Battery drain E39 long post

[Ross]

'99 528i USA 9/98
I somehow triggered the alarm on this new to me car a few days ago trying to enter with the wrong key. The car then wouldn't start and acted peculiar, specifically the batt, oil, and airbag lights filckered, the rf door speaker crackled at about twice per second. With a booster battery there was also a loud solenoid type click from somewhere in front at the same cadence.
Disconnecting the battery and charging it restored operation as normal but now it runs down the battery quickly.
Checking this morning there is a 500 ma draw that subsides to 360ma after a minute or so. None of the fuse seems to make a significant change, any that make a difference are on the order of 20-30ma. Disconnecting the SERVOTRONIC fuse #11 causes the alarm to sound.
WTF

[Ross]

MORE
Now the draw is 1.66a! There was a cell phone cradle I removed in the meantime. It was properly installed and nothing disturbed during removal.
Tried disconnecting hood switch, alternator and the final stage unit, no change.
There is a bus above the battery, if the 4ga. wire,(furthest inboard) is disconnected the draw is ~200ma, still seems high. What does that wire supply?
Anyone with a wiring diagram?
EDIT after fifteen miutes the draw is 290ma

[winfred]

the 15 minute wait for the system to stabilize is normal, same for the alarm going off with fuse 11, what kind of electric fan does it have? one with two finned resistors behind the blades and 4 good sized wires on the plug or one with no visible resistors and 2 good sized wires plus one small gauge wire?, if it's that one unplug it and see if the draw goes away

[Ross]

Okay, cocktails are on me. The three wire job you described, disconnected and draw is 10ma.
So what gives? There shouldn't be any power even going there, Right?

[winfred]

the solid state speed control built into the fan is toast, new fan time at $322 list


Okay, cocktails are on me. The three wire job you described, disconnected and draw is 10ma.
So what gives? There shouldn't be any power even going there, Right?

[Ross]

Great. But it beats being driven nuts trying to figure this out. It's hot here and I'm out of beer.
So I guess the triggered alarm was coincidental or perhaps related to an already low battery.

[winfred]

probably, the later cars are electrically garbage, i am still trying to find time to figure out the e39 lkm, it's worse then the e32/34 lkm, those you can resolder, looks like the new ones will need transistors to fix, so far one or both high beams will stay on all of the time even with the key off



So I guess the triggered alarm was coincidental or perhaps related to an already low battery.

[Ross]

Funny you mention LKM. There was a '93 touring for sale locally(Chicago)that from what I could gather from the ad needed only an LKM for $1500.
"I missed it by this much" Maxwell Smart

[bimmerd00d]

probably, the later cars are electrically garbage, i am still trying to find time to figure out the e39 lkm, it's worse then the e32/34 lkm, those you can resolder, looks like the new ones will need transistors to fix, so far one or both high beams will stay on all of the time even with the key off

Here ya go, you'll find this interesting im sure :)

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209896