Electrical gremlins :willy:
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St. Jude Donor '07
Electrical gremlins :*****:
So you guys were right, there was a bigger problem than just the battery. There is a short somewhere in the electrical system that is draining the battery. I think the reason AAA's jump box didn't work is because it didn't have enough juice. My dad came by with his rental car and we jumped it, and it'll run now (just have to disconnect the battery everytime I park 
). First thing I'll check is the radio, because it has an always on live connection. Next I'll just start pulling fuses until it goes away. This will be done using an ammeter and I show no significant draw. Is that a sound way to hunt down what system is the culprit?
BTW, if you could recommend a good battery charger, that'd help me out too
). First thing I'll check is the radio, because it has an always on live connection. Next I'll just start pulling fuses until it goes away. This will be done using an ammeter and I show no significant draw. Is that a sound way to hunt down what system is the culprit?BTW, if you could recommend a good battery charger, that'd help me out too
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St. Jude Donor '07
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you need a starting place. Stick an amp meter in the + battery line and see where you are, then lets see whats up. If you determine the prob is in always hat, unfused connections, you can split the electrical system at the starter.
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How long till it drains down? Day? Week? Two weeks?
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St. Jude Donor '07
Ok, back in business. Bought myself a charger and charged up my battery. Put it in and it starts up just fine. Checked everything, seems sound. Ammeter is in the positive range, albeit slightly higher than I remember regular driving before all these shenanigans. Alternator is turning, and with car running voltage measured at the terminals is 13.95V. Something is amiss here. With car off, and using an independent ammeter, draw is showing 1.8A with interior lights on, and 0.02A with lights off. What's going on? Does the voltage >12V necessarily mean the alternator is working? 0.02A seems really small to be able to kill a fresh battery in a day.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Southern Cal Ca
St. Jude Donor '22
Alternator can work properly, but also drain
the bat.
You need a gage to measure amps/milli amps.
Place gage between neg bat post and cable.
the gage should be the only thing completing the cuircut.
with everything off (courtesy lights) there should be
only couple milli amps draw.
If you have more:
To test alt unhook positive lead and check gage.
Pull fuses 1 by 1 and note draw.
I have heard of stuck glovebox lights, vanity lights,
courtesy light delay, hood light,
I had probs with wiper switch.
It is a frustrating process...............
the bat.
You need a gage to measure amps/milli amps.
Place gage between neg bat post and cable.
the gage should be the only thing completing the cuircut.
with everything off (courtesy lights) there should be
only couple milli amps draw.
If you have more:
To test alt unhook positive lead and check gage.
Pull fuses 1 by 1 and note draw.
I have heard of stuck glovebox lights, vanity lights,
courtesy light delay, hood light,
I had probs with wiper switch.
It is a frustrating process...............
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Thread Starter
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St. Jude Donor '07
Here's the new situation:
Battery was left disconnected overnight. This morning, reconnected and wouldn't start. I had a neighbor help me jump my car, and it ran just fine. Grabbed my charger, and when I got off work, tried to charge my battery. The charger says it's already fully charged. It won't start the car. Brought two different cars by, and tried to jump start the car and no go. I'm thinking starter problem, what do you guys think?
Battery was left disconnected overnight. This morning, reconnected and wouldn't start. I had a neighbor help me jump my car, and it ran just fine. Grabbed my charger, and when I got off work, tried to charge my battery. The charger says it's already fully charged. It won't start the car. Brought two different cars by, and tried to jump start the car and no go. I'm thinking starter problem, what do you guys think?
Thread Starter
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St. Jude Donor '07
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From: Boca Raton Florida
Have you had the battery LOAD tested? Its free at autozone.
If thats good go back to following up on the cables and starter.
Verify that all the large cable connections are good (thats also free)
Last thing is the starter. Couple ways to verify that too but its hard to get to. Connect a voltmeter to the large terminal on the starter and hit the key, if it stays above 10 or 11 volts with the motor turning over the battery and cables are good and the starter is suspect. If it goes below that the battery and/or cables are suspect.
Oh, and a solenoid will not drain a battery in a sitting car, it is not even connected until you hit the key
If thats good go back to following up on the cables and starter.
Verify that all the large cable connections are good (thats also free)
Last thing is the starter. Couple ways to verify that too but its hard to get to. Connect a voltmeter to the large terminal on the starter and hit the key, if it stays above 10 or 11 volts with the motor turning over the battery and cables are good and the starter is suspect. If it goes below that the battery and/or cables are suspect.
Oh, and a solenoid will not drain a battery in a sitting car, it is not even connected until you hit the key
Thread Starter
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St. Jude Donor '07
But it wouldn't jump start either, seems strange that I couldn't do that. I've also had problems with this battery (brand new) and a brand new Kragen battery, is it possible to get two bad new batteries?
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If the car won't jump start... and the battery keeps dying, look for corrosion and ground related issues.
If the battery has boiled over, look for the slime on the top of the case. That will create a circuit too... doesnt even have to be hooked up.
I've worked on cars that won't even SPARK the jumper cable when trying to find a ground. Spend a long time figuring out that every ground point on the car is corroded...
If the battery has boiled over, look for the slime on the top of the case. That will create a circuit too... doesnt even have to be hooked up.
I've worked on cars that won't even SPARK the jumper cable when trying to find a ground.
Spend a long time figuring out that every ground point on the car is corroded...
Last edited by ZD75blue; Feb 1, 2007 at 04:59 PM.