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| Battery Keeps Dying- Fusebox Help! | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 10 2011, 06:06 PM (4,880 Views) | |
| squanchy26 | Jun 10 2011, 06:06 PM Post #1 |
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Hi everyone Newbie here. My 96 Geo 4dr Sedan recently had an issue. Wife was driving it at night in the rain. Windshield wipers started going significantly slower, headlights dimmed, Instrument panel lights dimmed. She pulled over turned it off, let it sit didnt start had to go out and jump it. Tested alternator was only pumping around 9 Volts, replaced it. Still kept dying replaced the battery. Car ran great for 3 days, started up perfect around 6 times daily with no signs of an electrical problem. This afternoon, dead again. Started reading on here went to check fuses to see if i have a short draining my battery. Found #3 fuse which is a 15AMP (supposed to control Side marker lights, parking lights, instrument panel lights, and license plate lights) has 10 VOLTS running through it at the fusebox. I am guessing that is my problem. Can anyone help me figure out which of these is the culprit drawing 10Volts from my battery when the car is off. This is really driving me nuts and i am forced to drive my truck to work so the wife can use my car and it is killing us with the gas cost! Any help is appreciated thanks. |
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| geogonfa | Jun 10 2011, 07:32 PM Post #2 |
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have you cleaned all your ground wires (pay close attention to the ones on both inner front fenders and the ones at the back of the intake manifold near the fire wall)? |
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| squanchy26 | Jun 10 2011, 08:13 PM Post #3 |
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I have not cleaned any ground wires no. Would a bad Ground pump 10 Volts to my fusebox when the car is not running or even no key in the ignition? |
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| dayle1960 | Jun 10 2011, 08:35 PM Post #4 |
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Fastest Hampster EVER
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Bad alternator? Try reading the terminals on the battery while the car is running with a DVOM. You should get over 14 volts on the reading. If you get under 12 volts your alternator is going south. |
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| squanchy26 | Jun 10 2011, 09:25 PM Post #5 |
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Original post mentioned alternator and battery were replaced. Is there supposed to be a 10Volt current running to my fuse box while the car is sitting, not running, no keys? |
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| Woodie | Jun 11 2011, 09:24 AM Post #6 |
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That fuse is supposed to have battery voltage on it at all times, if you turn the lights on, they come on, key/no key, running/not running, anytime. Your problem is, you have 10V where you should have 12V Your big wires are probably bad. The positive battery wire goes to the alternator, starter, and the main fuse in the underhood fusebox. The ground wire goes to the transmission with a little pigtail going to the frame of the car. One of those is bad, best bet, replace them both. |
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| squanchy26 | Jun 11 2011, 04:40 PM Post #7 |
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Would that drain my battery though? If that fuse is supposed to have a 12v constant, then the reason it is showing 10v is probably that my battery is only at 10V cause something is draining it when it is off. Could those ground wires cause a battery drain if they are not in good working order? |
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| bennie442 | Jun 11 2011, 05:18 PM Post #8 |
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OK. So you have replaced your battery and alternator up to this point, so let's ASSUME that they are good. As Woodie pointed out, you will have some circuits that always have power, regardless of the key. You wrote that you tested the original alternator and got a 9 volt reading. This next step will lead you to the circuit that is causing your battery to die. Set your meter (that I ASSUMED you used to test the alternator) to the minimum of 10 amp scale and insert the meter in SERIES with the battery. Doors closed, key off. What kind of reading did you get? Anything more than about .010 amps is a draw beyond normal. If you got, lets say 2 amps. That is going to be the problem. Find the interior light fuse and pull it so you can crawl under the dash and not have the lights on. Just for kicks, did the problem go away? Didn't think so, that would be too easy. This next part goes way faster with a helper. One at a time remove the fuses under the dash while helper tells you of any change. Repeat as necessary for the fuses under the hood. One thing to keep in mind, you will find some circuits will give you a SLIGHT drop because some things like the radio memory will be on constantly. Once you find the circuit that is providing you grief, you will have to remove, one at a time any item that is shared on that circuit to identify the culprit that needs fixing or replacing. Happy hunting. |
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| squanchy26 | Jun 11 2011, 05:51 PM Post #9 |
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Wow Ty. I was in the process of that while you posted. I tested the battery on my multimeter on MilliAmps it blew the fuse in my multimeter. Maxxed the needle and blew the fuse. So i replaced fuse and battery. I individually tested the circuits at the fuse box with the fuse removed. Not sure if that will work, but i figured if i find it the darn thing will probably blow my fuse again Tested every circuit in the interior fuse box no dice. Some like you said have a very small draw and went away fast upon checking. Next i moved into the engine compartment fuse box. One nearly maxed out my needle then the engine fan turned on. Every time i checked that one again same thing happened apparently i was closing the circuit i guess. Not sure if that is supposed to happen but it was interesting. Got to "Lights 2" Fuse, pulled it tested the circuit BAM! blew the fuse in my multimeter. Last one i had. Not sure if what i did was a waste of time? Is that the culprit?? Thank you for all your help btw!
