Electricity completely out

cn2000 · Post by **cn2000** » 08 Feb 2007, 15:56

It's the triangularish box on the drivers front strut tower that houses many of the system relays, fuses and the main power feed from the battery. Remove the cover and you will see the nut I am talking about.

cn2000 · Post by **cn2000** » 08 Feb 2007, 18:25

Here's what mine looked like:

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 08 Feb 2007, 19:13

I edited your post to make it easier for all of us to see.

I have read about this same corrosion and shorting issue on other forums. I suggest that anyone who is having strange battery/electrical issues check this location at the bottom of their main fuse box (the triangular one).

MIJ

lvrisk · Post by **lvrisk** » 09 Feb 2007, 01:49

cn2000 wrote:It's the triangularish box on the drivers front strut tower that houses many of the system relays, fuses and the main power feed from the battery. Remove the cover and you will see the nut I am talking about.

Thanks, gotcha.

lvrisk · Post by **lvrisk** » 09 Feb 2007, 04:24

I haven't got testlamp - can i use battery charger with an ampermeter instead? should be same effect?

greasefingerss · Post by **greasefingerss** » 09 Feb 2007, 04:42

If I understand you question correctly, the battery charger is for the battery only and it is not for testing circuits and devices.

One of the best electrical trouble-shooting devices is a digital multimeter. If I could not measure voltage and resistance, then I would be lost. However, a 12v test lamp can be found at places like Radio Shack and HomeDepot, for about $ 5 USD. The lamp will tell if something is being feed battery voltage.

If you have not used these before then I would suggest that you find a friend that can give you some pointers. It is too difficult to explain electrical testing over the Web.

lvrisk · Post by **lvrisk** » 09 Feb 2007, 06:37

greasefingerss wrote:If I understand you question correctly, the battery charger is for the battery only and it is not for testing circuits and devices.

One of the best electrical trouble-shooting devices is a digital multimeter. If I could not measure voltage and resistance, then I would be lost. However, a 12v test lamp can be found at places like Radio Shack and HomeDepot, for about $ 5 USD. The lamp will tell if something is being feed battery voltage.

If you have not used these before then I would suggest that you find a friend that can give you some pointers. It is too difficult to explain electrical testing over the Web.

thanks, i know how to test with the lamp... what i was thinking was to use charger clamps instead - when i attach them to the battery the amp meter on the device shows resistance - isn' t it the same thing ? only difference i would not connect the charger to the mains.... (i am not expert/engineer as you may imagine, but not afraid to grease me fingers:) )

bobsnow100 · Post by **bobsnow100** » 09 Feb 2007, 08:53

I think it is something with one of the battery cables also . For you to have no electricity leads me to believe this. If it was the key switch at fault you still would have your door locks working,inside lights still coming on when opening the door which you stated you don't. Don't forget to check you ground(-) battery cable also

greasefingerss · Post by **greasefingerss** » 09 Feb 2007, 10:20

lvrisk wrote: thanks, i know how to test with the lamp... what i was thinking was to use charger clamps instead - when i attach them to the battery the amp meter on the device shows resistance - isn' t it the same thing ? only difference i would not connect the charger to the mains.... (i am not expert/engineer as you may imagine, but not afraid to grease me fingers:) )

I still may not understand what it is that you are trying to do, but a multimeter works by applying a very very small amount of voltage to a circuit that is being measured for resistance. You cannot measure a resister without voltage (V=IR)

I do not know how a battery charger functions internally. So I would not use it as a measuring tool. But maybe others have heard of this?

Nothing is as useful as a multimeter for trouble-shooting electrical circuits. I could not live without one and I am not an electrical engineer. Even the very cheap ones provide so much useful information.

cn2000 · Post by **cn2000** » 09 Feb 2007, 12:45

Forget the gauge on your battery charger. In my experience seldom do they actually work properly, and you it may be an ammeter and not a volt meter. A multimeter is great if you know how to use it (ie: set range, configure test leads, ect.) but buy a test light for basic troubleshooting- the bulb draws an amp or two and will better show you a voltage drop across a bad connection, whereas a meter can still read battery voltage if so much as one strand of a wire is intact, because it draws so little current. You can keep it in the car and wont regret the purchase.