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#1
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Battery drain issue
I think I have an issue with my battery either not charging or something is draining the power. If it sits a few days it doesn't want to crank as expected from a fully charged battery.
64 Lemans, 326, manual trans, add on a/c from vintage air and a satellite radio 2003 vintage. New battery and when the car is running, the voltage at the battery terminals is 14.5 volts. Not running 12.8 volts. Haven't run the a/c since the new battery but have the radio. I looked to make sure the light in the console was off when the lid is closed, no other lights are on inside or out. I am going to disconnect the satellite radio from power to see if that is the issue. Anything else you gurus think I should check? I have a meter to measure volts, ohms etc.
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I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! Last edited by HALFWAY; 10-27-2022 at 12:57 PM. |
#2
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The Following User Says Thank You to mgarblik For This Useful Post: | ||
#3
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About three weeks ago, with my car cover on, I could see light from my dash. I pulled cover and there was a light shining through the defrost vent by windshield. I traced it to the glove box. The new glove box light switch plunger was pushing to the side as the glove box closed. There was not much stability to the plunger, so I used a washer I slid over the top of the plunger switch and double stuck it to the base of switch to stabilize as it got pushed. It pushes straight in now as the glove box door is closed. Just a thought. Luckily, I keep a battery maintainer on, or I would've had a dead battery.
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#4
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Had to get a couple jumps before the new battery, the old one was close to 5 years old, the problem just popped up a week or so ago.
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I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! Last edited by HALFWAY; 10-27-2022 at 06:04 PM. |
#5
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__________________
I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! |
#6
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No problem with the lighter itself in the socket, not pushed-in of course. I thought you had said you had some type of charger or something else plugged in there all the time. The lighter is "hot all the time". So you don't want anything pushed in and able to operate like a phone charger even if the phone is unplugged. I guess I was confused and assumed your satellite radio power was coming from your lighter socket.
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#7
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If you find no drain, then disconnect a battery cable ... fully charge the battery, and record the voltage at the terminals every day and see how far it drops by itself.
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I'm World's Best Hyperbolist !! |
The Following User Says Thank You to dataway For This Useful Post: | ||
#8
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The satellite radio is powered from the fuse box.
__________________
I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! |
#9
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Tried the test light trick and couldn't see anything.
With radio power disconnected overnight the voltage is still at 12.8 v. Cables to battery still attached. Reconnected the power to the radio this morning and will see if the voltage drops. Since I disconnected the ground from the battery to test I also took off the positive cable then reattached both as that was the last thing electrical on the car I touched. Terminals are clean and corrosion free. Checked the ground to block and any other connections in that general area that might have been loosened or not tight, couldn't find any that needed attention. Previous to the battery I changed out the high pressure power steering hose that was leaking at the one of the crimps.
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I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! |
#10
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If you want to get more detailed, you can repeat the same test light test with your DVOM. Set up your meter for high amps. Probably 10 amps. With everything off, you should see near zero amps in an old car. Up to 50 milliamps is OK. Old cars are usually under 20. Good luck.
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The Following User Says Thank You to mgarblik For This Useful Post: | ||
#11
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This is a great plan of attack. I would also suggest, lift all the fuses on one side (assuming you're still using glass fuses). With the battery still connected, put the ammeter across the lifted end of the fuse and the fuse clip and find the circuit pulling current. When you put the meter in between the fuse and clip, the meter will complete the circuit and show current where there is a draw.
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1968 Firebird IAIIa 522 340 E-heads Northwind with XFlow TBI 4L80E 3.50:1 Rear 1969 Firebird 350/TH350 Mostly stock 2.56:1 Rear |
The Following User Says Thank You to punkin For This Useful Post: | ||
#12
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Most digital (or analog) hand held meters are limited to 10 amp max. They have an internal fuse that will blow if you measure anything more than that. Some have obviously replaceable fuses, but some are just a small strand of wire soldered onto the internal circuit board.
I have an old under dash 30-0-30 ammeter with 3' long wires terminated with alligator clips that I use when trouble shooting problems like the one in this thread. I use it first like the tests mentioned above to make sure there is not high amperage flowing in the circuit being tested. If the ammeter needle shows less than 10 amps, then I know it is same to measure with the DVM.
