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Short in 90' Nissan Sentra
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prmac
New User
Mar 31, 2005, 11:43 AM
Post #1 of 3
(3092 views)
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Short in 90' Nissan Sentra
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Hi.
I'm new to this site. I live in the Great White North; about six hours north of Toronto, about two hours east of Sioux Michigan.
I have an 1976 MBG for summer transportation but needed a winter car so I bought a Nissan Sentra three winters ago. Little did I know at the time used parts are at least an hour and a half away in Sudbury. My next car will definitely be newer or an American brand- possibly a small truck- anywise-What does this have to do with electrical & wiring?
My car battery has been losing voltage. It's a new battery and recharges fine but slowly looses power over time. Last night the charge was about 13 volts and now it is 11.75 volts and dropping slowly.
As per Haynes recommendations, I took meter readings across the fuse terminals and have a couple that are .01-.05 (headlamp,horn,etc.) These will probably be bad wires and I will check them. However I get a reading of 5.12 Volts across the "Shift Lock" terminals. From the harness connector I do not get shorts to the body.
I also get 11.5 volts across the "Room Lamp" fuse. This icon is backcoded in white where all the rest are black. The trunk and roof lamp seem to be operating properly.
Is there any suggestions where I should look for shorts?
Paul
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DanD
Veteran
/ Moderator
Mar 31, 2005, 12:44 PM
Post #2 of 3
(3089 views)
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Re: Short in 90' Nissan Sentra
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I think you’d find it easier if you were to use an ammeter to find a draw on the system. If you can get your hands on one disconnect the battery positive terminal and hook the ammeter in series with the battery and the cable, so that any current flow has to go through the meter. Any more then a 10th of an amp draw is enough to kill a battery over night.
Be careful not to turn on the keys or anything else that may draw more then what the meter is capable or handling most hand held meters have a 10 or 15-amp max.
Once you have the meter connected you could try and turn on the dome light, it should light and have a look as to what it draws. That’s just to give you an idea of what to look for, they usually draw about 1.5 amps.
After that the fun part starts and that is to keep unplugging fuses until the draw is gone, if that doesn’t work start disconnecting anything that is connected electrically, alternator for one example.
You’ll almost never find zero draw because of the memories in things like the radio and what ever computers that are on the car, but that is as little as .001 of an amp.
Good luck to you, my fellow Canadian and how’s the ice fishing been, I was in North Bay last January and had a nice feed of Pickeral.
Dan.
Canadian "EH"
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 31, 2005, 4:00 PM
Post #3 of 3
(3081 views)
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Re: Short in 90' Nissan Sentra
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Dan has the right approach. If you don't have access to fancy tools/meter you can get info from connecting a test light between a disconnected neg battery cable and the battery. It should be OFF/not lit unless something is drawing current. Have to do this with any hood light or interior lights off. Like Dan said, pull fuses if light or draw of current present and at least you will know what circuit to chase down. Good luck,
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