I am running an Arduino Nano/433 Mhz Transmitter powered from a 12 Volt A23 Battery with the "+" Side going through a Latching Button Switch like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZJ51KLG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

The Battery goes through the switch to a 5Volt Buck Converter and then on to an LED and the Arduino/433 Mhz Transmitter.

Nothing is connected to the Battery unless the Switch is On yet the Battery is still being drained while the switch is off.

What could be causing this and how can I fix it so I don't have to keep replacing these batteries?

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Nothing is connected to the Battery unless the Switch is On yet the Battery is still being drained while the switch is off.

If nothing is truly connected to the Battery when the Switch is Off, then there is no rational reason for the battery to be drained.
Double check all your wiring.
Measure the battery current by connecting a multimeter directly in series with one of the battery terminals.

 

That is why I am scratching my head here..... Everything that can possibly drain the battery (LED, Arduino Nano, 433 Mhz Transmitter) is connected to the other side of this button switch so I cannot figure out how anything could be draining the battery power.

 

That is why I am scratching my head here..... Everything that can possibly drain the battery (LED, Arduino Nano, 433 Mhz Transmitter) is connected to the other side of this button switch so I cannot figure out how anything could be draining the battery power.

Hence my suggestion to measure the actual battery current.
If you measure a current when the switch is OFF, then you'll know there's some hidden sneak path for the current.

 

Time to do some measurements. Add a multimeter with milliamps measuring capabilities in series with the battery and the switch itself.
Without values we are only guessing.

 

I am running an Arduino Nano/433 Mhz Transmitter powered from a 12 Volt A23 Battery with the "+" Side going through a Latching Button Switch like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZJ51KLG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

I've used that very switch in the past with good results. IF (big IF there) IF the switch is defective (has some contamination inside the housing) that could be the reason why a battery is draining even when off. It may not be truly off. Disconnect the battery and measure the voltage for a few weeks and track the results. It's possible the battery may be self-draining. If you're using Li-Ion batteries you could have a defective cell. Or more. In that case you want to dispose of that battery quicker than yesterday. It could be a time bomb.

What kind of battery are you using? The pudding is in the details. The more we know about the circuit the better an answer we can give you. If you're not afraid to post your schematic - that too would be of help. If even the schematic looks correct - post a picture (or pictures) so we can see if you have something in circuit that is causing parasitic drain.

 

Thanks for the info and tips. I am using an Energizer A23 Battery. Do you know if they make this switch in a "Non-Latching" version? I would like to try that and see if the Battery Drains using that switch. My application uses this exact size switch but using a "Momentary Contact/Non-Latching Version" might work too.

 

I haven't seen any of that same style switch that is momentary. Everything I saw was latching.

BUT - before you start throwing money at the problem - fully diagnose the problem so you focus on what is wrong and not on replacing everything else until you happen upon the failure mode. You learn nothing that way.

Start by removing the battery and watching its voltage every day for a few weeks. If the battery is self draining then there's an issue with the battery. If not then the problem is somewhere in the circuit. If you ordered 10 of those switches then you have enough to try replacing the one you have. BUT WAIT! You don't have to do that either. Simply remove the battery and check the resistance across the switch. If when open there's a resistance then the issue IS the switch. If not then the issue is elsewhere.

To be honest, if the switch is "OPEN" (literally disconnecting power from your circuit) then it's either the switch or the battery. OR if you have the switch located somewhere within the circuitry hoping it will stop all current from flowing you may have a schematic issue or a build issue. We really do need to see a schematic and/or pictures of the circuitry.

 

The switch is between the Battery and Everything Else.... The negative lead from the Battery goes to the Ground Input on the Buck Voltage Converter Board and the Plus lead from the Battery goes to one side of the switch with the other side of the switch going to the Plus Input on the Buck Converter. The Battery is fine sitting in my desk drawer and only draining when used in this application. Is it possible the Battery could be driving through some sort of inductance?

 

Thanks for the info and tips. I am using an Energizer A23 Battery. Do you know if they make this switch in a "Non-Latching" version? I would like to try that and see if the Battery Drains using that switch. My application uses this exact size switch but using a "Momentary Contact/Non-Latching Version" might work too.

Do you not have an ammeter? like the others have said, this will quickly settle matter without doubts.

 

I am using an Energizer A23 Battery.

Even though it says that's a 23 amp battery - it's not. The labeling is misleading.

Clearly this is not a 23 amp battery. It's rated for 50mAH (milli-amp hours). That's not a powerful battery. Even though it's 12V it's quite possibly not up to the task you're asking of it. I use those batteries in my ceiling fan remote controls. They hardly ever get used and can last a few years. But they're just not much in the way of being a powerhouse.

 

The switch is between the Battery and Everything Else.... The negative lead from the Battery goes to the Ground Input on the Buck Voltage Converter Board and the Plus lead from the Battery goes to one side of the switch with the other side of the switch going to the Plus Input on the Buck Converter. The Battery is fine sitting in my desk drawer and only draining when used in this application. Is it possible the Battery could be driving through some sort of inductance?

You may be drawing more current than the battery is designed to deliver. I haven't looked up the specs on that battery so I can't tell you how many amps it's capable of delivering in short bursts. One thing I'm confident of is the battery will drain quickly under whatever usage you're putting it into application.

We need your schematic.

 

Hello,

The A23 battery is basicaly a stack of button cells:

It can not deliver much current.

Bertus

 

Actually I do.... Where would I connect it read current draw? Switch on and off?

 

 

SCHEMATIC PLEASE

Edit: Note that 0.48mA is 480 microamps (480µA) or (0.00048A)
The Amazon page claims it's a 23 amp battery. It's not! It's the wrong battery for your application. Unless you can show us a schematic and pictures of the project. 12 volts doesn't mean anything without understanding how much current is being drawn and for how long. Yeah, your battery is going to go bad quickly.

 

I don't have a schematic as I designed and built it myself. Basically... the A23 Battery goes to the Buck Converter with the Plus lead going through the Switch. The Buck Converter takes the 12 Volts and drops it to 5 Volts which powers a 5V LED, an Arduino Nano Board, and a 433 Mhz Transmitter but ONLY when the Switch is On. That is the part that is confusing me. Why when the switch is off, is there any drain to the battery?

 

Here's a new place for you to start from:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=5v+battery+rechargeable&crid=M39S05OYKVOA&sprefix=5V+batter,aps,307&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_ci_hl-bn-left_3_9

I don't have a schematic

Pictures. Surely you have a cell phone that can take pictures.
Y'know what - it doesn't even matter. The 5V battery above can be what you want. Bigger for sure but capable of 10000 to 12000 mAh as opposed to 55mAh

 

Basically... the A23 Battery goes to the Buck Converter

That's a non-starter. That won't work.

 

Why will that not work??? The Plus side is going through a switch to the Buck Converter to drop it to 5 Volts when the switch is in the On Position. When the switch is in the Off Position, the Battery is not connected to anything.