[Jack Burton]

For the past two weeks my '69s battery has been getting drained down over night. It's not the dome lights or glove box lamp. The other night, while driving, my voltage gauge started bouncing all over the place and I smelled something like burning insulation coming from the dash. I replaced the voltage regulator and had the alternator tested multiple times which checked out okay. I recharged my battery and then hooked it up to car inline with my VOM and saw a 3A draw. For ****s and giggles I then disconnected the battery and measured for continuity across the battery cables and lo and behold, I heard a beep. I've pulled all the fuses and checked things like the cig lighter and headlight switch to no avail. Tomorrow I'm gonna disconnect the starter and see if thats it. I'm afraid to hook the battery back up to trace the circuit since I basically have a short. Any ideas? How does that horn relay come off? lol

 

[thmpsn70]

hook a test light between the cable and negative post, light should come on in the test light, pop fuses out to find out which one makes the light go out, this will tell you what circuit to look in for your short

 

[The Big Al]

Brake lights stuck on?

 

[64Chevy2]

hook a test light between the cable and negative post, light should come on in the test light, pop fuses out to find out which one makes the light go out, this will tell you what circuit to look in for your short

^^^^^:yes: What kind of electronics do have on it other than what originally came in the car (amp, fan, relays, gauges and lights, etc...) Also, try leaving the alternator disconnected from pig tail and output, and check if the light goes out.

 

[tnblkc230wz]

^^^^^:yes: What kind of electronics do have on it other than what originally came in the car (amp, fan, relays, gauges and lights, etc...) Also, try leaving the alternator disconnected from pig tail and output, and check if the light goes out.

X2! also unhook the power leads at the horn relay and voltage regulator. Then you should have the battery isolate (assuming . Hook the alt back up and see what happens, then hook the voltage regulator up and see what happens. Last hook the horn relay up and see what happens.

 

[Kyle844]

Electric choke on a constant hot wire? instead of switch 12v? drained my batt

 

[slickman]

You heard a beep in a 69 Nova. Humm, the only thing in a 69 that I can think of that would maybe sound like that would be the seat, door or key buzzer maybe. Unless there is a new radio installed and not an OEM. If so, try pulling the fuse on that. Otherwise, I don't know of anything else that would make that sound with power removed / applied.

 

[firebird77clone]

I think the beep he was referring to was the meter beeping confirming continuity.

 

[Nova_Guy]

Pull all the fuse out and hook up the battery. When the meter shows a current draw you can narrow down the circuit that is causing the problem.

 

[fanbelt]

I rigged up a "low air" buzzer from a truck to use as a test light. That way, I don't have to look up at the test light while pulling fuses. The buzzing can get a little annoying, though.

 

[Jack Burton]

Okay, I put another day into it and found the fuse. I did this without the car battery hooked up by hooking up my meter in continuity mode between the pos and neg battery cables. It was the CIG/CTSY fuse. Whatever CTSY stands for. My cig lighter was fried (which is probably what I smelled burning) but I removed that and vacuumed it out days ago. Whatever the problem is, it's intermittently drawing. First 3 amps, then 7 amps, then 50ma....which is what took me so long to find the freakin fuse.

I replaced the alternator and voltage regulator but my autometer voltage meter is still 12 at idle and 16 volts around 3000. Oh, and without the CIG/CTSY fuse, my autometer tach and dome light are not working. So I still have quite a bit of poking around to do. I need to get some decent schematics too. The ones on this site (from autozone's website) are very vague. Thanks for your help guys.

FWIW, I traded in a pep boys alternator for an Excel reman Delco/Remy unit for $37. I thought that was pretty cheap considering Pep boys would want more money than that for another crappy pro-start unit.

My wal-mart battery, despite being drawn down to 1.6V numerous times, has charged back up to 12.6V.

 

[The Big Al]

CTSY is the interior courtesy lights

Al

 

[Jack Burton]

Derrrrr....hehehe

CTSY is the interior courtesy lights

Al

 

[firebird77clone]

Remove the cigarette lighter socket completely.

If you have to have one, you can get a replacement.

 

[Jack Burton]

Remove the cigarette lighter socket completely.

If you have to have one, you can get a replacement.

Yes, I think all of these cars should have one...if thats what they originally came with. Screw this politically-correct noise. I will remove it entirely. Thanks

 

[1965_SS]

The four wires to the Voltage Regulator. What are they connected to? i traced 2 of them to the alternator.

I am having a 3 amp draw as well and when i unplug the regulator 2.2 amps drop off (the other 0.8 is from the rear lamps). I replaced the voltage regulator AND the alternator. Any ideas?

 

[Fonzy]

Horn Relay

Where is the horn relay located?

 

[Jack Burton]

The four wires to the Voltage Regulator. What are they connected to? i traced 2 of them to the alternator.

I am having a 3 amp draw as well and when i unplug the regulator 2.2 amps drop off (the other 0.8 is from the rear lamps). I replaced the voltage regulator AND the alternator. Any ideas?

Spades 1(F for field?) and 2(R for armature?) should go to the alternator. Spade 3 should go to the horn relay, junction block or whatever you have...as long as it's a direct route to the + battery post. Spade 4 should go to your generator idiot light.

Just as I did, you need to pull fuses until the draw stops. If that doesn't target the problem, check the ignition switch. Check the cigarette lighter first

 

[65 Post]

Way back when, in my gas station days in the early 70's, we would have a car that killed the battery. We checked it out withthe test light deal to the battery. Ended up being the clock. It was broke. If your car has a clock, disconnect it. It runs constantly. Dave