Technical Loss all power overnight

Got a problem that I hope some of you can help me with. Yesterday I turned on the key of my 1950 Ford Tudor V8, and pressed the button and the car cranked until it started. I just installed a new choke cable and I wanted to make sure it worked properly. Today I go out to start the car and nothing, nada. I not only could not get any response to turning on the key and pressing the button, my lights don’t work any longer. I put the battery charger on the battery and it read 6.3, so the battery is not the problem. What could cause a sudden loss of power? Thank you

 

turn on the headlights, use your volt meter to follow the voltage from the battery to the headlights...where it goes away, that's the problem.

 

dirty battery terminals or any bad connection, specially the ground connections

 

I agree with @manyolcars . Clean the battery terminals. I replaced the starter on my '36 Dodge pickup because it acted like it was dragging and wouldn't start, only to find new one did the same! Dirty terminals on battery under the floorboards.

Dave

 

A mouse? Bad connection somewhere, get out the test light and get comfortable.

 

IIRC, the horn relay is the first connection in the circuit going to the ignition switch/headlight switch. Start there.

 

and when we say battery terminals, it means BOTH ends.

 

Thanks, I'll start by cleaning the terminal posts and cables and see if that was the problem.

 

yeah, fixing random things is so much easier than finding out what the problem really is....

 

Ammeter maybe ?

 

it's a ground, it's always a ground

 

You were attempting to rewire this car recently,is the wiring new ?

 

Not under the dash. I rewired the headlights and parking lights. That was why I knew something was wrong when not only did the car not start but I lost the headlights also. After I rewired the headlights I checked them with the dimmer switch and it switched from hi beam to low beam so I figured I had a good circuit that far.

 

Check the routing of your recently installed choke cable. Make sure something hasn't gotten grounded or shorted under the dash or underhood. Had any previous issues with blown fuses?

 

Amen!

 

Thank you guys very much. I removed both battery cables and cleaned both ends. Put it back together and the car fired right up. Thanks again

 

I was thinking damm sneaky rats!!

 

I thought "It's always a F*N Dodge"!.....I'm confused.....
(but you are right!)

 

Except when it ISN'T! Mine turned out to be the POS. Corroded and loose. inside the cable end.

Ben

 

There ya go, I've got one out here that is playing the some times I will and some times I won't starting game that I need to do the same thing on.

 

Well @firstinsteele , in this case if his car is still 6 volt the ground IS positive!

Dave

 

Always start with the first dumb thing you can think of. Bad battery, loose/dirty terminals, bad ground for that circuit, etc. I lost count of the times I have read about someone ripping out the wiring or doing major surgery to the system and still having the same problem, when it was actually a bad fuse or bulb holder.

 

Something about this time of year makes battery terminal ends get all funky and interupt the flow.
No joke, for a couple years I ran for THE auto club.
Spring time was always busy with no start calls. ( Points and Carbs )
No jump required.
The easy fix remedy brought a $3 to $5 tip.

 

Beat me to it. I know someone with a similar issue with something contacting the clutch pedal arm. Push in the clutch pedal and the truck died.