Gremlins in My Electrical System

[joeythesaint]

Okay, I don't get it. If I leave the car with the alarm on for 4 days, the battery gets so drained that it has to be replaced. After replacing my third battery in a year, I built a 9V-powered flashing LED circuit and now leave the alarm off. Problem solved, right?

Wrong. Tonight, driving home (about 10 miles), the II is running GREAT. I pull up into our parking space, dash inside, make a sandwich, kiss my wife, grab my saxophone and head back out to the car, turn the key, and. . . . nothing. Not even a click. No lights, no dome light, nothing. The alarm, even though it wasn't engaged, goes off at about 1/10 volume, the signal I've come to recognize as the battery being hosed.

What could possibly have drained the battery while the car was running?

Oh, FWIW, the left turn signal quit working yesterday -- only in the front. It still lights up in the dash, and in the rear, and the light bulb is still lit when the headlights are on. The left front blinker just doesn't engage. Possibly related?

 

[Jkr]

I would make sure the alternator is working and the voltage is actually reaching the battery post, most of my problems are always bad connections somewhere along the line. If you are getting the proper charge at the battery post, i would pull the negative terminal off the battery post, hook up a 12volt test light from the negative terminal to the negative battery post. It should light up bright if there is a drain. Then just start pulling fuses untill the light goes out. That will tell you whats shorted, check your alarm too, unplug it aswell to see if the light goes out, make sure it does not have an internal short.

Good luck, i freaken hate electrical.

 

[77sleeper]

I have dibs on the diodes in the alt are gone

 

[Jkr]

Im in for shorted alarm, those stupid things are junk, all of them.

 

[78pinto]

i'll say diodes also....be there done that

 

[IICrazy]

I also Believe It's the alternator. Don't know about the blinker problem could be a bad wire or socket who know, try hot wiring 12 volts directly to the light socket.

Haven't seen you round much, whats up joey,we got to hit up some car shows as soon as my car is ready.