Battery Drain. Alternator?

[autobahnsho]

I've been having some electric problems. (See http://www.shoforum.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=009252 )

I THINK I've got all loose cables/ connectors fixed. The battery's less than two weeks old. But sometimes it won't start. Jumps just fine.

Something is draining the battery.

Today I threw a multimeter BETWEEN the negative battery cable and the negative post, engine off, key off. It's reading 11.5V!! I haven't had the time to pull fuses to see what's pulling power, but what would pull that much juice?? The alternator or starter maybe??

This was with NO interior lights/accessories on, I've taped the loose wires to the hood light, this has been on and off since I fixed the clutch the first week of November.

Tomorrow I pull fuses to see which circuit is drawing the power. But if it's the alt or starter will it make any difference??

Thanks again,

 

[SHO--ripper]

If your battery is pretty new and the car is loosing it's charge i'd say it's the altenator. I've got a good one if you want it?

 

[redalfa164]

I would get the battery tested. If its good get your alternator tested. All this can be done for free at Autozone.

 

[rangerj]

autobahnsho,

You are on the right track. Find out what circuit is drawing power from the battery, if any.

Keep in mind that the computer draws a few mili-amps, as does the clock (if you have one).

The most common causes of the problem are:
a failed glove box light switch,
under hood light switch,
trunk light switch,
shorted cigarette lighter,

I found a dime dropped in the cigarette lighter one time. The owner removed the "lighter" and put it in the glove box so she could plug in the phone. Her child dropped in the dime, so she says. The cigarette lighter is "hot wired" and will work with the key off. It also has a high amp fuse, and is intended to draw a lot of amps so the fuse did not blow. (It was not a SHO)

If none of the above are drawing power, then it could be the alternator shorted out. The battery test and the alternator tests should confirm or negate this. rangerj

 

[autobahnsho]

Thanks for your help so far.
The nearest Autozone is a few thousand miles away. madflame My German sucks, but I'm going to try a German shop if I get time tomorrow to get the alternator checked.

I have a BRAND NEW battery in the car.

At lunch today I pulled the negative cable, and hooked the multimeter between the battery post and cable. It read 12.36V, the same as when I put the meter on both posts of the battery. (I've jumped the car and driven since the first post on this thread.)

I started pulling fuses and wires. It never dropped off.

I even unplugged the wire on top of the alternator, still 12.36V. I unplugged the glovebox light (It HAS been sporadic lately,) the cable to the hood light, and a few other random calbes to see what would happen. Still no drop in juice drawn.

I'll put the car on a lift and see if my starter cables are touching where they shouldn't be. I can't think of anything else I messed with while doing the clutch but the problem NEVER happened before that..

Does that big cable coming off the side (towards drivers side) of the alternator come off? I didn't want to start twisting without knowing for sure. I figure if I unplug all positive cables to the alt., if that's what's grounding out then the voltage should drop to zero, right?

Again, thank you!

ps- I found out I'll be in NC after springtime, if you want a free ride on the Autobahn you have to come over before March!

 

[MO-KAN SHO]

autobahnsho:
ps- I found out I'll be in NC after springtime, if you want a free ride on the Autobahn you have to come over before March!

DAMMIT!!! I'll be over there for my sister's graduation in June!! Oh well...


Sorry, I'm not of any use on your problem, though... shrug

 

[SHOZ123]

You need to have the multimeter set on amps or milliamps and not volts to see any amount of current draw. There should be around .05A (50mA)for a normal current draw. Connect the meter and start pulling fuses.

 

[projectSHO89]

Will,

Follow Paul's instructions.

You are checking it incorrectly and it is leading you to nowhere.

Remember, you want CURRENT, not voltage to be checked. If you are using a digital meter, probe polarity doesn't matter. If it is an analog meter, it does matter.

CAUTION: DO NOT OPEN ANY DOOR OR TURN ON ANY ELECTRICAL LOADS WITH THE METER INSERTED IN CIRCUIT. If you do so and the meter is set to a range that is too low, you will burn out either the fuse in the meter or the internal current shunt.

Steve