Re: Electric problem on 5000. Help needed ...

[rdh@genrad.com (Robert D. Houk)]

   >I'd say weak ("dead") battery. You should have 12.xx V until way way later.
   ...
   You are probably right on the money Robert. My battery never goes
   over 14V, 13.8-13.9 is the maximum when the car is running.
   I changed the battery when I got the car, August, so I must
   have a short somewhere.
   Is there an easy way to locate it, or should I go around digging ?

Generally, shorts are real easy to find - with a 12V Lead/Acid battery
behind them, they tend to smoke a lot, until they have melted the circuit
and it splashes onto something else . . . then it's not a short anymore!
(Speaking from personal experience!)

Otherwise, you just hafta look hard. Might be trunk light switch maladjus-
ted (or shorted...or just salted enough that it conveys "some" current).

First verify the battery via charge and hygroscopic (count the floating
balls) test to make sure you've got a decent current source. Make sure
the battery is seeing 14V so that it can charge (and that the alterna-
tor can pump out the amps to charge it).

Other things to try: pull all the fuses, then measure current draw
from the battery (should be 0); reinsert fuses one at a time (or do a
binary search or...)  till you at least narrow down what circuit seems
to be drawing current that doesn't make any sense. Obviously, disable
such things as interior light that draw current with ignition off and
door open... I can tell you from first hand experience that leaving
the radio on overnight can kill the battery...especially when it's
cold. Be careful measuring current since it adds up real fast, and
will readily fry "wimpy" ammeters.

Modern cars are *full* of little electrical gizmos, and all it takes is
one flaky switch (e.g., trunk light switch) to nail you.

My own experience with car batteries is that once fully drained, they
never recover fully, and should be replaced (if you want to be able to
start the car at -10F, anyways).

Good luck, and try to keep a sense of humor (it's hard, I *know*).

					-RDH