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Author Topic: Random battery dying  (Read 19093 times)

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Offline Nightpath

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Random battery dying
« on: May 23, 2014, 09:00:57 AM »
Howdy all,

For the past while I've been going out to the Eagle and the battery is randomly dead. Can't seem to figure it out.

First I thought it was my bad brake light switch, swapped it out...nope.

Stereo? Replaced the Ford antique that was in there...nope.

All interior lights are unhooked (interior is gutted atm for rebuilding it).

Only thing I can think of is the headlight switch possibly shunting power straight to ground when it's turned off. I've had an issue with it already with the "daytime running lights" (switch pulled 1/2 way out).

Has anyone else had a similar issue? I'm going to try to find a replacement at my personal Eagle graveyard today but any suggestions would be ub3r.

Thanks :)
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Offline BenM

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2014, 10:55:41 AM »
Gremlins like that are a pain to ferret out. Have you checked your door switches? Do you have a hood light or maybe a trunk light or hatch switch? Also, a bad diode in the alternator can do that, perhaps an alt test could eliminate that.
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NSS#47184

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Offline Nightpath

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2014, 11:17:26 AM »
No hatch lights, and the door switch isn't a complete circuit because the interior light is removed. Not to say that one can't be bad.

It seems that every time I use the headlights it turns into a crap shoot whether my battery is going to die or not.
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Offline Mernsy

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2014, 11:25:03 AM »
Unhook the battery and put an ammeter between the battery post and the cable. If it shows a draw when everything is off, pull the fuses one at a time to try to narrow it down.
If it doesn't show a draw, turn the headlight switch on and off to see what happens.
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Offline profeagle

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2014, 12:11:49 PM »
A simple thing to try is to disconnect the alternator overnight, not the large red wire, just the two wire plug. If battery is still good then problem is the diode trio in alt., Might be good idea to test battery also.
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Offline Nightpath

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2014, 07:54:45 PM »
I charged the battery and hooked it all back up. Going to see if it drains again.

Have a new headlight switch and wiper switch. Going to swap them out tomorrow.
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Offline DaemonForce

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2014, 12:17:31 AM »
I think it's your power seat control. Happened to me years ago and wouldn't stop until I overhauled the cheap little switch. :-\
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Offline Nightpath

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2014, 01:28:25 PM »
No power options. Thank goodness lol...less things to root out.
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Offline Nightpath

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2014, 11:42:07 AM »
I turned the interior light switch up to the brightest point. Battery lost a lot of charge.

Think this may be the culprit.
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Offline JayRamb

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2014, 01:10:21 PM »
Can a guy replace JUST the diode instead of the entire alternator?
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Offline Mernsy

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2014, 01:38:41 PM »
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Offline Nightpath

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2014, 03:59:43 PM »
Ok...it is the light switch. I replaced it and it still does the same thing. When I unplug the positive terminal a d turn the lights off it draws current through the multimeter.

Anyone have any ideas what to try or do next?
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Offline Draekon

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2014, 04:36:54 PM »
Which light switch are you referring to?
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Offline Nightpath

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2014, 05:04:23 PM »
Headlight
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Offline Draekon

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Re: Random battery dying
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2014, 05:51:10 PM »
Make sure you don't have it turned all the way up.  You can turn it up to the point right before it clicks, but don't turn it up more.  Once it clicks into the highest point, it leaves the interior lights on all the time.
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