Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

FORUM RULES: Users agree to these Rules when using Forum.

The site administrator reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the user agreement without prior notice to the user. It is the responsibility of the user to regularly review the terms of this agreement.

The user agrees to the following terms:

All information that you provide to us for your membership is correct.
You will not use your membership to spam, harrass, or exploit other members in any way.
Vulgar, Abusive, Racist and Sexist Language will not be tolerated.
Commercial-type sales postings will not be allowed.
No mass posting or flooding of the boards is allowed.
No Advertising of parts or cars; no Ebay or business/commercial ads (please use the "Classified" for ads Wanted or For Sale).
VIEWING MULTIPLE TOPICS ON SCREEN: You can choose to see more than 10 Topics at a time ... Log In and choose "Preferences" from the top bar on the Forum page. Scroll down and Change the "Default Topics Returned" parameter to 25 or 50, and save the changes. Since this setting is stored in your browser 'cookies' (if enabled), it seems to use that stored value even if you are not logged in. So, if you use a PC that you haven't logged into the forum from, the setting still seem to remain at the default.
EXTERNAL PHOTO LINKS ON FORUM: You can still use external photo links in your posts on the new forum. They follow the rules of any link in that they have to have the URL link qualified down to the full image file name (example: .jpg). The links will open in a new browser window, the same as an uploaded image attached to a post. Since an image attachment to any post does not display inline with the post, the results are the same. You can use multiple external links within a post. This link is from photos on a site from Don Clink's 'Deuce@75' albums:

http://donclink.com/deuce_75_1/images/dscn2950.jpg

Using links from photo sites such as Photobucket can help in "size" issue with uploaded attachment files. For best viewing in web browsers, photos should be around the 800x600 pixel range, and probably not more than 1024x768. Most cameras today store HUGE jpg image files, as the default settings are in the 7, 8, 10, and 12Mb image sizes. The image files that are then attached are very large, and the browser can't display the full image size without using the scroll bars. Use the re-sizing functions of your photo editing software to reduce the image to 800x600, which reduces the file sixe and the image load time in the browser. Don uses Google's free Picassa3 software, which is an excellent photo management product. All of the photo albums of the Deuce, Grand National, and Auburn that are links on the NORG site were built using Picassa's web creation functions. And it's free? (THANKS to Don Clink for the info!)
HOW DO I SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH MY USERNAME? You can LogIn on the Forum, and select PREFERENCES. On this page Members can add optional information such as their City,State, Country; Occupation; Hobbies: list a Homepage; list AOL Instant Messanger Handle; Signature; "Make Email Address viewable to others;" and even change the number of Default Topics shown on a page. WHEN others click on your profile, they will see this information.

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Battery drain overnight

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion

<< previous || next >>

Posted By

Discussion Topic: Battery drain overnight

51woodie

07-24-2020 @ 3:25 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 517
Joined: Jan 2017

I have read several posts that say the clock will drain the battery down, and in some cases, overnight. There has to be some other issue, because my stock "46 Coupe has started after being left for three and four weeks at a time, with the clock operating. It would be an interesting test for some electrical wizard out there, to put a data logger or some other instrument on the clock circuit, to definitively answer the question; How long does it take for a clock to discharge a battery, to a point where the engine won't start?

supereal

07-23-2020 @ 11:51 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 6819
Joined: Oct 2009

If you have an electric wind clock, this is a common cause of a "vampire" battery drain. The best way to prevent drains of any kind is to install a battery cutoff switch. I have used one of the common "green knob"kind on my cars for many years. Some don't like them, but mine have always worked. They mount on a battery post with the cable to the other side. If you want an antitheft device, just unscrew and remove the knob when the car is parked.

carcrazy

07-03-2020 @ 12:24 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1674
Joined: Oct 2009

I would suspect that the circuit breaker points in your new regulator are staying closed after you turn off your engine. I have encountered this very same problem with a brand new regulator. If you disconnect the wire from the bat terminal of the regulator when everything is turned off and you see a spark, you will know that this is your problem.

TomO

07-03-2020 @ 8:41 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 7256
Joined: Oct 2009

Disconnect the ground cable from the battery and connect a test light between the battery post and ground. With every thing off the light should not glow. If it does, you have a drain and should start disconnecting items until it disappears.

The cutout on the voltage regulator could be stuck, the brake lights could be on or you could have a wire shorting out to ground.

Tom

jdunigan

07-03-2020 @ 7:42 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Feb 2020

I have a 1949 F-1 pickup, 6 volt positive ground. Last Sunday I installed a replacement voltage regulator and generator. I have two 6 volt AGM batteries I use with an Orpin 6/12 switch, the kind that puts 12 volts across the starter but 6 volts everywhere else. I've had it this way for decades with no issues. The truck started and ran fine since the installation of the regulator and generator last weekend. Last night I took it for a good drive and the ammeter showed a strong charge until just before returning home when the gauge dropped back towards center, not all the way but near it. This morning, the batteries are too low to start the vehicle. The generator was generating, the lights, radio, and turn signals worked as they should. But this morning, the battery was dead. I've checked and double checked all the wiring, the headlight switch, the brake light switch, the heater switch, the dash light switch, the voltage regulator and generator and the radio. I changed the key insert to the ignition switch about 8 years ago but I did not change the switch. I have checked and it is a drain not a battery problem. Any ideas?

This message was edited by jdunigan on 7-3-20 @ 8:32 AM

<< previous || next >>

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

Merchandise Questions

Membership Questions