Ok, I forgot how this works. I've got a battery that keeps going dead like it's got a drain. So how is it you check for a drain? Remove the negative cable and touch a test light to the post and the cable or remove the positive cable and touch a test light to the cable and the post? I think it's one of the other but I forgot which .. ?? Thanks ..

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Easiest way is to take neg cable off and touch neg post of battery. If it sparks you have a drain on it. Then you have to find it!

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

Either one. Then start unplugging things until the light goes off and you've found your draw.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

ej: Is your car by chance equipped with an old style after market Amp Gauge? And are you running a generator? If so, the wire thru the guage needs to be about #10. A lighter wire will create to much resistance & the voltage at the battery will be insufficient to keep it properly charged. I know, I've been thru this scenario.. A side note is that many recommend going to a Volt Meter..

Paul

If you have any kind of updated radio or music system with a digital memory or clock it's always pulling off the batt, but shouldn't be enough to drain a battery. Unhook this first, it's a known entity. Gary

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin

 

No this problem is on my daily driver. A Lincoln Navigator. So take the negative battery cable off and then touch what to what? I guess I missed it there somewhere ... Thanks guys. It's still there even after I got a new battery. Something is draining it. Not fast, real slow. A week of no action and it won't hardly start .. I had this problem on my truck one time, liked to have never found it but these unlike my '56 I can go to pullin' fuses. Thanks again ..

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Touch the cable to the post.

55Birdman  Hickory NC

Doug!I just did an internet search for how to find the problem.Remove the positive cable from battery with key off.Close the doors.Hook a multimeter inline between battery and cable.Set it for amps(volts?).Should read zero.If it shows current start removing live circuits until it shows zero or much less than when you started.Possible you may have more than one drain on the battery.I had a similar problem with a 1980 F250 years ago.Turned out to be the voltage regulator.This was how I found the problem.Try unplugging the regulator and see if it reads zero.Hope this helps.

  

A lincoln navigator will always have some draw . You need to determine how much before you start a lengthly dianosis. Place an amp meter between the neg post and neg cable  . make sure everything is off and the doors are closed fully . observe the ampmeter over a period of 5 minutes .This time is needed for the electronics to power down .If a draw is present, quickly touch the neg cable to the post and observe if the draw is still present . if it is, start pulling fuses to narrow it down . You need to start at the beginning though , and load test the battery and check the charging system. Battery connections must be clean, tight at both ends and free of corrosion . I know this sounds basic , but it is most often overlooked .

Thanks guys. I guess I'll start with 56 Big Window's suggestion. Sounds reasonable to me. The batter is brand new and posts are clean. Thanks again ..




Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL