new battery drain issue
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 37
From: The Woodlands Texas
new battery drain issue
I had my another battery drain issue killing another battery. This one was new for me, but I'm sure not to others.
About three weeks ago, I remembered that I have a tilt & telescoping steering wheel (DUH). I decided to collapse the steering column as much as possible to make getting in and out as easy as possible. The new C7 seats have very tall bolsters and it's a pain to get in and out. This helped a little bit.
Anyway, fast forward a few weeks later, I leave the car for 8 days without driving it. The first time I try to turn it over she's dead and wont even take a charge. Today we troubleshot the issue and couldn't find a damn thing. All of the sudden we realized my horn was dead, but the relay was working. With the meter turned on we noticed it jumping when we messed with the steering wheel.
Sure enough, as soon as we loosened the tele dial and pulled the wheel back about 1/2 inch, the meter went to 0.003 amps.
Oh well, problem solved for now. Sounds like I need to look at the tele spring and the little plastic piece in side the steering column.
About three weeks ago, I remembered that I have a tilt & telescoping steering wheel (DUH). I decided to collapse the steering column as much as possible to make getting in and out as easy as possible. The new C7 seats have very tall bolsters and it's a pain to get in and out. This helped a little bit.
Anyway, fast forward a few weeks later, I leave the car for 8 days without driving it. The first time I try to turn it over she's dead and wont even take a charge. Today we troubleshot the issue and couldn't find a damn thing. All of the sudden we realized my horn was dead, but the relay was working. With the meter turned on we noticed it jumping when we messed with the steering wheel.
Sure enough, as soon as we loosened the tele dial and pulled the wheel back about 1/2 inch, the meter went to 0.003 amps.
Oh well, problem solved for now. Sounds like I need to look at the tele spring and the little plastic piece in side the steering column.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,995
Likes: 110
From: Garland Texas
Chris, there is a rubber sleeve that goes over the shaft after you put the plastic insulator (clip retainer) on. It looks like a short piece of heater hose. It prevents the tele from going down too far.
Mike
Mike
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,105
Likes: 96
From: Sunrise FL
Fix the horn so it works...next time you will know if the relay is on!!!!
BTW, if you are wondering about battery drain...here are some approx. times
Assume a 50 Amp/Hour battery...
A one amp drain, like a light, would take 50/1 or 50 hours for a dead battery
A .005 amp drain is 50/.005 is 10,000 hours or about 416 days.
This is not taking account self discharge, temp, etc but you get the idea
BTW, if you are wondering about battery drain...here are some approx. times
Assume a 50 Amp/Hour battery...
A one amp drain, like a light, would take 50/1 or 50 hours for a dead battery
A .005 amp drain is 50/.005 is 10,000 hours or about 416 days.
This is not taking account self discharge, temp, etc but you get the idea
Last edited by mikem350; Jan 13, 2015 at 01:01 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 37
From: The Woodlands Texas
Well, it came back. It wasn't what I thought. I have a short somewhere in the column. All of the sudden, my right turn signal wouldn't work. Then a few days later my ignition would work correctly, then it would.
I've pulled the column out and its going in for a rebuild.
I've pulled the column out and its going in for a rebuild.
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