I need help with battery drain.

[Bayou Bronco Bandit]

Last week I had a Jensen radio installed at a local sound shop. After the radio was installed I drove my 76 ranger home and parked it for 3 days. When I went to crank it, it would not turn over. The battery was completely dead, no lights,nothin. Well I put the battery charger on and fully charged it. After that I have driven it and when I would get up in the morning it would be completely drained from overnight in the garage. I recently bought a battery cut-off lever and installed it on the negative post. The battery doesn't drain anymore when I flip the lever.What is causing this? The radio is hooked up to the ignition switch and is cut off when the key is turned off. The only thing I have noticed is when you take the radio faceplate off it has a red blinking securitylight. That cant drain it overnight can it? I have a interstate battery that was purchased in March 05. I have seen the wire that comes from the radio under the dash that splices into the hot wire coming out of the ignition. Is it posssible for a radio to have a short in it. The memory works on it when im using it exept when I have to flip the cutoff lever. I am getting tired of raising my hood to disconnect the battery when I go to the mall,movie,etc in public when The truck is goin to be sitting for a while. Any suggestions? The truck never did this untill the radio was installed. Thanks

 

[STLKIKN]

Not sure about anyone elses opinion on this subject, but, around here stereo installers are hacks. I wouldn't let one near my wiring, even if it is nearly 40 yrs old.

There was no reason for them to "splice" into a hot wire off the ignition... especially if your truck had a previous stereo or even a factory radio.

There should be three wires hooked up on your install.

A black ground wire to the dash panel or firewall,

a (most likely) red (possibly with an in line fuse) going to a key on only power source,

and either an orange or yellow (possibly also with an in line fuse) that will be hooked to a full time powered circuit.

You can check your new stereo to see if it is the cause of the draw, you will need a 12v test light to do this.

Disconnect your positive batt cable, hook the test light in line between the batt cable and the pos post, if the light glows there is a draw.

To test if it is the stereo, you will need to remove the stereos fuse from either the back of the stereo itself or if they are in line fuses, remove the fuse(s) from the holder(s)

If the test light goes out when pulling the fuses, you have found your draw.

If it is the stereo, return to the stereo shop and either have them repair the wiring job, or tell them that they will need to pay to have someone else wire it properly.

Good luck

 

[Bayou Bronco Bandit]

thanks

 

[Seabronc]

Ditto on what STILKIKN said. Also, minor stuff like clocks and memory in a radio should not cause that much of a drain. It may just be coincidence that it showed up after the radio was installed. However, they may have move some wire and caused a short. If the radio isnb't the cause of the drain, start taking 1 fuse out at a time to locate the circuit that is causing the problem. A common problem is curtesy lights, glove compartment light, hood service light, etc.

Good luck,

>-

 

[Bayou Bronco Bandit]

Ditto on what STILKIKN said.  Also, minor stuff like clocks and memory in a radio should not cause that much of a drain.  It may just be coincidence that it showed up after the radio was installed.  However, they may have move some wire and caused a short.  If the radio isnb't the cause of the drain, start taking 1 fuse out at a time to locate the circuit that is causing the problem.  A common problem is curtesy lights, glove compartment light, hood service light, etc.
Good luck,

>-

32599[/snapback]

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Thanks I will try this fuse removal>