Thread: Huge electrical drain...????

Please educate me and point me at possible fixes.



What are the types of issues that could cause a huge electrical drain?



Background.

My Classic is currently sucking the life out of the nearly new (Sept 2011) Optima Red Top while the car is running (jump started). The damn battery went from fully trickle charged (green light) at 14 (I think) volts down to 11 volts (I think) practically while we were watching it on the meter.

Even fully charged, the battery will only barely light the dash lights when you turn the key. No click, no whir, not so much as a mouse fart. A few minutes later, no dash lights, no nothing.

New alternator in 2007, also another brand-new alternator in Sept. 2011.

I *think* this issue has been going on for a while, and recently got worse. My car is not my daily, so sometimes my car might sit for up to a month. (Like recently when I was too busy, then rainy weather, then I got the flu, the car sat for a month.) However, I went through two (2) PC680's in about 18-months which were always plugged-in to my trickle charger. Now I'm on my second Optima Red Top within the last year. That is four (4) high-quality batteries, properly cared for, in the last 4-years or so. I even bought a new, more expensive, trickle charger in between those batteries in order to make damn sure my charger was operating correctly.

So what could be sucking that much juice? What kinds of issues cause that type of electrical drain?

BTW, I have an aftermarket:

Stereo. No big thing, head-unit, small powered sub. It is never on. The head-unit stays in the glove box or at home. I cannot remember the last time I used it. It's literally been years, I just listen to the motor. Installed 2007 during the Restoration.

http://www.sr20-forum.com/audio-electronics/15975-modest-b13-se-r-audio-system-5.html



Alarm. Basic unit from that company that builds all of them and brands them under different names. Installed 2007 during the Restoration.

http://www.sr20-forum.com/audio-electronics/16263-car-alarms-advice-requested-3.html


The alarm is almost never set. I use it only when I run errands, and set the alarm when going into stores. Otherwise, the alarm is not activated while it is parked at home. I'm in BFE and my Classic lives in a locked building.

Grounding Kit. I think it came from Toolapcfan. Five (5) big ol' wires, professionally put together. Installed since 2005.

Other than that, stock electrical system, never hacked on or fucked with.




I want to say that this electrical drain issue coincided with my Restoration in 2007, and may have been going on, or getting worse, since the rebuild. Maybe....possibly.

Any clues or input would be appreciated.

I forget, is your battery in the trunk or still under the hood?

I have been running a trunk mounted PC680 for the last 2 years since I put my car back together with no issues (and I am pretty sure I drive my car even less than you do).

While it does sound more like a drain than a charging issue I'd probably still take a close look at the grounding and maybe have the alternator tested off the car.

Other than that take a look at the main hot wires (batt to starter and fuse/power supply). Make sure nothing is chaffed etc.

You've covered all the bases I'd have looked at already. The next step is to disconnect the positive terminal of the battery and put a current meter (amp meter, included in all multi-meters) between the positive battery post terminal and the positive wiring terminal and measure the current draw with the key out of the ignition. If you see anything more than a couple milli-amps (for the clock) then you or another technician can trace the current draw by working backwards and checking current draw in a similar manner until you find the major culprit(s).

Underhood.

And it is clean as can be. No gunk, crud, or anything else. All the wires and clamps (onto the battery posts) are clean and tight.


Damn.

I went with the PC680 to take some weight off the nose, and then got disgusted after two (2) of them, which is when I switched to the full sized Red Top(s).

Now I think, pretty sure, my car is eating batteries. Double damn.


Will do.


We are looking for a chaffed, raw, wire that might be touching metal? So something, a wire or connector, is shorting out (?) to the chassis?

Keep in mind, you have to spell things out for me. I'm generally clueless.


Got it. And it may be more than one culprit.

Damn 20-year old wiring.

Alright, thanks guys. Appreciate the input and information.

As you have probably surmised, after messing with it and gnashing my teeth, I have taken the car to the local shop. Owner on site. Impeccable reputation, and out here in the country, your reputation is everything. There is no steady supply of new "suckers" for a dishonest shop. Everybody literally knows everybody. You're honest and fair, or no one will do business with you pretty quick.

However, I never want to be your average, complete bonehead, customer. I want to be a well-researched bonehead customer.

Are these remanufactured alternators? I always try to buy new if I have the funds.

you may have a short in your alternator switch as well, telling it not to charge for some reason.

Yeah, I'm willing to bet there's a cracked wire or something bleeding out power..

The thing about alternators in our cars is usually the battery/brake light? flash an there's a weird buzzing from under the dash. However, it doesn't hurt to have it checked.

Ben pretty much covered it.

.. connection or harness goin to alternator. and you need a new battery again.

To me it sounds like you have a bad cell in the battery. You could see the surface charge of the battery as the trickle charger was on the battery when sitting. As soon as that is off the voltage begins to drop. One way to test this is remove the battery from the car, put it on a trickle charger over night. Then pull the charger off and watch the voltage. It should drop from the ~14V it was charging at to around 12V.

The other part of a battery test involves load testing. If you have something you can connect to it and see if the voltage recovers try that as well. If not take it in to be tested.

Adding to what Ben said, start pulling fuses and see if the current drops. Obviously things like lights and anything with a memory will draw some current but not very much.

Bad grounds are usually the major cause of these types of draws over bad components. If you have a bad ground you are increasing the total resistance of the circuit.

New alternators. One in 2007, the latest in September 2011.

Alternator switch shall be checked.


No buzzing, no noise, just barely illuminating the dash lights, and only for a few minutes on a freshly charged battery. Then just nothing at all.


I'll make sure all wires and connections to and from the alternator are checked thoroughly.

Luckily, this same shop stuck in the new alty in 2011. And they are locally owned and dead honest by all accounts. Again, out here in BFE, you are a known quantity. It is near impossible for a dishonest shop or business of any sort to last more than a few months.


Hmmm...thank you sir.

From what all of you have said, it looks like either an alternator or wiring/ground issue. One, the other, or both.

Might need yet another damn battery. Which would make five (5) in five years.

I know the local shop will treat me right. They installed the alternator in Sept 2011, and had to do it twice. The first alty fix left me stranded by the side of the road. Their 24-hour, flat-bed, tow-truck picked me up within 20-minutes. Sweet. Carefully loaded my Classic, dropped me at the farm, then took the vehicle to the shop. Put in a(nother) brand new alty, no charge on the tow, no charge on anything. After which they discovered a bad (20-year old) connector to the (second) alty. Big apology, still no charges, friendly as could be throughout.




I fully appreciate all the help, input and expertise. I may not wrench much, but do not ever want to be totally clueless on my car fixes and issues.

Thanks guys.

Shawn B

If you are tracing... Leave the meter at the battery and just pull fuses till you find source... Then trace. Much easier/faster.