds like a pretty interesting question to me. I have some friends who are electrical engineers, I'll see what they say.

Update: I just talked to my buddy and he said the amp either could, or could not adjust the gain depending how how the amp is designed. He said it's more likely that the type of amp they'd use in a car stereo would not be able to adjust the amount of gain through the amp and thus it would draw the same regardless of how loud it is turned on, whether the base is turned down, etc.

If you measure with an amp meter off the battery to see how the current changes that would give you a good read on what the answer really is.

We might even check it out ourselves this weekend if we have time.

Hope this helps.
 
The dead battery is an interesting issue I have addressed in other forums. I have found out, for me, that I am need to leave my stang unattended for a couple of days to turn off the radio at least 30 min prior shutting off the vehicle. So if I am driving around I make sure its off at least 30 min prior parking it. I have left my stang unattended three time for periods of 14-21 days and when I return, it starts right up. And yes, I did have a dead battery before I started with this routine.
 
That's odd.

If you turn your key to OFF, or take your key out completely, your accessories will continue to run for about 10 minutes, then shut off.

Kinda neat when you are doing work on your car, or need a 10 minute timer...

Roll your window down, crank up the radio, pull your key out and put it in your pocket.

When the radio shuts off, thats your que.

Works at the gas station too, when your favorite song is on, but you don't trust leaving your keys in the car...

SOHC
 
Works at the gas station too, when your favorite song is on, but you don't trust leaving your keys in the car...

SOHC


Help me understand this would you please? It seems to me that the only way for this to work would be if you rolled down the drivers window, exited the car, closed the door, and then reached in and grabbed the key. Is this what you're saying?

With my 05 the moment I open the drivers door after removing the key the radio turns off.
 
Help me understand this would you please? It seems to me that the only way for this to work would be if you rolled down the drivers window, exited the car, closed the door, and then reached in and grabbed the key. Is this what you're saying?

With my 05 the moment I open the drivers door after removing the key the radio turns off.

Correct.

Close door with radio on.

Pull out key through open window.

Works for 10 minutes at car shows too when you are bored.

SOHC
 
i notice sometimes in my friends car that if he blasts the radio while driving during the day, at night his headlights are really dim for a while but after 15-20 minutes of driving they're back to normal. Is it a dying battery or what?