Phrenology's LXi

[phrenology]

Electrical demons continue to plague my Accord. I finally got the correct alternator and installed it with less cursing than it took to get the old one out. I also did dome basic battery maintenance, filed the terminals a bit and checked water levels. It didn't solve the issue. The battery/charge light is still on, and I still have a trickle drain when the car sits off. The new alternator give me the same charge readings at the battery as the old one.

When I got the car running again the headlights were acting odd. The motors work fine but the lamps didn't fire up so I toggled the switch on the dash in combination with switching the column and finally got them to come one, then while I was test driving they shut off by themselves. I thought it was just low voltage. When I got back I pulled the hi/lo fuses for the headlamps. (Fuses were good) I metered the battery while sitting and it still was draining 1/10th volt per second or so, pretty rapid drain! Then I realized the inside lights were still on so I killed everything, then the battery started going up 1/10th of a volt until it hit 12.08 volts! Total mystery, so I let the car sit for an hour with everything off and the lamp fuses still pulled. When I came back and metered it had dropped to 11.88.

So something is still eating power, I checked all the obvious stuff, loose terminals all the lights motor fuses etc. I decided I didn't want to call for a jump again in the morning so I pulled off the battery terminals. I have some clues about it being related to the lamps but no definite answer. Also BTW when I got the car I noticed the passenger side seat belt sensor had been disconnected. When I reconnected it and it kept beeping even with the seat belt fastened, I disconnected it again. Anything related electrically in the harness between the two?

Argh, help me dudes...I'm at the end of my rope.

[Vanilla Sky]

Have you tried a different battery? Is it possible for that one to have a short in it?

[phrenology]

Have you tried a different battery? Is it possible for that one to have a short in it?

I don't think it drains on its own. I've always had the battery light and two different places tested my battery and said it was fine. The battery light has always been on but recently is started doing the drainage thing. Replacing the alternator didn't seem to help one bit. I'm just wondering if I have a short in the headlights somewhere cause they were acting up.

[MessyHonda]

ok you must have the same problems as my coupe...use a multi meter and test each fuse...mine is the seat belt retractor...the voltage draw stops...so i just pull it every night till i unplug the retractor.

[phrenology]

ok you must have the same problems as my coupe...use a multi meter and test each fuse...mine is the seat belt retractor...the voltage draw stops...so i just pull it every night till i unplug the retractor.

Mine doesn't have an electric retractor. It has warning sensors and the passenger one is f*cked. I don't know what to look for???

[MessyHonda]

Mine doesn't have an electric retractor. It has warning sensors and the passenger one is f*cked. I don't know what to look for???

mine does not have retractors too... but its labeled like that on the fuse box...its a 20amp fuse....take it out and the batt will not die over night

[phrenology]

mine does not have retractors too... but its labeled like that on the fuse box...its a 20amp fuse....take it out and the batt will not die over night

Thanks I'll give it a try tomorrow. I'm tired of hunting so I'll try otherwise its a cockpit mounted battery kill switch for me, LOL. BTW will that "retractor" malfunction cause the battery light to be on, or does that only give feedback for the battery/charge?

[ShyBoyCA6]

hmmm well maybe the battery can't hold the charge anymore? i had a problem like this when the car would start for 2 days and then wouldn't turn on at all... i checked all grounds and cleaned around it and bought a new battery. after i did that i bought new terminals and since then my car has not giving me any problems (thank 3geezus)


i dont know if a aftermarket stereo would cause problems

sorry if its not an answer

[phrenology]

hmmm well maybe the battery can't hold the charge anymore? i had a problem like this when the car would start for 2 days and then wouldn't turn on at all... i checked all grounds and cleaned around it and bought a new battery. after i did that i bought new terminals and since then my car has not giving me any problems (thank 3geezus)


i dont know if a aftermarket stereo would cause problems

sorry if its not an answer

I don't have an aftermarket stereo.

[2oodoor]

mine does not have retractors too... but its labeled like that on the fuse box...its a 20amp fuse....take it out and the batt will not die over night

It would be easy enough to just get a fuse tap, a brass piece that plugs into the hot side of the fuse block where the fuse goes, and then put an inline fuse there up to a toggle switch back around to the load side of the fuse block where that fuse goes.

Headlight issue, this has to be isolated from the existing problem so there is no chance this is related to the original draw problem and the batt light. If they are commonly denominated then I would look for grounding issue, or ign switch, and possibly a diode malfunction.
Im not a big fan of these two door accords having the weird seat belt thing, it is enough to make me not want to fool with them at all. I like my sedan much better than the hatch now that Ive driven both a while.

[phrenology]

I'm gonna check the grounds and maybe have the battery checked out again, when it tops being wet outside. Because the damn thing won't stop draining. If that all fails then I'm going to resort to a dash mounted battery disconnect with heavy duty wiring.

[phrenology]

BTW does anyone know where all of the main ground points are? I just went fishing and didn't see what I needed on the forum. I'm gonna comb my PDF manual. I'm going to go through the electrical system and see what the heck is going on. If in fact I end up replacing the battery I was going to go with an Optima 75/25 red top...anyone have good experience with these?

[2oodoor]

I dont have reference up right at the moment but I know there is a major one down at the tranny around the top. One down kinda on the side or under the battery box.\For testing purposes just make a ground from the battery negative to the sheetmetal unibody underhood, then one to the block and then from block to sheetmetal.
Clean the terminal inside too, one time I battled one of these demons and it turned out to be a little black coating inside the terminal, didnt even look like corrosion.

