I have zero power to the car. Battery is fully charged. No lights, no clicks, no dome lights nothing nothing.

The Car was started about an hour before this happened.

The starter has been turning really slow ( I thought it was battery or cold weather) but it would still start and once it was started it would turnover easily after that. Now I have nothing.

I have been taking all the trim off this car for it to go to paint next week, Was going to drive it there.

Whats going on?

 

Also when I turn the key my batter charger goes to zero

 

Get a known good battery and clean all connections related to the battery including the grounds to block and chassis.

Pat

 

Did that! Has to be something else - any ideas?

 

Make sure the battery connections are clean and shiny. Check for 12v at the horn relay power take off bus bar. Check the fusible link on the red wire that runs from the horn relay to the bulkhead connector.

 

Are you saying BOTH your (-) and your (+) battery terminals are hooked up on your car and you have a battery charger attached to your car; and, in this condition with the IGN turned to OFF, the battery charger delivers a charge to the battery but when you turn the IGN SW to ON, the battery charger turns off (does not deliver a charge to your battery)?

 

correct

 

Get a test light or voltmeter and trace the wiring from the battery back to where the power stops. Guessing on the interwebs is a waste of your time. This isn't a problem you're going to solve virtually. My money is on a bad fusible link.

 

its a trickle charger. the light turns off when the ignition is turned

 

i agree! where am i looking for those? I'm nut much of an electrical guy, but i guess i will become one

 

You need to start with Step #1:

(1) With BOTH the negative and the positive battery terminals disconnected from the battery - what is the EXACT voltage of the battery? E.G. THE BATTERY COMPLETELY ISOLATED - E.G. NOT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING.

 

Test lights can be purchased at nearly all big box stores (Lowe's, etc.) and nearly any automotive supply store.

 

 

STEP ONE. Load-test the battery. Sounds like a dead/shorted battery.
How old is it?
A battery can exhibit a decent surface charge and still be bad.

 

With a wet cell battery connected to the vehicle you can quickly discharge surface charge by turning the headlights on for two minutes.

 

Battery is under a year old

 

It appears you don't have the ability to measure the battery voltage - otherwise you would have stated the battery voltage. With that said, let's look at this logically.
You stated "battery is fully charged". What "IS" the voltage of this battery? "Battery is fully charged" requires numbers to back up that statement. If it's fully charged, then it is reading 12.6V.
The fact it's under one year old says nothing with regards to its current voltage.

 

NOTE: A battery voltage of <12V has <50% state of charge.

 

 

If the meter is set to read voltage it appears the battery is fully charged. Is this the voltage with the battery terminals disconnected or with the battery terminals connected (in the vehicle)?

 

Re-read Post # 5 as suggested by Eric. Do you have 12V at the Power Take Off bus bar (often referred to as the horn relay block - which feeds your electrical system)?

 

yes, you guys are brutal. Of course it is set to volts! of course it is disconnected. I'm not an electrical guy but i'm not stupid. my test light is broken or i would already know if the fusible link is the problem. The car is completely dead. I'm going to say Joe P is correct. Will get a light tomorrow to confirm

 

Yes i have that confirmed

 

Testing of the fusible link will yield confirmation - sometimes you can direct a flashlight at the fusible link and see it's broken, blown, (charred wires), etc.

 

Or you can test for voltage on the red wire under the dash or at the bulkhead connector with the volt meter. You don’t need a test light.

 

That is because a trickle charger supplies a few Amps and a starter turning draws around 100 Amps, so the trickle charger circuitry essentially says “I can’t put out that much current” so it turns itself off. That is exactly what one would expect to happen with a trickle charger in that situation.

 

Funny, but there are 2 different things going on. Above would mean the link is OK, & he's drawing power. Weak Battery. If the dome lights are totally dead, it means NO power. Fuse link. Have to do 2 tests.

 

I've had a few old cars & belong to a lot of auto forums. This is one of the best. Very knowledgeable people. No garbage. I've never gotten a bad answer, despite asking some strange questions. I try not to question the manner of people answering my questions. Otherwise, why ask? I know quite a bit about these old machines, but there's always more to learn. Why do you need a test light? Use the meter.

 

I would say it only means something is drawing more current than your trickle charger can supply.

 

I'd perform/analyze the following:

(1) Validate the voltage of the battery alone (completely disconnected). The OP validated 12V;
(2) Install (connect both battery terminals) & determine voltage of battery. If a SIGNIFICANT reduction in voltage - it would suggest a substantially large & immediate voltage draw emanating from the vehicle - not the battery;
(3) Turn on each of several accessories (one at a time) WHILE measuring voltage after each is turned on - noting any large voltage drops. I know, it's likening itself to deciphering an amperage (parasitic) draw but it provides some insight out of the gate;
(4) Measure the voltage draw (determine voltage w/ meter) while attempting to start vehicle. What is the measured voltage during the starting attempt?;
(5) Measure the voltage of the battery immediately after a failed start scenario - does voltage return or does voltage stay low?

The above can be valuable insights. Not one of them can rule out or identify the amperage draw (if any); nor can one alone or collectively identify a failed/failing battery - but it's a starting point, IMO.

 

100 %

 

Sorry, but I did leave out one important piece of the analysis.

With the meter hooked up and battery connected (of course), turn the IGN SW to ON and measure the voltage noting any significant reduction in voltage.

 

You all are making this way harder than it needs to be. The battery appears to test good. Yeah, a proper battery load tester would be better, but if there's voltage at the battery, you should get SOME response in the car. I ***-U-ME that removing and replacing the battery terminals would ensure that they were clean and making good contact. This is a sudden problem - the cause is likely to be readily apparent when one start's methodically tracing the circuit with a test light. Start across the battery terminals, then at the junction block on the horn relay, then at one of the BATT terminal on the fuse box. I suspect that one of those three test points will show no power. Then it's simply a matter of finding out why.

 

I disagree. Everyone is attempting to assist. Since you already stated your money's on the fusible link, I'd have thought you'd suggest to start there?

 

My money is on a **** battery.

Hit the horn.

 

The arrow labeled fusible link is pointing to a insulated connector. The actual fusible link is the black wire to the left of the connector. Testing for power using a test light or a volt meter on each side of the black link will verify; that you have power to the link; that you have power thru (continuity) the link.
Over the years I have found fuse links that will look visually burnt (melted insulation) or will look good (externally, not burnt) but the fuse wire inside the insulation has melted causing an open circuit. (as it should in the case of an overload) I learned to gently but firmly pull on the fuse link. Many times the black rubbery insulation will stretch or actually pull apart if the internal fuse wire has melted.

 

100% correct. One of these days I'm going to fix my image.

 

 

First let me say thank you to all who provided me with possible problem areas. It looks like I had two problems going at the same time. I found a loose connection at the firewall. This led to a no power to the car. I also brought the battery in to be tested. It was showing voltage but cranking amps test showed it failed. Which is funny because the car started just really slow turn over. I am extremely happy that the car starts right up! runs like a swiss watch. The car will be going to the paint shop sometime this week and I have removed all the trim etc!

Thanks again everyone!

 

Are we to assume that a loose connection at the firewall means the bulkhead connector?