Does locking car,thus arming alarm,drain battery faster than not doing so?

my car is in a locked garage,and i usually lock it out of habit,but if that drains the battery faster i may leave it unlocked during these crappy weather days when i'll be pushing draining the battery before i can drive it again.i usually drive it 2-4 times a week and so don't have a battery tender.if it makes a difference,i don't have keyless entry,just lock and unlock with the key.

If you are driving it that often, 2-4 times a week, you have nothing to worry about. Mine goes sometimes 2-3 weeks without moving and it fires right up every time.

good to know,in bad weather it may go 8-10 days without being driven,but still curious about added battery drain from the alarm

Most multi-meters have a current measurement function. The best solution is to disconnect the positive battery cable and insert the meter in series. Note the current with the door locked and unlocked, and you have your answer. If you take your measurement and divide it into the amp-hour capacity of your battery, you will get an approximation of the hours it will take to drain your battery. Please note I said "approximation" as there are a lot of things that affect the actual calculation. Also, do not turn on the ignition or other big current draw accessories with the meter connected as it can damage your meter.

Gary

all the NSX's in my shop are not armed...... if I arm them I have noticed 1 or 2 will have dead batt next time I go to start it up

not saying that all will do this just some not sure why.

Personally I arm mine at home and it has sat for 2 weeks while I was on vaction in Coasta Rica came back it started with no problems
now I do live in Tampa so our temp is always the same for the most part.

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trickle chargers are a gimic but people in colder temps the trickle chargers may work but I have no knowledge of using them all the time.

Trickle chargers aren't a gimmick. They work just fine for the poor saps like me that live in a "winter wonderland". It's better than replacing batteries every couple of years.

Locking the doors did it's part to draining my already weak battery faster.

FWIW, I don't see much point in locking the doors when the car is in the garage.

B2FiNiTY said:

If you are driving it that often, 2-4 times a week, you have nothing to worry about. Mine goes sometimes 2-3 weeks without moving and it fires right up every time.

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I think a stock NSX has extremely low "standby" power drain. I didn't start mine for a month, in the middle of this exceptionally cold northeast weather, and it fired right up yesterday when a friend came to see it.

My civic, on the other hand, will be dead within 2 weeks if I don't start it in this type of weather.

My old battery will die within 2wks of sitting, alarm armed (park outside, no garage).
Trickle charger are NOT a gimmick as I used it regularly to keep the old battery alive. Regardless of season. Winter it will die in 1 week. If its a gimmick then I've been fooled the past 3yrs of using it. But some how it works for me.