Battery draining down in 7 days.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Rockledge Florida
Battery draining down in 7 days.
Have any of you guys had a problem with your battery being drained. Mine is dead after 7 days. I've replaced the battery, had the alternator checked (good), checked the car for lights,relays or anything else I might see or hear running. I've had the battery rechecked(good) and still it goes dead. I just recently went through a brake pedal problem and thought the brake lights were my drain but the pedal problem is repaired and still I have the drain. All thoughts please. Tom
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,710
Likes: 2,574
does you center compartment behind the seats have a light that is staying on all the time? You could have that or something else placing a drain on the battery. Put a voltmeter in the battery circuit and start pulling fuses to see which circuit is causing the drain.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 386
Likes: 1
From: Grafton WV
My 81 had a battery drain and it was the courtesy light in the passenger side sun visor/mirror. I only happened to notice it one night when I went out to the car in the dark.
Just a thought ...
Laterz
Ken
Just a thought ...
Laterz
Ken
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
disconnect your battery for 7 days then reconnect it to see if it is dead. this will prove or disprove the draw down theory.
if still not solved, disconect your alternator for 7 days then reconnect and try it.
do you have after market radio/amp accessories? sometimes these draw current if not on a switched circuit
test your milliamp draw with everything shut off, should be 0-50 depending on radio or clock..
if you have more than that then start pulling fuses until the draw stops..
if the draw never stops then it is thru a hot circuit unswitched, such as headlights, brakelights or horn or flashers or alternator diode..
keep in mind that is it probably not a short since it would fry any wires, but a light left on or a short to ground thru a resistance circuit such as a light or a alternator diode.
check if all your brake lights, turn signals, courtesy lights, alternator, instruments, etc.. work
if still not solved, disconect your alternator for 7 days then reconnect and try it.
do you have after market radio/amp accessories? sometimes these draw current if not on a switched circuit
test your milliamp draw with everything shut off, should be 0-50 depending on radio or clock..
if you have more than that then start pulling fuses until the draw stops..
if the draw never stops then it is thru a hot circuit unswitched, such as headlights, brakelights or horn or flashers or alternator diode..
keep in mind that is it probably not a short since it would fry any wires, but a light left on or a short to ground thru a resistance circuit such as a light or a alternator diode.
check if all your brake lights, turn signals, courtesy lights, alternator, instruments, etc.. work
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
Have any of you guys had a problem with your battery being drained. Mine is dead after 7 days. I've replaced the battery, had the alternator checked (good), checked the car for lights,relays or anything else I might see or hear running. I've had the battery rechecked(good) and still it goes dead. I just recently went through a brake pedal problem and thought the brake lights were my drain but the pedal problem is repaired and still I have the drain. All thoughts please. Tom
Jim
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 151
Likes: 1
From: Cedar Springs MI
Have any of you guys had a problem with your battery being drained. Mine is dead after 7 days. I've replaced the battery, had the alternator checked (good), checked the car for lights,relays or anything else I might see or hear running. I've had the battery rechecked(good) and still it goes dead. I just recently went through a brake pedal problem and thought the brake lights were my drain but the pedal problem is repaired and still I have the drain. All thoughts please. Tom
My conclusion is it is most likely the horn relay. Horn work???
maybe someone unlugged it because the alarm was blaring and never fixed the issue.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 4
From: New Baden Illinois
Is it from 7 days of sitting, or are you driving it? My dad had an '81 that the battery would always drain and everything checked out on it. The fuse block on the firewall has a piece on each side of the firewall. It is held together by a few bolts. The bolts worked themselves loose, so the fuse block was not make a solid connection. It was enough for all of the regular items to work, but not solid enough for the alternator to recharge the battery.
Tighted it back up...problem solved.
Tighted it back up...problem solved.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Goose Creek SC
Is it from 7 days of sitting, or are you driving it? My dad had an '81 that the battery would always drain and everything checked out on it. The fuse block on the firewall has a piece on each side of the firewall. It is held together by a few bolts. The bolts worked themselves loose, so the fuse block was not make a solid connection. It was enough for all of the regular items to work, but not solid enough for the alternator to recharge the battery.
Tighted it back up...problem solved.
Tighted it back up...problem solved.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 799
Likes: 26
From: Lexington Park Maryland
Two things I found to be the problem in my 72 LT1: the fan switch is still hot even after the ignition switch is off, hence I make sure the far switch if off, second the light in the back center compartment, the limit switch for it was damage, hence the light was always on. didn't noticed that until the power around area was out one day and needed a flashlight from the garage, I noticed the light in the back compartment.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 4
From: New Baden Illinois
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,844
Likes: 99
From: Orrtanna Pa.
Mine had something going on with the Alarm circuit. I did the ammeter draw test while pulling one fuse at a time until I found the problem. I just pulled the Alarm fuse, and have been running fine ever since.
Actually fired right up after sitting all winter with the turn of the key...
Actually fired right up after sitting all winter with the turn of the key...
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Goose Creek SC
Mine had something going on with the Alarm circuit. I did the ammeter draw test while pulling one fuse at a time until I found the problem. I just pulled the Alarm fuse, and have been running fine ever since.
Actually fired right up after sitting all winter with the turn of the key...
Actually fired right up after sitting all winter with the turn of the key...
