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Does anyone have any experience with current drain in a mid-year? Just replaced a battery that wouldn't hold a charge anymore. We have had to re-charge it several times over the past few years, and I suspect there may be something causing a current drain. I'm not entirely certain how to go about tracing and identifying a source of such a drain. Would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.
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Re: Tracing Current Drain In A '65 Roadster
What type battery is it? Some of the repro batteries won't last over a couple of years in use or just setting. If it is a Maint-free style then yes you may have a problem. You can use a VOM and try tracing any current drains by pulling fuses and reinstalling one at a time. I am trying to remember the procedure that some have suggested in hooking up the VOM at the battery to measure any current flow. Maybe some one will chime in on this. -
Re: Tracing Current Drain In A '65 Roadster
easiest way is to use a current probe that reads in milliamps. They are available as units that clamp around the positive battery cable and give a reading while attached. In a '65, draw should be near zero (5MA or less) when everything is off and the clock is not rewinding. Then pull fuses one by one until the drain is eliminated. At that point you will have isolated the drain to a circuit and have narrowed your search as you systematicaly disconnect the elememnts of the circuit at the connection points in the wiring harness. I have seen everything from wires trapped against a grounded edge to a bad starter solenoid causing excessive draw. If it turns out to be the courtesy lamp circuit, a good place to start is the glove box. Good Hunting.Bill Clupper #618Comment
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Re: Tracing Current Drain In A '65 Roadster
Joel, I found a drain in the dash of my 65 by going out in the dark garage at night and seeing a light still on behind the dash when everything was off. You might try it.Comment
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Re: Tracing Current Drain In A '65 Roadster
I also had a drain from the glove box light but the light wasn't on. The socket for the light is a goofy outfit to my way of thinking and it was in the socket itself that my problem existed.Comment
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Re: Tracing Current Drain In A '65 Roadster
Joel - a very valuable tool is an inductive current proble, that doesn't connect inline but clamps over the wire in question to measure the current via inductive transfer. I have a Fluke, but you can get quite inexpensive ones at places like Harbor Freight Tools......I think for around $20 or so. This type of tool is invaluable to trace where current is flowing to isolate what circuits are truly at fault.....Craig
Harbor FreightComment
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Even better....
is an inductive 'pointer' probe. This is what the auto electric pros use to fault isolate wiring harness short circuits.
You connect it to one end of your current meter (BTW, by definition a VOM, volt-ohm meter can NOT measure circuit current; a 'multi-meter can) and connect the negative terminal to ground with a LONG wire.
Now, run the inductive probe along the taped/bundled wiring harness and the pointer needle will point in the direction of the short to ground. Go past the short and the needle will swivel and point backwards toward the fault. Go into slow motion probe movement and you'll wind up with the pointer needle point staight UP, when you hover over the EXACT point of short circuit....
That's why finding a pro auto-electric shop can pay HUGE dividends....they have the tools and knowledge to make complex jobs simple!Comment
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Re: Even better....
Thx for that insight Jack, very nice tool.......hmmm....CraigComment
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