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View Full Version : Recommendation for a "car electrician"?


bresamil
09-04-2010, 06:28 PM
So the boys car has some mystery draw on the battery that is occurring whenever the car is not in motion. I have replaced the battery before and taken out the aftermarket stereo and its wiring because we were almost certain that was the problem.. Nope...still happens.

So where do I go to get someone to trace the power drain and correct the problem without costing me a fortune. I am definitely too poor to throw money at this problem. :nomoney:

Please only recommend those you have personally used and would use again. I can look through the yellow pages on my own.

Baja28
09-04-2010, 07:06 PM
Try taking the fuses out individually. Might find it that way. Sorry I don't have any recommendations.

DoWhat
09-04-2010, 07:08 PM
So the boys car has some mystery draw on the battery that is occurring whenever the car is not in motion. I have replaced the battery before and taken out the aftermarket stereo and its wiring because we were almost certain that was the problem.. Nope...still happens.

So where do I go to get someone to trace the power drain and correct the problem without costing me a fortune. I am definitely too poor to throw money at this problem. :nomoney:

Please only recommend those you have personally used and would use again. I can look through the yellow pages on my own.

Disconnect the horn.

onebdzee
09-04-2010, 08:10 PM
Disconnect the horn.

I was going to suggest the alternator was going bad

bresamil
09-04-2010, 08:33 PM
guys I know it could be something that doesn't turn off when it should or a diode in the alternator or even the horn - guy at battery place said that happened to his truck BUT I have no skill in this area, do not have the proper volt meter to work with it, etc.
In other words - I can't do this myself and will have to give it to someone else. I just don't want to be ripped off and replace something that doesn't solve the problem.

DoWhat
09-04-2010, 08:39 PM
How old is the car?

stormer41
09-04-2010, 08:47 PM
What kind of car and what yr?

Might have an answer for you if I had more info, my husband is a mechanic.

bresamil
09-04-2010, 09:08 PM
1995 Camaro. But it had an "amateur installed" after market boomer in it when we bought it. From the looks of how they wired it they were clueless so they could have mucked up anything.

struggler44
09-04-2010, 09:46 PM
Put an amp meter on the pos battery cable, get a reading and start pulling fuses; should get you close

bresamil
09-04-2010, 10:09 PM
guys I know it could be something that doesn't turn off when it should or a diode in the alternator or even the horn - guy at battery place said that happened to his truck BUT I have no skill in this area, do not have the proper volt meter to work with it, etc.
In other words - I can't do this myself and will have to give it to someone else. I just don't want to be ripped off and replace something that doesn't solve the problem.
Once again..

struggler44
09-04-2010, 10:12 PM
Once again..

eh, not like you could break it........

DoWhat
09-04-2010, 10:16 PM
Once again..

Sorry no recommendations here.
My daughters old car had the same problem, but I got lucky and found the horn causing the problem.

desertrat
09-05-2010, 12:53 AM
Once again..

I have one if you care to borrow. Or just come by. Auto zone mightbe able to help.

stormer41
09-05-2010, 05:31 PM
Ok, here are afew things that you can do to narrow the problem down to a circuit. First, check with a multi-meter, what your alternator is putting out. Either check at the positive terminal at the battery, or check at the alternator. Should be about 13-14v . This should verify that the alternator is charging. Second, Remove the positive battery cable. Check with the multimeter, between the cable end, and the positive battery post to see if there is a draw. Now comes the real fun part. One at a time, pull a fuse out . This should isolate the problem circuit. Then you can start looking at the area. Now, you could go on line, and google search electrical troube shooting. Any more that you need to let me know....Not gonna be an easy fix, but at least you can do it yourself and save afew bucks....As far as the multimeter, I picked a real cheap one up at a hardware store, for under 20.00, try looking at WalMart. I even know that Auto Zone rents tools as well....

dave1959
09-06-2010, 09:04 AM
Ok, here are afew things that you can do to narrow the problem down to a circuit. First, check with a multi-meter, what your alternator is putting out. Either check at the positive terminal at the battery, or check at the alternator. Should be about 13-14v . This should verify that the alternator is charging. Second, Remove the positive battery cable. Check with the multimeter, between the cable end, and the positive battery post to see if there is a draw. Now comes the real fun part. One at a time, pull a fuse out . This should isolate the problem circuit. Then you can start looking at the area. Now, you could go on line, and google search electrical troube shooting. Any more that you need to let me know....Not gonna be an easy fix, but at least you can do it yourself and save afew bucks....As far as the multimeter, I picked a real cheap one up at a hardware store, for under 20.00, try looking at WalMart. I even know that Auto Zone rents tools as well....

Gee, Cant you read....?? This person already said He/She does not have the know-how or interest in fixing this themselves, They want to pay someone to do it for them !!!!

stormer41
09-06-2010, 12:36 PM
Gee, Cant you read....?? This person already said He/She does not have the know-how or interest in fixing this themselves, They want to pay someone to do it for them !!!!


Thanks for biting my head off.

I also read, where they did not want to dump alot of money into it.
What I had outlined above, would SAVE MONEY. I just thought it would be better to spend a few hours of doing basic trouble shooting, then taking the car to some bozo who may or may not know what he's doing. I don't know about you, I'd rather spend quality time doing this myself, rather than paying some yoyo $80 an hour in labor. What I had suggested anyone could do...including you. But then again, I've been known to be wrong before.

Sorry for trying to help....I will not bother doing this anymore...Good luck

struggler44
09-06-2010, 12:45 PM
Thanks for biting my head off.

I also read, where they did not want to dump alot of money into it.
What I had outlined above, would SAVE MONEY. I just thought it would be better to spend a few hours of doing basic trouble shooting, then taking the car to some bozo who may or may not know what he's doing. I don't know about you, I'd rather spend quality time doing this myself, rather than paying some yoyo $80 an hour in labor. What I had suggested anyone could do...including you. But then again, I've been known to be wrong before.

Sorry for trying to help....I would bother doing this anymore...Good luck

Feel the same way, I'm all for not giving my money away when I don't have to. I offered an easy self check also.


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