Dead battery after sitting more than a couple days?

[84ttype]

I noticed over the winter that my 84 T' has a low drain on my "Brand new" battery (Battery is dead after sitting for 3 or 4 days). I noticed that it also gives a small spark when I hook up the + cable. Things I have already tried are:

Disconnecting alternator
Disconnecting ALL of the wires to the starter
and Pulling every fuse out of the fuse box

None of these things stopped the spark so I know something is still getting juice. Does anyone have any other ideas?

 

[mybuick]

what i would do is remove the neg cable from the batt. then put a bulb type test light from the neg cable to the neg batt post. then pull one fuse and see if the light dims. if it dont then put the fuse back in and pull another. when it dims its the circut that a relay or something is staying on then remove components in this circut until the light is barly on. it will be barly on because of the ecm keep alive memory.

 

[salvageV6]

Last test would be leave the positive cables off the battery and fully charge it.

Come back a week later and see how much it holds.

Could be internal to the battery as well.

If you took all the battery cables off the starter did that include the fat red + cable to the battery? If so was the alternator still hooked up for that test?

Clarification of those previous tests is important in the diagnosis.

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

First i would check to see if the trunk light or the hood light is staying on, lots of time they will kill a battery in just a few days.
Easy way, do it at night and see if you have a light thats stays on.

Pull the batt pos wire and put a meter inline and see how many amps its drawing.
Most likely a light bulb or amp staying on since you get a spark.

BW

 

[Lee_Burough]

I noticed over the winter that my 84 T' has a low drain on my "Brand new" battery (Battery is dead after sitting for 3 or 4 days). I noticed that it also gives a small spark when I hook up the + cable. Things I have already tried are:

Disconnecting alternator
Disconnecting ALL of the wires to the starter
and Pulling every fuse out of the fuse box

None of these things stopped the spark so I know something is still getting juice. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Do you have an alarm? Alarms are frequently the culprit in thes cases

 

[turbopete]

Maybe?

I had the regulator go out on the alternator. It drained the battery.

 

[TurboBuickSix]

If you have a power antenna still hooked up that can also do it.

 

[VinsGN]

Do you have an alarm? Alarms are frequently the culprit in thes cases

This is very true but to bad nobody will help in chasing down a short or disarming that piece of crap. I've asked for assistance but have come up with the same basic answer: "Giving away security secrets".

 

[Jerryl]

Do you have a big stereo system and have the amp wired to stay on?

At (round numbers) 650 CCA, you are drawing quite a few amps to drain the battery. Can you measure the amp draw?

 

[84ttype]

Sorry, no big stereo (those just add weight to the car ) no alarm either. I did leave the alternator wire hooked up when I disconnected "ALL" wires to the starter. I'll go try the test light on the neg. cable later.