[Healeys] Electric Draw

Fri Jun 7 08:09:20 MDT 2019

Do you perhaps have an electric Smiths or Jaeger clock fitted which is 
not working?

If not running they can draw a small continuous current and drain the 
battery.

Kees Oudesluijs

Op 7-6-2019 om 16:04 schreef Gil Rockwell:
>
> Hi Price,
>
> The easiest way to find the phantom draw is to put a 12 volt bulb (use 
> a socket for the bulb with a couple of pieces of wire to connect to 
> the battery using "alligator clips" if available) or _non_-LED test 
> light in series with the positive lead of the battery cable (at the 
> battery) and with the ignition off, look at the bulb.  If glowing, 
> then start disconnecting one item at a time until it goes out.  If the 
> diode in the alternator is bad, disconnecting the positive lead at the 
> alternator will extinguish the light.  Heat may cause the diode to 
> "leak" current and once it cools down, it may stop, so it may be heat 
> dependent.  In any case, an alternator repair shop can test and 
> replace it for you.  You also can buy, typically at NAPA and 
> replacement diode assembly and install it yourself, not hard to do, 
> use an impact wrench to remove the pulley nut and then the screws 
> holding the case together and slip it apart. The hardest part is 
> holding back the brushes when re-assembling, but there are holes that 
> a straightened paper clip will fit in the hold the brushes back until 
> you re-assemble.  If not the diodes in the alternator, it can be 
> anything electrical, so disconnecting obvious loads individually will 
> always find the culprit.  Not disconnecting more than one load at a 
> time is important so that you don't go down a "rabbit hole" chasing 
> many things at once.   If you have a radio, that may be a good place 
> to start, lights are always a possibility, have you checked the brake 
> lights?  Are they staying on?  Pulling the fuses, one a time can ease 
> the task of finding a circuit that is draining the battery.  If the 
> battery disconnect switch is truly "off", there should be no current 
> flowing from the battery and the voltage should remain within a few 
> tenths of a volt of the original reading  when measured at the battery 
> terminals after shutting the car off, even a day or two later.
>
> I can answer more direct questions after you have tried a few of the 
> above suggestions.
>
> Gil
>
> 61 BT7
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of R. 
> Lindsay
> Sent: Friday, June 07, 2019 8:47 AM
> To: Healey List
> Subject: [Healeys] Electric Draw
>
> For the past few weeks I have been fighting a parasitic draw on my 
> BJ8. It was running about .48 amps and would drain my battery in a day 
> or so. I was told by a mechanic that a diode in my alternator must 
> have blown therefore causing the draw. He also mentioned that my 
> ground wires in the boot were loose which he tightened. I brought the 
> car home, turned off the power in the boot and 2 days later the 
> battery was dead.
>
> So, here’s what I’ve done. I jumped the battery and started the car 
> and ran it for 10 minutes. I disconnected the charger and tested the 
> battery - 12.48 volts. I then removed the cutoff switch and bolted the 
> grounding wires together. I tested for a draw and got a zero reading. 
> That was last night. I went out this morning (12 hours later) and the 
> battery reads 12.33 volts.
>
> My questions are 1. Is .15 volts a reasonable drop in voltage for a 
> sitting car in 90 degree heat and 2. Can a diode in an alternator work 
> sometimes and not at others. If it’s either “good or bad” all the 
> time, I guess I need to presume the alternator is not the source of 
> the draw. If a .15 volt loss over 12 hours is reasonable then removing 
> the cut out switch in conjunction with presuming the alternator is 
> good (as it works fine now) solved my problem.
>
> What does the wisdom of this great resource think?
>
> Price Lindsay
>
> Cell: 630-841-6300
>
> Email: 050.rpl at gmail.com
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
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