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| dayle1960 | Jun 11 2011, 06:28 PM Post #10 |
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Fastest Hampster EVER
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Have you tested the new alternator? |
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| squanchy26 | Jun 11 2011, 07:30 PM Post #11 |
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I tested the new alternator immediately after installation. It was pumping 14+ Volts and had no problems. Wife took it out next day fired up just fine. She delivers a paper route and it takes her a few hours. Car is basic has no AC, she only runs the hazard lights when she is driving, radio is broken. She killed it going up a hill about 2 hours in, wouldn't start. I went out there jumped it (she did not think of roll starting it, she was on a hill!) i gave her our caliber and took the geo. Next day replaced the battery cause it registered less then 10V worked great for 3 days while i drove it. Now this. Can someone inform me of what "Lights 2" relay(or fuse) is for? |
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| squanchy26 | Jun 11 2011, 07:52 PM Post #12 |
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Went to buy a new fuse for my meter could not find one. Bought a new digital meter instead. opened it up and tested the circuit at "Lights 2" now i have nothing. No reading. Battery test said 11.86 volts tried to start, one turn and no dice. Just filled it up with gas the other day so gonna jump start it and let it run so i can take some readings and i will recheck the alternator voltage while im at it. Any further suggestions would be appreciated im getting very stumped here. This car does not have much electrical components it is a bare bones, its gotta be something staring me in the face and laughing that is drawing power from my battery! |
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| dayle1960 | Jun 11 2011, 09:54 PM Post #13 |
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Fastest Hampster EVER
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Door switches that turn the interior lights on/off when the door is opened. Are those switches good? If they are not, then look into why. |
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| mwebb | Jun 11 2011, 10:51 PM Post #14 |
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http://geometroforum.com/topic/2716924/1/#new read that print it put a copy in the bathroom and read it when you spend time in there . then read it again then implement it on your car you key off engine off everything off current must be less than 75 milliamps or .075 amps you can buy a 1 ohm 10 watt resister at radio shack , connect it in series with the battery , measure voltage across the resistor since E= IR or Voltage = current (amps) X resistance (ohms) and since R = 1 then E = I or voltage = current (amps) measured across the resistor so you will not pop any more fuses in your meter , but a high current flow will turn that resistor into a fingerprint remover |
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| bennie442 | Jun 11 2011, 10:57 PM Post #15 |
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OK. Now your car won't start (Again).Let's have another look at this. I directed you to set your meter to a MINIMUM of 10 amperes. Next, insert the meter in SERIES with the battery. You did neither. You had your meter set to milliamperes, not amps, and then tried to test each circuit of the fuse box by inserting your meter in place of the removed fuse, thereby blowing the meter's fuse. You need to remember that your meter, while set to amperes and placed in series with the battery(or any circuit) has now become the"fuse"of that circuit, so that's why your original meter fuse let go on the milliamp scale.Lets go back and read my original post. First thing, insert the meter, set to a minimum of 10 amps in SERIES with the BATTERY, not the fuse in question. What reading do you get with the key off, doors shut at the battery? Re-read my reply to your problem and you will find your problem. |
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Tested every circuit in the interior fuse box no dice. Some like you said have a very small draw and went away fast upon checking. Next i moved into the engine compartment fuse box. One nearly maxed out my needle then the engine fan turned on. Every time i checked that one again same thing happened apparently i was closing the circuit i guess. Not sure if that is supposed to happen but it was interesting. Got to "Lights 2" Fuse, pulled it tested the circuit BAM! blew the fuse in my multimeter. Last one i had. Not sure if what i did was a waste of time? Is that the culprit?? Thank you for all your help btw!
2:14 PM Jul 11