battery drain????
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 3
battery drain????
Monday night I made a stop home after work. Car sat for 15 minutes and wouldnt start , signs of a dead battery. I had no problem before this with charging. I slow chearged for two days and regular charge for another 24 hrs. Battery wouldnt hold a charge so I replaced the battery. Within 24 hours new battery was totally dead.
After charging the battery overnight again as soon as I hooked up the battery the voltage drops from 12.5 to 6 and you can see the voltage drop. I have all my high amprage things off tha aletrnator so I disconneccted the fans, headlights and the alternator. Still big draw. Next was power windows and fuses one by one. Still a big drain on the battery. Any ideas....
Its a 1979 highly modified so it hard to list all the changes...
thanks,,,,
After charging the battery overnight again as soon as I hooked up the battery the voltage drops from 12.5 to 6 and you can see the voltage drop. I have all my high amprage things off tha aletrnator so I disconneccted the fans, headlights and the alternator. Still big draw. Next was power windows and fuses one by one. Still a big drain on the battery. Any ideas....
Its a 1979 highly modified so it hard to list all the changes...
thanks,,,,
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
A not uncommon problem is the convenience light timer going bad. Check and see if your interior lights are staying on...or even coming on at odd times.
The timer is an orange thing that should be located behind the glove box on a '79. If this is your problem, they're available from the normal vendors.
The timer is an orange thing that should be located behind the glove box on a '79. If this is your problem, they're available from the normal vendors.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 52
From: Dayton, Ohio
If it is your timer check out Willcox. He builds the insides for a big savings over buying the complete unit.
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=26882
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=26882
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,847
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
My first suggest would be to pull the timer from the car and see if the drain goes away.
My bet is it will.... If not post back.
Willcox
My bet is it will.... If not post back.
Willcox
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
From: Fort White Florida
I am having a similar problem but not a severe when the car sits for a few days it loses power to the point of needing a jump. I the timer even necessary? I mean does it do anything but keep the courtesy lights on after you close the door?
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,847
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Willcox
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=27100 By-pass timer board.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Jul 31, 2011 at 11:53 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
From: Fort White Florida
The timer is not necessary and we do make a bypass board that will allow your doors to operate like a regular car. If you remove the timer your interior lamps will not work unless you do a re-wire job on it.
Willcox
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=27100 By-pass timer board.
Willcox
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=27100 By-pass timer board.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,847
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Yes this is all you need. The lights operate just like a regular car door. On when open and off when shut. The module is located right behind the glove box. It is just plug and play with no splicing or cutting of any wires.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 3
Got a chance to look at the car today. I pulled all the fuses and breakers and no draw as I replaced all the fuses and breakers, i get big loads with the A/C fuse and Gauge fuse. Either one drops the volts to
9v and both together drop to 6v. So I need to find the common issue on both circuits.
Also i cant find in the service manual what a heavy orange wire with a black stipe that plugs into the lower right BAT terminal in the fuse block, any Ideas?
I also removed a 30 amp fuse and the manual doesnt show a 30 amp anywhere.
Thanks
9v and both together drop to 6v. So I need to find the common issue on both circuits.
Also i cant find in the service manual what a heavy orange wire with a black stipe that plugs into the lower right BAT terminal in the fuse block, any Ideas?
I also removed a 30 amp fuse and the manual doesnt show a 30 amp anywhere.
Thanks
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,847
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Go to this link.. I've isolated it in a schematic for another customer.
But the orange wire is a lot of things..... Mainly it runs the courtesy lamp system, the glove box door lamp, cig lighter, and so on.... Did you un-plug the timer to see if the draw went away.
Something may have cooked the timer such as a shorted lighter or some other item.
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=309
But the orange wire is a lot of things..... Mainly it runs the courtesy lamp system, the glove box door lamp, cig lighter, and so on.... Did you un-plug the timer to see if the draw went away.
Something may have cooked the timer such as a shorted lighter or some other item.
http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=309
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 3
Well the timer did help so ill be replacing that. But Im thinking it also time to replace the wiring harness. To many Gremlins lately. Yesterday the power windows would work and today they are fine. Im wondering if something was stuck causing such a large drain. I reinstalled the timer and everything was okay. Im confused so ill replace the timer and start cleaning connectors.
So as of now the only issue is the tail lamps and dash lamps, two different circuits connected at the switch. So headlight switch will be replaced also.
Im leaving everything hooked up and see how the battery looks in the morning.
Thanks for the help...Ill update after I replace the parts.
So as of now the only issue is the tail lamps and dash lamps, two different circuits connected at the switch. So headlight switch will be replaced also.
Im leaving everything hooked up and see how the battery looks in the morning.
Thanks for the help...Ill update after I replace the parts.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 52
From: Dayton, Ohio
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
I had the same exact problem for a long time in my '78 and it actually turned out that a single wire had fallen on to the headers and burned onto it. It was causing the battery to drain as well as short out.
I'd just check that too while you're at it.
I'd just check that too while you're at it.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 3
I got home tonight and the battery was dead again. Battery held a charge all night and during the day it drained??? The light timer is removed so I guess im back to square one......
Ive check the whole harness and it isnt anywhere near the exhaust or anything to ground to....
Ill wait till I get the headlight switch replaced and the new timer and see what happens.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 52
From: Dayton, Ohio
The green goes to the 6amp Inst light fuse-the green wire actually "supplies" the 6amp fuse with its power (you were probably thinking the 6 amp got its power from the fuse box-its the only fuse in the box that doesn't get its power from the box).
One other page might help.Go to the first pages , in my book its 8a-12 , figure 8a-8 "power distribution circuit diagram".
Follow the orange from the taillight fuse up into the light switch,through the switch,out the green to the 6amp Inst light fuse,the gray then goes to the inst lights.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Antique thread, but I have NO courtesy lights in my car....who needs them??? really now???? serious??? simple to pull all the light bulbs and case closed!!!!!