I was wondering if anybody could tell me how to find a short circuit in my car because it is draining my battery. The car has all electrical components brand new such as the alternator, starter, battery, voltage regulator and relay. The car is not blowing any fuses but drains the battery overnight. Can anybody tell me how to test for a short circuit? Thanks to everybody that helps.
start pulling 1 fuse at a time out of the fuse box and then take your neg. battery terminal off and then just touch it to the battery post and see if you get a spark, keep doing this with all the fuses until you find the fuse that when it's out you don't get a spark from the battery terminal and then you will know what circuit that is drawing your battery down.
if I were in Your shoes I will go for the Voltage regulator ,it suppose to cut the battery out of the alternator circuit, upon engine stop. second choice check the crancking amp. draw by the starter on start flash back!!!! check if the hood is not touching the battery poles. (happens to me in 1966)
Use a test light to determine which circut is drawing power. Remove one of the battery terminals from the battery and connect the test light between the cable and tthe battery post. If there is a parasitic load the light should shine reasonably brightly. Remove fuses one at a time until the light goes out. Then you will have your short narrowed down signifigantly.
Unhook the battery ground cable and hook up a voltmeter between the cable and battery. Start pulling fuses until the meter drops below 11 volts. This will tell you which circuit is drawing power. Check out all items on this fuse. The most common places to look are the lights in the trunk, glove box and under the hood.
another thing you can do is unhook, disconnect, or take a fuse out to one elec. part at a time. to see what is draining the battery. disconnect the starter one day, then the headlights, etc till you figure what has a short. the only way you can test for a short it to check continuity, and see if each elce. part off the battery, fusebox and starter solenoid have continuity or a dead circuit going direct to ground.