Posted by Sean on December 20, 2007, 9:56 pm
My trusty (bike excursion HQ) '95 Plymouth Voyager's battery was
flat out dead the other morning. I put in a good one from another
vehicle and there were sparks when I connected the battery lead.
No lights were on, doors were closed, key out of the ignition,
cigarette lighter is long lost -- but *something* is drawing power --
an amp or two by the size of the sparks.
Any ideas what it could be? At the moment I have to disconnect
the battery every time I park it.
TIA, Sean_Q_
Posted by Mark Olson on December 20, 2007, 10:07 pm
Sean wrote:
> My trusty (bike excursion HQ) '95 Plymouth Voyager's battery was
> flat out dead the other morning. I put in a good one from another
> vehicle and there were sparks when I connected the battery lead.
> No lights were on, doors were closed, key out of the ignition,
> cigarette lighter is long lost -- but *something* is drawing power --
> an amp or two by the size of the sparks.
>
> Any ideas what it could be? At the moment I have to disconnect
> the battery every time I park it.
I'd check for a shorted diode in the alternator.
If it's a good sized drain the quickest way to find it is to
put a test lamp in series between the battery + post and the
positive battery lead. Disconnect stuff until the light goes
out.
--
'01 SV650S '99 EX250-F13 '98 ZG1000-A13
OMF #7
Posted by Jack Hunt on December 20, 2007, 11:09 pm
>If it's a good sized drain the quickest way to find it is to
>put a test lamp in series between the battery + post and the
>positive battery lead. Disconnect stuff until the light goes
>out.
Instead of a test lamp, put a buzzer (get a cheap one at radio shack) so you can
hear it instead of having to raise up from under the dash to look at it.
--
Jack
Posted by :-/ on December 20, 2007, 10:18 pm
> Any ideas what it could be? At the moment I have to disconnect
> the battery every time I park it.
Remove the bulb from the dome light or tape the door switch down so
the light
can't come on. Then pull the fuses one at a time and see which circuit
the parasitic drain is on.
Posted by Robert Bolton on December 21, 2007, 12:42 am
> My trusty (bike excursion HQ) '95 Plymouth Voyager's battery was
> flat out dead the other morning. I put in a good one from another
> vehicle and there were sparks when I connected the battery lead.
> No lights were on, doors were closed, key out of the ignition,
> cigarette lighter is long lost -- but *something* is drawing power --
> an amp or two by the size of the sparks.
> Any ideas what it could be? At the moment I have to disconnect
> the battery every time I park it.
You didn't try to install the backup battery backward, correct? An amp or
two isn't a lot. The alternator drain mentioned is a possibility, though
it perhaps should show up via your alternator light/gauge at idle. You
sure you didn't leave your lights on? Pulling fuses would be a good
start.
Best of luck,
Robert
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> flat out dead the other morning. I put in a good one from another
> vehicle and there were sparks when I connected the battery lead.
> No lights were on, doors were closed, key out of the ignition,
> cigarette lighter is long lost -- but *something* is drawing power --
> an amp or two by the size of the sparks.
>
> Any ideas what it could be? At the moment I have to disconnect
> the battery every time I park it.