[ShyBoyCA6]

Here you go

https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthrea...t=time+battery

i think we talked about every battery or almost

[phrenology]

Here you go

https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthrea...t=time+battery

i think we talked about every battery or almost

Wow that was good and confusing. Anyone have any lead? I'm gonna make my own battery.

[phrenology]

I'm pissed off with this car. Its got a 1.35 amp mystery draw on the battery. I did the alt. diagnostic and it wants to tell me the regulator in the alt is bad which is pissing me off cause I just replaced the alt with a ND rebuilt. The charge light is on all the time, when I disconnect the alt harness the light goes out, but there could be a short in the harness?

[Hondamonster]

this may sound crazy, but there are a couple ground boxes under the hood that are basically just junctions for several wires (all black) to come into a harness plug looking thing that just bolts down somewhere under the hood. they'd be near the headlight motors. you should be able to follow the headlight harness back to them if you trace the black wires. I had the same issues with my prelude and those wound up being all rusty and corroded. just make sure those have a clean connection.

also, I work at autozone. deal with battery issues every day. when we have a customer bringing back a battery repeatedly, its usually their car. several people have mentioned a lot of what i would have said, but i'll just recap.

-a battery can be internally shorted and drain itself down. it will also cause your alternator to test bad and the charge light to stay on or flicker. also causes strange electrical issues like certain systems to not work or not work properly. seen it happen. did a car once that the battery read charge and retest (basically the test claimed the battery wasn't bad, just that it had a drain) and the alternator tested bad. usually thats when i pack up the tools and say "your alternator isn't charging and its pulling the battery charge down, sorry, tootles." but this guy had had his alt tested at a mechanic and his battery warranty was about to run out, and i felt kinda generous so i forced his battery return and gave him a new one just so the guy could have some peace of mind. put in the new one, retested the system, and his alternator tested good along with the battery.

that said, i'd swap the battery for another car's known good battery just to rule that out. its not exactly an incredibly likely outcome, but i'd give it a shot

also, when putting in a new battery, make sure the battery posts are shiny silver, not dull and dark gray. there's green corrosion and black corossion. either can cause a poor connection. had that happen in the prelude before as well.

[2oodoor]

on another chord, at work just two weeks ago it took three alternators from Advance Auto parts to get a good one....

[2oodoor]

just read this whole thread again, omg did we whore it up or what...

Ok, I was trying to see what all was done and I would go back and check the cupholder instalation. What made me think to do this is I see a lot of drain issues on the net turn out to be the cig lighter with a slight short in it. Corrosion, screws sticking in it, foreign objects kinda small for the eye etc...
yeah make sure no screws went into a wire somewhere....
Also since the battery light is on, Im thinking bad regulator still. Reman alternators do not always have new ones installed, they use the one that was in the core if it cough cough passes insp. number 5.
Also since you have headlight issues, I would unplug all the combi switch leads and see what that does for the drain. There was an issue with one of mine before that the parking lights would be on even though they were not on when I parked.
Ive had problems with headlight wiring on all my cars, the wires break and get holes worn in them up front under the buckets.
The dome light can be a drain too, I would put it in stealth mode, meaning off all the time. Even if it isnt shining a light it can be a short if there is a bulb issue. Not sure if I can explain why though, but Ive seen it happen.

one more edit.. the dam brake light circuit can kill batt too, what happens is the little plug on the brake pedal shaft up by the switch, comes out. This leaves the switch closed on because there is nothing to hold down the button, the shaft passes thru it. You can glue the plug in or just use a small bolt and nut to fill the hole.

[Pico]

You got PM
Im thinking it may be a bad ignition switch causing something to be left on..i may be wrong but it's a good starting point to check

[phrenology]

Thanks for all of the ideas. I have basically shelved the whole issue while I dealt with more immediate concerns. I don't drive the car often and its beginning to wear me down worrying about the POS. I'll take another look tomorrow if the battery isn't dead and try to isolate the problem. I have to buy more fuses for the meter anyway. It was dependable transit for about 3 weeks, now its just another pain in the ass on my list.

[2oodoor]

Thanks for all of the ideas. I have basically shelved the whole issue while I dealt with more immediate concerns. I don't drive the car often and its beginning to wear me down worrying about the POS. I'll take another look tomorrow if the battery isn't dead and try to isolate the problem. I have to buy more fuses for the meter anyway. It was dependable transit for about 3 weeks, now its just another pain in the ass on my list.

youre welcome
Im feelin that and this shouldnt be the case....
not having it to use because of this is a source of stress and managing it would help you bear the other problems.. flip it around.

[Dr_Snooz]

If you disconnect the battery entirely, does it still draw down? If so, then you have a battery problem. If not, then start disconnecting fuses until you find the one that prevents the draw-down. When you find it, go through that circuit wire by wire until you find the problem. Wiring problems ain't no fun, so I hear you PITA. Good luck.

[phrenology]

youre welcome
Im feelin that and this shouldnt be the case....
not having it to use because of this is a source of stress and managing it would help you bear the other problems.. flip it around.

I would but its not gonna sell for what its worth and if I put more effort and money into it then its gonna stay here. I might take it up North to have Pico help me out.

[phrenology]

If you disconnect the battery entirely, does it still draw down? If so, then you have a battery problem. If not, then start disconnecting fuses until you find the one that prevents the draw-down. When you find it, go through that circuit wire by wire until you find the problem. Wiring problems ain't no fun, so I hear you PITA. Good luck.

No when I leave the battery disconnected it doesn't drain. I suspect that there is either a pulled wire shorting out somewhere in the harness or the "new" alternator still has a bad regulator. Its just odd because it was fine for awhile even thought the battery/charge light was always on. If I can get it to Pico's we'll mess with the battery and see what's up.