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C4 battery drain

20K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  hooka-2 
#1 ·
Is this a common problem on 1986 corvettes or do I have a short somewhere. I get a little spark when I connect the battery but with all the electronics on this car I wasn't overly concerned. However, then he battery went completely flat in 4 days. Granted the wife had the doors open for about 3 hours while cleaning it but she didn't have the radio on or anything other than the dome lights. Do these things require constant running/charging to keep up with the security system/clock/ and all the other electrical gadgets or do I need to start looking for a short? :1zhelp:
 
#2 ·
Power drain problems are common ; but having the doors open for a long time doesn't help.
If the car is not used regular the battery can deteriorate over time from sitting and will not have full charge.
Many use a battery tender to keep battery topped up
There are tests to do to see if you have excessive battery drain.
 
#3 ·
What would be considered excessive current draw with the car just sitting with nothing turned on? I know it has to have some draw for the radio and security system.What is the best way to test it? would an amp meter between the battery and the battery lead work?
 
#4 ·
What would be considered excessive current draw with the car just sitting with nothing turned on? I would an amp meter between the battery and the battery lead work?
:thumbsup:
50 ma is normal as I recall.
Have to open pass door and tape door switch closed so you can access fuses without turning on int light.
Leave car to stabilise for 5 min , then meter.If excess draw pull fuses one at a time to identify circuit.
This does not let you check circuits that have direct feeds through fusible links ( several ) and not the fuses
 
#6 ·
pull fuses one at a time to identify circuit.
This does not let you check circuits that have direct feeds through fusible links ( several ) and not the fuses
What Vetteos said. Most likely, ONE of the fuses will make a huge difference in your draw. Then, disconnect each of the circuits that is powered by that particular fues, to determine which circuit off that fuse is the problem.
 
#7 ·
I just found an annoying drain on my battery. The stoplights were on all the time. It was an out-of-adjustment stoplight switch. If you're pulling 4.8 amps, something pretty big is operating. Try pulling the fuses one at a time until the drain stops. Then find out what operates on that fuse. It's probably something simple like I found. Is a fan running somewhere? A light bulb on somewhere? Your radio on but the volume turned down so low you can't hear it? A fuel pump that's not shutting off?
 
#8 ·
OK now I'm not sure if I have a problem or not. When I disconnect my negative lead on my battery and then reconnect it with an amp meter in line, it turns on my interior lights even if I never open the door. That's where I was reading the draw. Once the lights cycle off the draw is minimal. I never thought to check the light until I went to pull the fuses, even though I had the door switch taped in before I connected the battery the lights came on. Is this normal because I have the hood open? my under hood lights do not come on. what makes them come on? Sorry for all the stupid questions the car didn't come with a book.
 
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