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My Pontiac is a '57 GMC with its original 347" Pontiac V8 and dual-range Hydra-Matic. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Bill Hanlon For This Useful Post: | ||
#13
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I have a Fluke DVOM. (expensive, quality meter) Since I am cheap and DO make mistakes, I immediately cut the meter lead of my new meter and installed a blade fuse holder. Soldered and heat shrinked the connections and installed a 7.5 Amp blade fuse. Now I have double protection in case of high amperage or my general stupidity. It is rare to have a battery drain over 1-2 amps. If you do your battery will be dead every day or less. But the extra layer of safety for your meter never hurts. I worked my entire career as a mechanic with a Radio Shack digital DVOM. Still have it. As a retirement gift, I received a Fluke 88. It's a wonderful tool. But the cheap Radio Shack meter fixed hundreds and hundreds of cars. The min/max feature and record function on the Fluke are fantastic.
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The Following User Says Thank You to mgarblik For This Useful Post: | ||
#14
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Now that is a great idea!!!
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My Pontiac is a '57 GMC with its original 347" Pontiac V8 and dual-range Hydra-Matic. |
#15
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After letting the car sit for a few days with everything connected the battery still shows 12.8 volts. So maybe there is no drain occurring that I can tell.
Just seems when first cranking the motor over on the initial try acts like not enough charge in the battery. Next step is to have the new battery checked for the cranking amps, maybe I got a bad new battery .
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I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! |
The Following User Says Thank You to HALFWAY For This Useful Post: | ||
#16
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I am still experiencing my battery problem.
Had the battery tested, checks out good. Found the alternator was bad and replaced it, now have 14.8v across the battery terminals. Car starts right up so I thought I found the problem. Yesterday I drove it to go golfing and it sat in the parking lot for around 5 hours. Started right up and I drove it maybe 10 miles. Stopped to get gas and it cranked very slowly to the point I had to get a jump. This morning I tested for any draw by disconnecting the ground cable and using a digital volt meter set to amps and absolutely 0 amps registering. I am stumped.
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I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! |
#17
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Given your statement "Yesterday I drove it to go golfing and it sat in the parking lot for around 5 hours. Started right up and I drove it maybe 10 miles. Stopped to get gas and it cranked very slowly to the point I had to get a jump." you don't have a minor current draw problem. Not enough time passed while filling with gas.
If a jump start ALWAYS gets it going the problem is either the battery or the cables where they hook to the battery. Next time you get it starting good, turn it off, pull the coil wire so the engine won't start, hold your voltmeter leads to the battery posts (not the battery cables) and record the voltage while someone else cranks the starter. Put everything back together and wait for a failure. When the failure occurs do the test again and compare voltage readings. You could do the same kind of tests, but move the meter's negative probe to the lug on the solenoid that connects to the starter motor.
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My Pontiac is a '57 GMC with its original 347" Pontiac V8 and dual-range Hydra-Matic. |
#18
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Thanks, I will try your suggestion. I currently have the battery on a charge. I am going let it charge for a couple days, run the test then leave it off the charger and start it daily. Let it run for awhile and if/when it starts cranking slowly, run the test again.
__________________
I don't always cross thread the bolt - but when I do I run that bitch in with an impact until it's tight! |
#19
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Following along (since I am currently having the same problem with my truck).
This might be exactly what Bill is suggestiong - but - Could it be 'not a battery problem' but a cranking problem? ie - bad ignition switch or wiring? I chased a hard crank in my Chevelle for a couple years, including adding dual batteries in the truck, before I realized it wasn't the battery(s) at all but the ignition circuit. I added a bump switch jumpered directly to the starter to crank, turn the key to the "on" position and it fires every time. K
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'63 LeMans Convertible '63 Grand Prix '65 GTO - original, unrestored, Dad was original owner, 5000 original mile Royal Pontiac factory racer '74 Chevelle - original owner, 9.85 @ 136 mph besthttp://www.superchevy.com/features/s...hevy-chevelle/ My Pontiac Story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 "Intro from an old Assembly Plant Guy":http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926 |
#20
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It happened to me in my 89 c1500 Jimmy. Same symptoms. Turned out it was a bad ground cable. Changed it out and no problems since.
Good luck. Ciao, Mario64 |
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