93rubyredvette

My battery keeps going dead when my Vette sits. I had it out for a drive about a week ago and went to start it today and it would hardly crank. When it did start, it was putting out 14.9 volts and the SYS message was flashing on the dash. I put a new Optima Red Top in last summer because the car would keep going dead. The car has a dealer installed Delco CD changer, that I may remove because I think it may be part of the problem of draining the battery.

Any ideas on what my also be draining my battery while the car is parked?

Thanks

bogus

the changer better not have anything to do with the battery drain. I am curious how you got a Delco changer in there?? hm... RF? has to be... how much was that thing???

As to battery drain... from what you are saying, I am thinking you need to clean the battery terminals. I have had this problem with bastet44's 1987 coupe. It would try to start, then quit... I thought it was a battery, but when I tested the voltage at the post, it was the terminal, no the battery. I cleaned them up with a steel brush and sprayed some terminal cleaner protector (red stuff) on the terminals and the sockets.

Also, if you find there is a battery drain, you need to get an amp meter and determine what the loss is. There are tools available to test that much easier then just using a DVM.

If you use an amp meter, and find the drain to be greater then .25 amps or so, then you have a problem. Remove one fuse at a time until the drain goes away... and bam! you have found the drain source.

At this point, you have options...
1) drive the car more so the drain doesn't hurt anything.
2) find the cause of the drain - depending on the current draw, it might be required, cause it could cause a fire if it gets worse.
3) add a trickle charger to keep the battery up between uses.

I suggest finding what the problem is, then going from there.

93rubyredvette

The Delco changer was installed at the dealer for the first owner, so I am not sure how much it was, also it is FM Modulated into the radio.

I just took the changer out and I also pulled the battery out to charge it on the workbench. Ill give it a good charge and put it back in. The treminals are clean, I looked when I pulled the battery out.

Ill keep my fingers crossed and try it later.

Thanks

93rubyredvette

Ok just thought of this.......should I disable my PKE when my car is parked in the garage? Does the PKE draw power even when the keys are left in the ignition while its sittin in my garage?

Thats just a thought I had

93rubyredvette

UPDATE.......

The car is still going dead. I have used a trickle charger in the past when it was being stored at a friend's house and I have reinstalled it now that the car is home.

I pulled the battery out of the car and charged it fully. Then I put the trickle charger on it for the afternoon.....no problems, the light on the trickle charger was saying charged. I just reinstalled the battery into the car and put the trickle charger on it. Now the trickle charger says charging....then trouble.....only minutes after it is connected. The car is off and all doors are closed.
I also tried another trickle charger that I have for my trailer battery....and I get the same thing.

I am going to get the battery load tested.......but I dont think the battery is the problem.

HELP ....... what should I look for?

Chris_G

You should have less than a 50 Ma drain on your battery. Start pulling fuses one at a time.

Mr Mojo

There was a post a while back about leaving the keys in the car. I don't have a PKE for my '93 and I always left the keys in, took 4 weeks for the battery to die, but it died and after charging, it died three more times, so I got a new battery(under warranty) and bought a Battery Tender. Then I read the post about the keys, so now I leave the keys on the seat rather than the ignition.


Oh and for the wise guys who think they can steal my car, go right ahead and good luck.

Mr Mojo

:d

Mr Mojo

:d :d

Mr Mojo

ZRVET

Check the factory manual for the allowable current draw. It will also tell you what the draw should be with various computer components active/asleep. For example, my '90 is supposed to pull 15 milliamps (.015 amps!) with everything asleep. I added a GM remote lock system (PKE) and that still only increased the draw an additional 5 milliamps (.005 amps!) I highly recommend you do as listed in some of these posts and put a digital amp meter in series with the negative battery cable and battery to see what the amp draw really is. Then start pulling fuses until you find the guilty circuit. BTW, you'll be amazed at how many components pull power from the courtesy fuse circuit alone. Again, the factory wiring diagram shows what components are on each fuse or circuit breaker.

93rubyredvette

So you left the keys in the ignition and it went dead? Now you leave them on the seat and its OK?

I ask this cause I leave them all the way in the ignition. If not, Id loose them....lol

Mr Mojo

So far anyway. But to be honest, I've had the tender plugged in as well, so I can't truly tell if that was the cause, but before the tender, the keys were in it and the battery went dead. The previous winter, the keys were in the house and the battery did not die.

93rubyredvette

Got the battery load tested today and it failed.....so we got a new one for free. I also did a current draw when the car was asleep and it was drawing 16.23 mA. So I think all is good now.....Thanks for your help.