Electrical Irritations

As per her usual self, Gretchin is being a [female canine]. Something is draining the electrical system (and extremely fast, I might add) with the car off, and it's a fairly large draw (Alternator can't get up to 14.7, and after one night with as much charge as possible, the battery was already at 0.3V this morning). I've already checked the battery wires, and as far as I can see, the starter wires haven't fused to anything (Although the starter has appeared to have been having difficulty lately). It's not the ignition switch, as everything inside only turns on when it's supposed to (IE, starter when in start, accessories when in AC or Running, lights at all times, etc). Anybody have any insight as to what typically fails in a Fiero in a manner that it shorts to power or ground? Once the rain settles somewhat, I'm going to be using the booster pack to get it started, then I'll be off to finding out what's taking all the juice, but it'd be nice to have some blatent ones to check first.

Will do, thanks for the heads up!

Having already gone ahead and ripped up my interior (On a suspiscion) I've cleaned out my cigarette lighter socket (As Joe habitually sticks half or the cigarette lighter itself in there, having broken it in two). Also going to go ahead and check the circuit breaker (Listed as fuse 12) to see if it's pumping full amperage when it's not supposed to, as the windows have been exceptionally slow for a while now.

In the mean time, off to test the light circuit and possible pop out their fuse.

Have a brewski. Doing that didn't help Robin with his headlight motor project, but at least you'll have a built-in excuse if you screw up.

Don't mind me, I just had a glass of wine on an empty stomach and now I'm buzzed. Yeah, I'm a cheap date.

 

I have the solution buddy.

Next time you go over there to work on her, bring a gas can, some rags and a glass bottle or two.  Set them down in front of her and start your project.

You would be amazed how smoothly things will go after that.  This "fixes" any attitude problems right quick.

:)

The Dawg

A couple of things that might drain a battery overnight, your interior dome light. Make sure it is off when your doors are closed. I had a short on the door switches once. If you have a trunk light, make sure the switch is also not shorted out. That the light actually goes out as you close the lid. Do you have an aftermarket stereo? It should only drain a very small amount of current to keep the clock running and your presets intact. Your power amps should not be drawing current.

I'm trying to think of anything that needs to draw current when your car is turned off and things that may but should not draw current once you close your doors and walk away.   They may be lots of stuff to check out there.

kharmata wrote: Have yet to open it but will when its warmer.

The headlight motor or the weather?

(My screwy headlight motor was actually getting pretty warm!)

 

May drain has always been the alarm system. Have to run the car in storage almost every other day or the alarm drains battery and starts setting the alarm off, indicating that the batery is almost dead. Good Luck!!!!!!!

redwilley

Fixed! Not quite sure what I did, but seems to be running just peachy now. About the only thing I could imagine is that Joe (Younger brother) had wedged a metallic opbject in the cigarette lighter, which could've presumably been pulling juice, but I can't imagine how that would deplete the circuit with the car off, as it doesn't have power unless the key is on "Acc" or "Run"...

...Oh well, Gretchin screams angrily once more!

D_sensitized wrote: The cig lighter is always hot, at least that's how it is in my car. I know cuz the little charging light on my flashlight in there never comes off until I unplug it.

This is true.   The accessory socket is aways hot. Make sure nothing is plugged in and connected when you walk away from your car unless you intend it to.