car is dead every morning... done some tests

[bonestock240sx]

1991 240sx
180xxx

not sure what the problem is but my car doesnt hold a charge more than about 24 hours.... trying to figure out why... my dad and i checked to make sure the battery charges and holds a charge.... and it does. we also tested if there was any draw on it... and there was practically none. obviously if we take the battery out it holds it charge but you put it back on it will die by morning time. No lights are being left on.

if anyone has anyideas let me know.

Thanks

[Justin35ll]

only way to find out is doing a parasidic drain test.

[bonestock240sx]

like i said we pretty much did the parasitic draw test... and there was less than a miliamp of draw which is practically nothing..... ill go do it again and make sure its all the same.

[breadbox]

My friends jeep was doing this and it was his door switch. I know mine was pretty f'd so I got some off a shell.

[zerepdivad]

How exactly were you doing the parasitic draw test?

[bonestock240sx]

with a voltmeter... i havent had a chance to do it. ive been pretty busy hopefully ill have time this weekend

[OutToWinPAHC]

Load test the battery, there is always some current draw, but that much should not affect the battery unless its sitting a month or more. Take that battery and have it load tested.

[bonestock240sx]

i have a load tester and have tested the battery. the battery was good to go

[Crazyirish]

Start disconnecting subsystems and see if you can isolate it.

[bonestock240sx]

update:

problem is still occurring and i have gotten a new battery.... i did the light test (hook up a test light and see how long it takes to go out, which it goes out in about 30 seconds after the ecu power is taken away).... i've unhooked my sound system to see if i was just drawing more than my alternator could handle and that did nothing. everything is stock on the car especially relating to anything electircal. replaced the alternator about a year ago now.

my thoughts: the alternator did show a reading that says one of the diodes is bad... however when i talked to a guy my dad knows who deals with battery's and alternators he told us to do the light test (mentioned above) and if the light goes out then there is no bad diode.... honestly, however when testing for a bad diode and it give a bad reading on a voltmeter i would have to believe that the diode is bad. the theory of my dad as well as the other guy is that if there is any draw then the light will stay on. but it doesnt. like i said however the diode is reading bad on the alternator.

any thoughts on this?

[zerepdivad]

Yeah my thought is do a real parasitic draw test. not this mullet test light crap.

http://www.flashoffroad.com/electrical/ ... Drain.html

[bonestock240sx]

I have done a real draw test...... and.the light test.

[zerepdivad]

And your results were? actual NUMBERS...

[bonestock240sx]

i posted those earlier... they were less than a miliamp

[zerepdivad]

then you aren't testing right if you can actually unhook the battery and it doesn't die. you have a draw if it's dying overnight, and if you tested and got less than a milliamp of a draw then you aren't doing it right....

[bonestock240sx]

thank you for telling my battery will die over night if there is a draw.... i have done exactly what the article you posted said... and normally get less than a miliamp... somtimes its about 1-2 milliamps

[bonestock240sx]

or how about this.... .002 to point .010 amps... for more specific numbers sometimes im at about .015 amps

[bonestock240sx]

not to mention i have i have pulled every single fuse in the car. and the readings do not change.

[zerepdivad]

.002 amps is 2 milliamps, and .010 amps is 10 milliamps

[asoomal]

update:

problem is still occurring and i have gotten a new battery.... i did the light test (hook up a test light and see how long it takes to go out, which it goes out in about 30 seconds after the ecu power is taken away).... i've unhooked my sound system to see if i was just drawing more than my alternator could handle and that did nothing. everything is stock on the car especially relating to anything electircal. replaced the alternator about a year ago now.

my thoughts: the alternator did show a reading that says one of the diodes is bad... however when i talked to a guy my dad knows who deals with battery's and alternators he told us to do the light test (mentioned above) and if the light goes out then there is no bad diode.... honestly, however when testing for a bad diode and it give a bad reading on a voltmeter i would have to believe that the diode is bad. the theory of my dad as well as the other guy is that if there is any draw then the light will stay on. but it doesnt. like i said however the diode is reading bad on the alternator.

any thoughts on this?

Have you tried using a different alternator? If the diode reads bad, it will drain the battery.

[bonestock240sx]

I changed it out.about a year ago

[Hoffman5982]

thats all good and well, but whether you changed the alternator a year ago or not, it now has a bad diode which means you might need to replace it again

[bonestock240sx]

Yeah I totally understand that.... but What I have been hearing Is that if that diode is truely bad then there should be a constant draw which would leave the test light on..... I'm gonna replace it no matter what. I'm trying to get other possible ideas as well in the event changing the alternator does nothing. And to zerepdivad no offence was meant with my sarcasm