Slow Electrical Drain

[40]

I have been extremely busy with work and have neglected the old Yellow 40    I made time to take the old girl for a ride tonight and when I dug her out of the corner of the shop,the battery was dead.I had this problem this Spring after the old gal sat all Winter....the battery was several years old so I just assumed it needed replaced.After installing the new battery,it started like old times.....however,now that it has sat for a few months again...the new battery is dead also.The only obvious draw on the system is the clock in the stereo.....should not be enough to drain a new battery in 2 or 3 months???I have a battery cut-off installed but would rather find the problem....Any ideas??? Thanks!!

[donsrods]

A battery will discharge from 7-10% per month just sitting, even disconnected. Yes, things like the clock and radio memory will also create some drain. I work at a marina and we constantly hear someone say they parked their boat for 2 or 3 months and now the battery is dead.

Here is how you can find if you have an external drain. Remove the negative battery post from the battery. Put the ground clip of a 12 volt test light (available at any auto store for $ 5.00 up) on the cable you just removed and then touch the probe end to the negative post on the battery. If you get any glow at all, there is something drawing power. Keep unplugging things until the glow goes away. The brighter the light the more draw you have.

Buy one of the small battery pal chargers that look like the charger you use on electric shavers and other rechargable appliances and leave it on the car all the time when not in use. They sell for about $ 20.00 and keep a constant very small charge on the battery, yet not enough to cook the battery like even a trickle charger would do over time.

One of my own boats would go dead after about 2 weeks, and I tracked it down to the memory in the stereo.


Don

[MrMopar64]

Buy one of the small battery pal chargers that look like the charger you use on electric shavers and other rechargable appliances and leave it on the car all the time when not in use. They sell for about $ 20.00 and keep a constant very small charge on the battery, yet not enough to cook the battery like even a trickle charger would do over time.

Just be careful what you buy..... some of the so called battery tenders "WILL" cook the battery if left on for several months
My sister has about 6 or so cars in storage and we've tried several different brands and so far only found one that hasn't cooked a bettery yet..... (Now mind you her stuff may sit 6mo. or more at a time)
The one we've had the best luck with is Cellmate  It cost more than the others but as of now we're happy with it I've even got one on the Rambler
http://www.batterycellmate.com/

MM64  

[BFS57]

Hello;
I too have the same problem with my Vicky! Upon reading some really interesting articles, It may be caused in part by using a single wire alternator! I don't remember just how it works but it seems as though the single wire alternator can cause battery drain, be it ever so slight! I also know that I have a "convenience" system (Door Poppers) in my car which is always activated. I finally just use the battery dis connect to solve my problem!

Bruce

[Mikej]

One of this months magazine had an article on this. You can do it on the pos. or neg. side of the battery. You can use a test light or volt meter. I'll see if I can find the article. You must be behind in your reading again.........

[rooster]

It could be that the diode's in the alt ,our leaking! Just a thought.

[Normspeed]

I had the bad diode problem once.  Alternator seemed to work fine but drained the battery over time.  If you use an analog test meter instead of a test light, you can get a better idea of the amount of drain, in case you have more than one drain, like the radio memory plus the alternator.

[Dave]

I have been extremely busy with work and have neglected the old Yellow 40    I made time to take the old girl for a ride tonight and when I dug her out of the corner of the shop,the battery was dead.I had this problem this Spring after the old gal sat all Winter....the battery was several years old so I just assumed it needed replaced.After installing the new battery,it started like old times.....however,now that it has sat for a few months again...the new battery is dead also.The only obvious draw on the system is the clock in the stereo.....should not be enough to drain a new battery in 2 or 3 months???I have a battery cut-off installed but would rather find the problem....Any ideas??? Thanks!!

Ive got a 1 wire alt and a free mopar battery how old who knows? came from the proving grounds and my car starts anytime. I do start once or twice during the winter. You have a draw and you need to just keep checking till you find it. It could very well be the alternator.....
Dave

[1FATGMC]

I've used those cheap HP chargers, about $7 on sale, for a couple years or more with no problems on two different batteries.  I bought one of their solar ones, but still haven't tried it.

c ya, Sum

[40]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll pull the fuse to the stereo and then check and see if I have an additional drain.Just for the heck of it,I slipped over to the shop where I store my 55 pickup and started it tonight....It has sat for 15 months since the last time I started it.I had to prime the carb a bit on the old 6 holer but it cranked right over....That battery has been in the truck since I bought it and who knows how long before that....NO stereo and NO alternator.....guess things were simpler back in the day!

Mike....It's not just my reading that I'm behind on!!

[Mikej]

The October Street Rodder has a step by step how to. Page 134. Good luck.