Need electrical help

[jimmil]

I have a slow draw down on my battery confirmed by doing amp test on battery. I then went to the fuse boxes and tested each fuse individually for any voltage going across and nothing on any fuse (yes I tested the two under the kick panel). Is there any other place to test for a drain on a ZR-1? I am thinking of pulling the CD head out and looking back there but as long as the fuse on the radio is not showing a voltage it is not drawing any power. I am stuck on this one. Thanks for any help.

[Jitse]

Did you do a drain/ load test on your battery too?

[jimmil]

Yes I did. Matter of fact I have a new battery. I am frustrated enough that I am considering pulling the plenum and tracking down wiring under there. I may have pinched something but I thought for sure it would show up in the fuses.

[billschroeder5842]

I am considering pulling the plenum and tracking down wiring under there.

Before you do that, consider undoing the wires at the electrical junction behind the battery and testing one by one. You may find something there.

[jimmil]

Will do so sir. Hopefully I can find something.

[Mystic ZR-1]

What's the draw with everything off and the meter connected
inline with the battery?
Even with everything off there's always a small draw.
I'm sure someone here can pipe up with what it's supposed to be?

[Kevin]

do the lights ever come on when you drive over an incline? Say a drive way or something like that?

[jcruz]

Yes I did. Matter of fact I have a new battery. I am frustrated enough that I am considering pulling the plenum and tracking down wiring under there. I may have pinched something but I thought for sure it would show up in the fuses.

A couple weeks ago I had to buy a new battery for my Jeep. Went out a couple days later, and....dead! I figured something was draining the battery. Ugh.

Turns out the battery was defective and wouldn't hold a charge. Never had that happen before -- exchanged and all was good.

[DRM500RUBYZR-1]

A couple weeks ago I had to buy a new battery for my Jeep. Went out a couple days later, and....dead! I figured something was draining the battery. Ugh.

Turns out the battery was defective and wouldn't hold a charge. Never had that happen before -- exchanged and all was good.

Was thinking the same thing.
It happens.
When thinking 4 legged animals, start with dog or cat, not giraffe.
Start with the battery, your other tests have concluded no fused circuit had a detectable drain, which if correct suggests either a non fused circuit, which was suggested earlier, or the battery.
Make certain that the cables are tight, and that the terminal bolts are not corroded.
Good luck and keep us posted.
:cheers:
Marty

[Jagdpanzer]

I had a similar battery drain issue a few years back after a trip to BG. Did the usual fuse pull trouble shooting and came up with nothing. Found the problem by first connecting VOM (set first in 10 amp current mode) in parallel to the negative battery cable. Then turned the key switch on an off without starting the engine. Removed the negative battery cable with the VOM leads still connected to the battery and load and found 275 miliamp drain remained after the CCM went into sleep mode. Pulled the easier to get to fuses from fuse blocks C7A & C7B located below the EMC to isolate the problem circuit. Turned out wheel polish had leaked on the plug connection of the radio receiver unit located under the storage compartment tray and the dried polish provided enough of a ground signal for that circuit to remain on after the key was switched off. Gave the plug a good cleaning and everything worked OK.

[Mystic ZR-1]

Now that's a one in a million occurrence!
You could have been searching for years.

[Jagdpanzer]

Believe me, I pulled some hair before connecting the dots

[TealZR1]

A few months ago I had a slow draw going on. Once in a while the battery would go completely dead. Someone suggested looking at both doors to see if the "light switch" was fitting properly - springing back into place properly turning off the inside lights. Turns out the passenger door switch (inside jam) was bad as when I parked in the garage once in a while the passenger door switch was not operating properly. I adjusted the switch back into place and haven't had a problem since.

[jimmil]

Well, you guys have given me several good clues to look for. Well, except Phil. I haven't polished wheels in a while :) Regardless, this thing is pulling nearly 1 amp which is huge. More looking today after I get the honey do's done.

[jimmil]

OK, I'm an idiot. I left the device to the analyzer connected to the ADL. It was what was pulling juice from the battery even though it wasn't hooked up to my laptop. DUH! I owe everyone that commented a beer and I get the stoopid award this week.

[jcruz]

Hey, problem solved! That's what counts...

[andersra]

You guys are geniuses. I had some work done on mine, go it back and took it out for about a 50 mile drive. Put it in garage on a battery tender. Two days later battery tender not charging battery and battery was dead as a door nail. Since battery was over 8 years old (April of 2009) I just put a new battery in thinking problem solved. Two days later new battery dead as a door nail. I thinking oh crap. After reading these posts I found I must have bumped the courtesy light on my way out of the car. Turned off and am charging new battery. Pretty sure problem is solved. I do subscribe and appreciate the KISS principle. Thanks for reinforcing it.

[Mystic ZR-1]

Bob
Hi!
Where ya been?
For that matter, where's Scott?
Vette show at Moroso Sunday.
Doug

[Paul Workman]

Glad the problem was fixed.

Just general FYI, but many forget the courtesy circuit switches on the lights when the door is open, and there is a delay before the relay is switched off, adding complexity to the process intended.

So, just pull the courtesy fuse(s) before testing then?

Well, yeah, you could. But that courtesy fuse carries a lot of baggage, e.g., lights, door locks, etc., that confound the search to the solution.

One way to get around that is once it is determined there is excessive draw is to pull the battery panel off and measure the current at the battery while removing the fusible links, one at a time to see which one has the excessive load. Then the electrical schematics in the electrical FSM will steer ya toward isolating the culprit(s). That way if it IS courtesy-circuit related, you can evaluate it before inadvertently activating various relays when opening the door.

[andersra]

Hi Doug. I've been around. Haven't had much time to drive or do anything with the Vette but I still have it. I resolved to drive it a lot more this year. I have a kid who keeps me very busy, playing soccer all the tome, all over the state. I can't come to Morosso this weekend as I have a guy's trip planned for CA all next week and I'm leaving Saturday. I will be checking in periodically. Maybe we can meet up this summer.


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[andersra]

Hi Paul, thank you for that great response. It was truly my own idiocy that caused my problem. I would not have discovered my problem if I didn't read these posts, or at least it would have taken me a lot longer. I had some great trips since this post.


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