Drain on the Battery

[Typhoon #2131]

So I have been Fighting a bad draw on my battery. With a full charge it only last 3 or 4 days and it would go dead now it wont make it a few hours. I have checked everything traced all wires and everything looks good. I'm starting to think it could be maybe the starter?????

It seams to draw very hard on the meter when trying to start. If it is starting to go out or has a short in it can it cause a draw on the battery?????

 

[T-Bone]

Re: Drain on the Battery

Sounds to me like a bad cell in the battery.

 

[atkonkler]

Re: Drain on the Battery

Get the battery tested, look at the volts and % of battery charge. THen re check battery if the volts go up or down .5% or if the charge % goes up or down you my friend have a sulfated cell and the battery is poopy, go out and buy a new one.

 

[Typhoon #2131]

Re: Drain on the Battery

I have replaced the battery twice. that why I'm thinking starter now. I also replaced the alternator and that didnt help either

 

[T-Bone]

Re: Drain on the Battery

....then I would be having a battery cut-off switch installed rickety-tick.

 

[Typhoon #2131]

Re: Drain on the Battery

so you guys don't think the starter could have anything to do with it??? it is the original one.

 

[Snoman002]

Re: Drain on the Battery

Get yourself a digital multi meter or a test light (not a continuity tester).

Pull the negative battery cable off and connect the DMM in amp mode, or the test light, between the cable and the battery. If there is a draw the DMM will show how much (or the test light will light up some amount). Make sure the key is off, the doors are shut and that there is no hood light (pul the bulb) when doing this. Next you start pulling fuses one by one until the DMM shows very very little (say <100ma) or the test light goes out. Pull fuse, shut door, wait one minute (if you have dome light supervision), check meter/light. If the test light is still lit then put the fuse you pulled back, pull a different one, shot door, wait one minute... You get the picture. If you still have a draw after pulling all the fuses pull the red wires off the back of the alternator, these are fusable links and power the ignition switch and the headlight. If the DMM/light shows no draw disconnect the headlight switch and put the wires back on the alternator. If the DMM shows no draw then its a bad headlight switch (this happened to me and is very common) if the DMM/light shows a draw then its the ignition switch.

 

[warmpancakes]

Re: Drain on the Battery

do you have a meter? even a simple test light? Electrical draws arent that hard to find, no repairing them can be more fun

 

[Typhoon #2131]

Re: Drain on the Battery

I did that a while back. I actually pulled all the fuses out and set them on the floor and the test light still came on. I stopped after that because i didn't know what that meant.I thought it was a little strange that you could have every fuse out of the car and the test light still light up

 

[Snoman002]

Re: Drain on the Battery

I did that a while back. I actually pulled all the fuses out and set them on the floor and the test light still came on. I stopped after that because i didn't know what that meant.I thought it was a little strange that you could have every fuse out of the car and the test light still light up

One, make sure there is NOTHING that could be on.

Two, not all power runs through fuses. As mentioned the headlight switch and the ignition switch get power direct from the alternator without going through a fuse, but the wires are 'fusable links' that will quickly and without risk of a fire burn up in a specific spot just like a fuse.

My guess is the headlight switch, its usually used a ton, gets all kinds of crap in it, and handles a very high load. All of this contributes to partial contact path when the lights are off, allowing power to 'leak' through, draining the battery

 

[Typhoon #2131]

Re: Drain on the Battery

Ok I will check out the headlight switch...... I hate electrical problems!!!!!