Late model battery discharging question

348tripower · May 06, 2009, 08:03:25 AM

I have a 1994 chevy S10. It keeps discharging the battery when it sets. I put the test light between the battery and the positive cable and pulled fuses. The only fuse that shut the light off was the radio. It started as a bright light then dimmed. It shut off when I pulled the fuse. I would beleive this to be normal for the memory in the radio. It sat for a week and was ok, then I started and moved it and now the problem has returned. Suggestions?
Thanks,
Don

enjenjo · May 06, 2009, 08:16:09 AM

I was having a similar problem with my Ford truck. Sometimes it would be dead overnight, others it could set for two weeks and be ok. Eventually, I had the battery load tested, and that was the problem. After replacing the battery it has been fine. The battery was not that old.

Crosley.In.AZ · May 06, 2009, 08:38:12 AM

we had a 2001 shop truck GMC = S-10 equal... the "key part" of ignition switch was the cause of the battree going dead on it..

if you did not get the key in the proper 'off position' the battree was dead the next morrning.

We had the top part of the column rebuilt since it was all worn heavy

348tripower · May 06, 2009, 09:21:14 AM

I think Tony has the answer.

Frank, this is the second battery with this same problem. I did notice the switch will shut the engine off, but it doesn't always return to the position where we can remove the key. And it was not shut all the way off when I tried to start it last night. I will dig further.
Thanks Guys,
Don

Crosley.In.AZ · May 06, 2009, 09:05:14 PM

back in the day when I did general repair work = self employed ..

I fixed many key ignitions in the steering columns worn out from folks with tons of dangling crap on their key chains.

Inprimer · May 07, 2009, 09:16:47 AM

Quote from: "Crosley"back in the day when I did general repair work = self employed ..

I fixed many key ignitions in the steering columns worn out from folks with tons of dangling crap on their key chains.

a little O/T, years ago my friend had an Olds with dash ign, seems sometimes doing a sharp right at speed would shut the motor... sure enough the cluster of keys dangling off the ign key would sway enough to move the key ever so slightly to turn off the ign.holy moley havent thought about that in years, maybe its not Alsheimer(sp) after all....

rooster · May 07, 2009, 09:37:37 AM

Quote from: "348tripower"I have a 1994 chevy S10. It keeps discharging the battery when it sets. I put the test light between the battery and the positive cable and pulled fuses. The only fuse that shut the light off was the radio. It started as a bright light then dimmed. It shut off when I pulled the fuse. I would beleive this to be normal for the memory in the radio. It sat for a week and was ok, then I started and moved it and now the problem has returned. Suggestions?
Thanks,
Don

If the key was not turning off all the way it would have showed up in the test you did !

I would head for the grounds.

http://www.roddingroundtable.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8119&highlight=

Possably your battery is not not charged up ALL THE TIME!

38HAULR · May 07, 2009, 10:30:20 PM

I would guess a dud battery not holding charge,quick test of the vehicle though, would be,instead of a lamp ,use a multimeter ,and set it up for reading current on the low amps range, and actually see what standby current is being dragged. .......Frank.

Harry · May 08, 2009, 08:23:16 PM

On my '94 Caprice wagon, the interior lights would not go out.
End result....bad battery.

reborn55 · May 19, 2009, 01:59:05 PM

Have you checked the alternator--a shorted positive diode will discharge a battery also

The Paisano · May 20, 2009, 10:45:03 AM

Ken's right check the alternator.Sometime's the alternator diodes will cause a feed back and draw about 2. to about 2.7 amps.It can have be cause either by heat or a cold alternator,leave it disconnected next time and see what happens.You also put an ampmeter,preferably digital to see how may amps its drawing.That way you can narrow it down quicker because you can figure how many amps a particular system is required to run.The voltage regulator weather internal or external can cause an intermediate draw also.Good luck

40cpe · May 23, 2009, 12:35:53 PM

My brother has a chevy van that would occasionally run the battery down while sitting. He took it to a repair shop who would start it each day until one day it didn't start. Then he started removing fuses until the drain went away. It was the radio, he replaced it with a junkyard piece and hasn't had any problems since.

wayne petty · May 23, 2009, 10:58:24 PM

testing for parasitic losses... with basic tools.. a test light...

roll down the windows..... lock the door with the key...

with the hood open.. disconnect one side of the battery...

place the test light between the battery post and the disconnected cable..

any current flow will cause the test light to light up....

my mom just used this to find shorts... in the car she just got... and she did...

The Paisano · May 25, 2009, 09:18:53 PM

Yeah,I've seen radios that had a draw on them.Also seen power amps draw.Electronics are a are cool,but some times they ca be a pain in the BUTT!