ok heres my prob. for about a year now i have had a problem with the car not starting if i dont start it within a few days? that should have been a problem a long time ago, but i just drive it and it fine. past couple of months,the battery would go dead in a day if i didnt start it? finally i assume altenator is going bad a not charging the battery right. so i go get a test run, its fine just not big enough to handle all my electronics. keep in mind i never use all of them at once, or even half. battery shows fine-780 cold crankin amps.so im stumped, and begin to think i have a bad ground somewhere.everything is looks fine.most of it has either been hooked up by a good shop ,or me. i did everything to the best of my ability with good grounds and inline fuses?
one day i drive it to workin 50 degree weather-starts fine,next day same weather-doesnt. that makes me think not a bad ground or it would do it everyday?
so one day last week i go attempt to get my tires rotated(different story),the guys backs it up and pulls in the bay and up in the air it goes. 15 minutes later it comes down, guy gets in it and the piece of s*** doesnt start!! it has been fine,drove it 25 minutes to get to the place. more than enough time to charge the battery? so im pissed i finally had enough of the crap. i drive it straight to mazda 45 minutes away. i get there and they want to charge me 80 bucks to test it if they cant find anything? i say bulls***, they backed my car into a pole last time i was there and messed up my bumper. i said i expected a favor,since it took the owner 3 months to call and apologize.and they werent doing anything anyway!
so finally they check my battery and altenator. perfect working condition. they couldnt check my starter or connections because they couldnt get it up on the rack. so i pissed and confused and continue to the next place, where i got my sytem installed. they are super cool, check both my amps. they shut off and are not drawing any power. i knew this but just wanted to reassured by a smarter being. now im off to the auto parts store to buy a voltmeter and tester. get home and recheck abunch or wire and connections. now its time to start this long and slow process of disconnecting something everynight.
first night headrest tvs(last thing i installed) volts still drop.
next night amps-still drops.
next night fogs-still drops.
next night neons-still drops.
then i just disconnect the whole postive terminal-DOESNT DROP!
it wasnt supposed to, i was hoping it did so it would be a weak battery.
i have been measuring everynight and morning at the same time,and drive the same distance.no lights,stereo on same volume(very low).
and for the past week the reading gets lower and lower. here is how its going.
first night12.22 at night-12.15 in morning
second12.20at night-12.09 in morning
third 12.13at night-12.01 in morning??????
and i check it when i get to work,
first day12.45
second day12.40
third12.38
if its not the battery why wouldnt it drop the same each night,until i have to jump it or trickle charge it overnight. why would it drain in 15 minutes at the tire place?
the only thing i have that you can turn on without the car being on is the neons,and it still dropped.
i have a red top optima battery, used to be happy with it. do these things get weak over time?
i have tried to use my voltmeter to touch to good grounds with both ends under the car, to see if anything showed up and nothing.
buddy said if i had a short, that it would read something.
i will try any suggestions you might have,including blowing the car up on video with the wildest request if nothing works!!
please solve this as i am losing sleep, and ken jennings wont return my calls!
thanks brian
one day i drive it to workin 50 degree weather-starts fine,next day same weather-doesnt. that makes me think not a bad ground or it would do it everyday?
so one day last week i go attempt to get my tires rotated(different story),the guys backs it up and pulls in the bay and up in the air it goes. 15 minutes later it comes down, guy gets in it and the piece of s*** doesnt start!! it has been fine,drove it 25 minutes to get to the place. more than enough time to charge the battery? so im pissed i finally had enough of the crap. i drive it straight to mazda 45 minutes away. i get there and they want to charge me 80 bucks to test it if they cant find anything? i say bulls***, they backed my car into a pole last time i was there and messed up my bumper. i said i expected a favor,since it took the owner 3 months to call and apologize.and they werent doing anything anyway!
so finally they check my battery and altenator. perfect working condition. they couldnt check my starter or connections because they couldnt get it up on the rack. so i pissed and confused and continue to the next place, where i got my sytem installed. they are super cool, check both my amps. they shut off and are not drawing any power. i knew this but just wanted to reassured by a smarter being. now im off to the auto parts store to buy a voltmeter and tester. get home and recheck abunch or wire and connections. now its time to start this long and slow process of disconnecting something everynight.
first night headrest tvs(last thing i installed) volts still drop.
next night amps-still drops.
next night fogs-still drops.
next night neons-still drops.
then i just disconnect the whole postive terminal-DOESNT DROP!
it wasnt supposed to, i was hoping it did so it would be a weak battery.
i have been measuring everynight and morning at the same time,and drive the same distance.no lights,stereo on same volume(very low).
and for the past week the reading gets lower and lower. here is how its going.
first night12.22 at night-12.15 in morning
second12.20at night-12.09 in morning
third 12.13at night-12.01 in morning??????
and i check it when i get to work,
first day12.45
second day12.40
third12.38
if its not the battery why wouldnt it drop the same each night,until i have to jump it or trickle charge it overnight. why would it drain in 15 minutes at the tire place?
the only thing i have that you can turn on without the car being on is the neons,and it still dropped.
i have a red top optima battery, used to be happy with it. do these things get weak over time?
i have tried to use my voltmeter to touch to good grounds with both ends under the car, to see if anything showed up and nothing.
buddy said if i had a short, that it would read something.
i will try any suggestions you might have,including blowing the car up on video with the wildest request if nothing works!!
please solve this as i am losing sleep, and ken jennings wont return my calls!
thanks brian