I have a 0.26amp power drain from my battery when my 86 IROC is turned off. This drain goes away when I pull the accessories fuse. I can't seem to narrow it down any further, I guess it would help to know what all runs through this fuse. My passenger power mirror doesn't work, so I was thinking maybe that's it but can't find wires for it. Any help would be great.

Thanks

Joe

 

Check this battery drain info and see if it will help with your problem.

 

try this- plug a test light inline on the positive battery cable. Disconnect the terminal at the battery positive, then put one end on the batter cable positive end and the other on the battery positive terminal. The light should glow very faintly or possibly not at all. If it is semi bright, start pulling fuses, watching the light to see if it changes. It will get dimmer when the circuit that has the draw on it has it's fuse pulled. You can do the same thing to pinpoint the component that is causing the draw. This is a quick and easy testing method.


On a side note- while doing this- unplug your alternator power connection. I had the EXACT same concerns you stated and found the alternator was the cause. I have seen this a few times at work ( I am a Dealership mechanic). Good Luck!

 

Based on Tricksters attachment, it looks like up to a 0.5 amp drain is normal??

phil

 

Thanks for the info, I'm going to look into it more tonight. I'll post anything that I find.

I used the in line light to find out that my drain is on the accessories fuse. From other simular topics I take it that I should check my cig lighter first, =). I'm just glad that my car will still run without this fuse.

Thanks

Joe

 

10 MA to 75 MA= .010 amps to .075 amps

 

Ok, I found something. I was removing the three plugs from the back of the radio and when I unplugged the bottom one with a dark, gray, and yellow wire my in line light went out. So I'm thinking, "What is this for?" I'm guessing a power antenna but I don't have a power antenna.

What is this bottom plug for?

My antenna does look like it was replaced. All the wires on the plugs in the back of the radio have been cut and taped so I'm thinking someone had a different head unit at one time. The radio is an ac delco dated 1987 but my car was built 03/86.

???

All the wires in these plugs run together towards the driver side but I can't seem to locate where they end up. I'm in the process of taking everything out. =) I need an x-ray machine.

Thanks

Joe

 

Ok

the yellow is also an ign + and the gray is dash lites(dimmer ) + , brown is illumination+


So what's going on here? Do I have a bad radio or a short somewhere where these wires go to?

I understand what the yellow acc ign wire is for but how do the dimmer and illumination wires work?

Thanks

Joe

 

Here is a sheet for the wiring for my 89 camaro. The wires should be pretty much the same for yours. The dimmer and illumination wires are to supply power to the lights in the radio and dim them when you adjust the dimmer switch for all the other lights.