the alternator and battery are ruled out for sure, any good ways to find out
whats sucking the life out of my battery while it sits? im told to use a
light between the neg battery post and the neg battery wire and if the light
comes on then there is something drawing current and pull fuses until light
goes out to narrow down what system is sucking the current, is this how its
done or is there a different way?
> check for an electrical system draw
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> > i have a new battery in my 94 pathfinder but after it sits for a few days,
> > the battery goes dead...any ideas?
JimV - 02 Mar 2005 03:59 GMT
> the alternator and battery are ruled out for sure, any good ways to find out
> whats sucking the life out of my battery while it sits? im told to use a
> light between the neg battery post and the neg battery wire and if the light
> comes on then there is something drawing current and pull fuses until light
> goes out to narrow down what system is sucking the current, is this how its
> done or is there a different way?
That's pretty much right, but an amp meter would be better than a light.
If you use a light, make it a decent size 12L, not just a little circuit
tester. That will light even with normal current draw.
Remco - 02 Mar 2005 17:10 GMT
I wouldn't rule out the alternator just yet - Alternators have diodes
in them to to generate DC and to make sure the battery voltage does not
find the path to ground when it is parked.
If one of the diodes is blown, you can have leakage through your
alternator. The charging regulator will actually try make up for the
defect. When the charging voltage is measured it can seem like the
alternator is functioning just fine so it can fool you.
Your test with a light or amp meter is fine and will do the trick --
one of the fuses actually is on the leg that goes to the alternator, so
you should be able to see if it is bad this way.
Remco
Shawn - 02 Mar 2005 21:27 GMT
i knew it wasnt the alternator because it charges the battery when running,
my problem is that the battery goes dead while sitting and not running. i
found the problem to be somewhere in the radio's factory amp circuit, now i
just have to track down where.
> I wouldn't rule out the alternator just yet - Alternators have diodes
> in them to to generate DC and to make sure the battery voltage does not
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Remco
Chuck Tribolet - 03 Mar 2005 07:35 GMT
The radio is powered on when the ignition is off.
>i knew it wasnt the alternator because it charges the battery when running,
> my problem is that the battery goes dead while sitting and not running. i
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>>
>> Remco
Shawn - 03 Mar 2005 11:44 GMT
nope no power to the radio except forthe memory wire, the amps are powered
seperately and somehow when i put the radio in, i must have mixed a wire up
somewhere and the amps stay turned on, draining my battery.
> The radio is powered on when the ignition is off.
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> >>
> >> Remco
Chuck Tribolet - 04 Mar 2005 03:30 GMT
AH, the truth comes out. ;-)
The problem is not in the factory amp circuit, but in your wiring. Get a
factory service
manual, and start chasing your wiring.
Factory service manuals are expensive, but worth every penny. I buy or
order one
whenever I pick up a new vehicle.
And BTW, if you've run the battery dead flat several times, plan on
replacing it.
Starting batteries do not like to be rurn dead flat.
> nope no power to the radio except forthe memory wire, the amps are powered
> seperately and somehow when i put the radio in, i must have mixed a wire
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>> >>
>> >> Remco