parasitic battery drain
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: sahuarita az
parasitic battery drain
The first test for dead short with multimetter gave me a reading on the omh 20K dial setting of 8.78. I unpluged the alternator connector and had no continuity at all. Normal or something fishy with alternator?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,239
Likes: 19
From: Chino CA
I have a drain too.....really need to fix it.....I hate having to disconnect my battery all the time.
Could use some help (a good step by step???!) On how to find it......
I'll be watching...!
Could use some help (a good step by step???!) On how to find it......
I'll be watching...!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: sahuarita az
Last edited by vettestu; Mar 12, 2013 at 08:30 AM. Reason: more info
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,239
Likes: 19
From: Chino CA
Now I have some "fun" work to do !
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,487
Likes: 10
From: Palm Beach Florida
St. Jude Donor '12
My 77 just started with this issue. Never had a problem in the past. Now I have a quick disconnect on the battery. I thought it was the clock, but once I started unplugging the battery the clock stopped. I guess the grease got hard on the mechanisms in it. I don't know what it could be.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 12,239
Likes: 19
From: Chino CA
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
The easiest way I have found to find a battery drain is to simply use a light.
Just get a 2 wire light, like a turn signal light, add about 5 feet of wire to each side. Disconnect one of the battery leads - I use the negative, because that one has a quick disconnect on it. Connect one of the wires from the light to the battery cable, and the other to the battery.
A drain will show in the light bulb, the brighter the bulb, the bigger the drain. A very small drain may just make the filament glow.
I made the wire long enough that I can put it down by me when I'm pulling fuses.
Just get a 2 wire light, like a turn signal light, add about 5 feet of wire to each side. Disconnect one of the battery leads - I use the negative, because that one has a quick disconnect on it. Connect one of the wires from the light to the battery cable, and the other to the battery.
A drain will show in the light bulb, the brighter the bulb, the bigger the drain. A very small drain may just make the filament glow.
I made the wire long enough that I can put it down by me when I'm pulling fuses.
Last edited by Mashman; Mar 12, 2013 at 11:34 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,743
Likes: 1,385
My battery drain was at the starter connection...
I put off looking for it until one day the car would NOT stop when I turned the key to "off". I would just routinely disconnect the negative battery terminal.
See this post. It ended up being an intermittent short at the starter solenoid.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...s-running.html
See this post. It ended up being an intermittent short at the starter solenoid.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...s-running.html
Last edited by carriljc; Mar 12, 2013 at 09:20 PM. Reason: add link
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 683
Likes: 4
I had a similar issue. I fixed it by buying a quality alternator kit that contains what is called a diode trio. The diode trio is what fixed it. It took a while to find the problem. The alternator is not very hard to rebuild. Make sure you mark the case halfs so it will be easier to reasemble it.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 141
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From: sahuarita az
Carilljc is your vette your avatar? if so is that bright blue metallic? any more photos? i'm leaning hard towards this color for paint.
Last edited by vettestu; Mar 14, 2013 at 12:47 AM. Reason: identify poster
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 344
Likes: 4
From: Island Lake IL
I had a small drain as well, I checked the fuse panel for activity and it had some in the interior lights fuse, after removing the fuse I don't have the drain any more but I was wondering whats the fix for the light dimmer module? can it be skipped and the lights hardwired to go on and off, or maybe some other solutions?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
I had a small drain as well, I checked the fuse panel for activity and it had some in the interior lights fuse, after removing the fuse I don't have the drain any more but I was wondering whats the fix for the light dimmer module? can it be skipped and the lights hardwired to go on and off, or maybe some other solutions?
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 354
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You guys rock on these Vettes!......................>
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 344
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From: Island Lake IL
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 943
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From: Valdosta Georgia
I just did this. In my 82 it was behind the glove box. Willcox sells the board that goes inside the timer for 30 bucks. I didn't care about the timer, so I just jumped the two white wires.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
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From: New Hill NC