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Old 02-18-2009, 09:41 PM   #1
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1972 23' Safari
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Battery Drain in One Electrical Circut--72 Safari

I have an electrical problem on one of my '72 Safari circuts. The circut controls the heater, galley light, and the outside light above the door. It is not a short. The fuse does not blow. However, if the fuse is left in place the battery slowly drains over 1-4 days even if the above mentioned are turned off. To me it seems that something is using power and is "on." Any suggestions in how to track down the problem would be appreciated.
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Old 02-18-2009, 10:39 PM   #2
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Try this to diagnose the problem. Set up a test light with a 12 volt bulb with two inline wires. Disconnect the positive side of the battery and set the test light up with one side to the positive post on the battery and the other to the disconnected positive power lead. If the light comes on, you have a short. Turn off each light and see if the light comes on. If it does, it is the heater. If not, turn the galley light and if the test light comes on, then there is your battery drain.

Good luck with your investigative work. Let us know what you find out.

Brad
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Old 02-19-2009, 12:00 AM   #3
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Hi,

Try this to diagnose the problem. Set up a test light with a 12 volt bulb with two inline wires. Disconnect the positive side of the battery and set the test light up with one side to the positive post on the battery and the other to the disconnected positive power lead. If the light comes on, you have a Draw. Turn off each light and see if the test light goes off. If it doesn't, check the heater. With everything off or disconnected the test light should go off. If not, you missed something on that circuit.

Good luck with your investigative work. Let us know what you find out.
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Old 02-22-2009, 03:02 PM   #4
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1972 23' Safari
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Still can not find problem with Circut

Thanks for your suggestions. I have been working on the isolating the draw and have had no luck. My problem circut is circut #3. Circut #3 seems loaded. It has the heater, Galley light above the sink, Galley lights in roof vent, outside light above the door, and light/vent with fan aft of the galley which is the first vent in the bedroom. However even when I disconnect all these items the test light at the fuse in the univolt circut #3 remains on. Further I have isolated all other uses on the other 3 circuts and found that circut #2 only is used for the aft road side (3 Bulb) light and nothing else. All that said even if I distribute the circut loads more evenly, I can not find the draw on circut #3.
It is beganing to occur to me that I must run a new wire from the univolt fuse to the lights and furnace. Not a easy prospect.
Any other suggestions? Is there some other possible draw on existing circut #3 that I am missing?
Circut #1 operates the bath light, aft top vent/light, rear closet 12volt charger
Circut #2 Only found the aft road side bed light
Circut #3 Furnace/fan, galley refer top vent/lights, outside door light, and Galley sink light.
Circut #4 Dinette reading lights, outside light, 12volt charger above the refer.
The water pump, panel light, water tank sensor, and waste tank sensor run off the front electrical panel.
Am I missing another potential draw in the electrical system? ..... some other appliance or light? ( I am assuming that the running lights are on a seperate circut from the TV)
Thanks again, John
PS the Owners Mannual does not have a 12 volt electrical wiring diagram, just for the univolt and 110.
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Old 02-22-2009, 03:15 PM   #5
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When testing did you physically disconnect the furnace 12 supply wire or just rely on the thermostat switch for the disconnect?

The furnace control board may be the draw and bad even thought the thermostat switch is OFF.
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Old 02-22-2009, 05:04 PM   #6
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Eureka!!!! I found the Draw

Yes I did disconnect the heater not just relying on the thermostate. But after further looking, the culpret was the exterior door light. I had disconnected the switch but the hot went first to the light and then the switch. My understanding of wiring is to switch the hot. Anyway, when I completely removed the light fixture the draw was eliminated. What a relief.

Now for the Circut #3. In addition to the door light, galley light, galley top light/vent, bedroom vent/light and the furnace I discovered that the non working above range exaust vent fan is also connected on that circut.
Let me back up a bit. A few weeks ago when I repaired the front road side amber running light I discovered that in production no wire was sent to that light. Not even a whole in the skin was made for the wire. I drilled a whole and fished a wire in and the light worked. With that kind of quality control is it reasonable to assume that the circut #3 is overloaded and I should spread some of it to Circut #2? I say this eventhough Circut #3 fuse has never blown.. knock on wood.
Thanks all. I sure am glad that I found you people on Airforums.com A great website.
John
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Old 02-23-2009, 07:22 AM   #7
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If the fuse in Circuit #3 is still the original size, 20 amps, there is no reason to reduce the load on that circuit. If someone has increased it to say 30 amps to overcome a fuse blowing problem then yes you should reduce the load because the wiring was sized for 20 amps.

Yes anyone that has ever worked with AC electric would assume that you switch the line side rather than the return side. However if you think about it that is not always the case with DC. Almost ever car I have ever worked on had the horn relay grounded through the horn switch.

Are you saying that the exterior light NEVER worked for the 38 years and none of the previous owners noticed it.
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Old 02-23-2009, 12:24 PM   #8
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Non-Functional running light

I would guess it was noticed but again when the fixture was removed not only was it not hooked up but no wire and not even a whole for a wire. A real suprise.
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