Electrical Irritations
Printed From: West Coast Fieros
Category: Technical Topics Forum
Forum Name: Technical Questions and Discussions
Forum Description: Got a technical question about your fiero? ask it here.
URL: http://www.westcoastfieros.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2354
Printed Date: 25 April 2025 at 4:52am
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Topic: Electrical Irritations
Posted By: Romeo
Subject: Electrical Irritations
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 2:03pm
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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. ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Replies:
Posted By: Patrick
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 2:54pm
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Only because this was the problem for me several months ago, I'd disconnect the headlight motors.
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Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 3:29pm
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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. ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 6:04pm
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Judt poppin' in for an update. Getting the god damn relay out is very frustrating, so I'm taking a break. ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Posted By: Patrick
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 7:46pm
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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.
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Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 10:05pm
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Yeah, Diabetes makes me a very expensive drunk, so that ain't gonna work. I believe my words at around 6:00pm were "Ah, F*** this, time to do something with a car who isn't being a complete skank." Gretchin now sits parked in front of my neighbor's house. She's in the metaphorical dog house. ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Posted By: Dawg
Date Posted: 08 March 2011 at 10:53pm
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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 ------------- You dream it up....I'll make it |
Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 09 March 2011 at 1:18pm
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LOL! I was totally going to go out and work on her today, but I ran out of caffeine last night, and I just don't feel like doing... Well, anything, truthfully. ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Posted By: beken
Date Posted: 09 March 2011 at 3:11pm
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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. -------------  Beken (aka Ken) - bekentech@westcoastfieros.com Original and still the owner of an 85SE 2M6 4spd |
Posted By: kharmata
Date Posted: 09 March 2011 at 9:12pm
Mine currently has a similar power drain issue cause of headlight motor. 1 motor doesn't always go down enough to disconnect contacts and somehow keeps drawing full current, even though the motor stops turning, so quick hand crank to final closed position stops the current flow...?  Have yet to open it but will when its
warmer. ------------- Kevin 08GSXR1000 |
Patrick wrote:Posted By: Patrick
Date Posted: 09 March 2011 at 10:21pm
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The headlight motor or the weather? (My screwy headlight motor was actually getting pretty warm!)
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Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 09 March 2011 at 11:40pm
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Still running a stock sound system at the moment, and I did check the interior dome light. Last time I had it running everything on the inside seemed to be just fine: Marker lights went on and off (Didn't try the headlights), heater fan worked and interior lights worked. I'm going to try your idea about the trunk light though, my brother tends to simply huck his gear in the back, so it's possible it's pulled some of the wiring loose. Booster is fully charged now (finally) so tomorrow I'll pump the battery with it, and then grab the multimeter and start checking amperage through the fuses, to see if it makes sense (IE, amperage when that device is active) as well.
Thank you everyone who's taken the time out to contribute! ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Posted By: redwilley
Date Posted: 10 March 2011 at 8:18pm
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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 ------------- redwilley |
Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 11 March 2011 at 12:10am
I lack an alarm system of any kind. Hell, with the way the car is, I haven't even been locking the doors; No could steal the vehicle anyways. ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Posted By: Romeo
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 1:40pm
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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! ------------- Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan. |
Posted By: D_sensitized
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 2:51pm
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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. ------------- -Harrison 88GT 3800 SC1 F23 5-speed Chilliwack |
Posted By: beken
Date Posted: 12 March 2011 at 3:52pm
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. ------------- Beken (aka Ken) - bekentech@westcoastfieros.com Original and still the owner of an 85SE 2M6 4spd |