all you electrical nuts out there!

what is the easy way to find those darn electrical sorts? im thinking ive got one due to the fact my battery dies overnight now....

is the onlyway to check for one is to run down each wire with an ohm meter? check for cut wires and such? dang this stinks....

 

pull a battery cable and put multimeter/testlight between the cable and the post. Start pulling fuses till it goes out. that will show which circuit to search.

 

If you have an alternator, that is the number one suspect. Battery can drain through bad alternator.

 

yeah I should have added that part, disconnect alt first Haha.........

 

Yes, disconnect alternator first. And if you use a multimeter/amp meter between the battery cable and post, make sure you have it on a high setting, since a battery that goes down overnight is going to have at least a couple amps draw on it. If you're using a test light, no problem. Then start pulling fuses until the draw goes away. Note, if the alternator was the problem, you won't show any current draw after you disconnect it.

 

Da Tinman beat me to it except I like to use a test light, it is easier to see.

A wiring diagram makes the process easier. It is a process of elimination, eliminating whole systems then circuits until you find the problem.

Sometimes you isolate a short or open to a single wire buried in the rocker panel or under the dash. In that case it may be easier to run a new wire than to trace the old one.

 

DITTO, Adjustable Johnson's post.... Had a battery drain on wife's 'Bird....New alternator fixed the problem.... Have the charge system checked,...save a LOT of headaches........

4TTRUK

 

my whole electrical system is cut off when my ignition switch is off. the only thing hooked up to the battery recieving power is the solinod.and alternator. i think ive got a problem with the alternator. its brand new but that does not mean anything. it charges also. its a two wire alt. ive got the small wire connected the the bigger battery terminal to the back of the alt and it connects to my battery. i think my problem lies there. i think i need to hook that small wire to my START side of the ignition.

 

With problems like the one you’re having, I take the battery out first to make sure it still in good shape. I took mine to Pep Boys and they gave me a print out of the battery’s performance under Low, Med & high load for free. You really need to understand the battery’s current state before going any further.

<O
If the battery’s good; get a good multi-meter (not necessarily expensive) and put it on the DC Volts scale closed to but above 12 Volts. Connect the meter across the battery terminals (+ meter to + Battery etc…) and start the car. Look at the meter while slowly pushing the throttle lever above 2000 RPM, if the alternator is charging the meter will rise from 12 Volts to around 13 Volts as you rev up the motor.

<O
If it not a bad battery or alternator; then you may have something draining the battery after you power off the car but at least you will have eliminated the two primary causes, insteed of guessing.

Good Luck<O

 

Hook the small wire to the accessory side of the ignition switch so it's only on with the key on. You could also put a power relay in the alternator to battery line. It looks like a Ford solenoid but it's rated for constant duty.