Hello and thanks in advance, I removed my console and the center over to place my CB in the dash instead of on the floor. The CB has been wired in for a month and had no issues. This am I went to start the vehicle and the alarm was acting funny and wouldn't allow me to start it. I finally got the alarm to stop.... No fobs aftermarket alarm previous owner had placed which was to be taken out and replaced Thursday... Anyway I digress. I tried to start it and it clicked like there was now power. I hooked it up to the battery charger and tried again it clicked again, after that it has no power to the instrument panel or anywhere inside the car. I checked the fuse box in the engine and it has melted the top wire and the abs fuse... Anywhere or any advise as to where to start? Sorry if that is a little vague.
Need help good battery no power into the car
- Thread starter Jmabry66
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Yes very sure, battery is strong
IBallEngineer
New member
Right, very vague. Did you repair the melted wire? And what is the "top wire"? Use pictures if you must, and have you tried cleaning the battery terminals?
What voltage are you getting from it?
Voltage isn't any indicator of a battery that's in good condition. Amperage is what's needed to turn the starter over, just for an example. A little lawnmower battery is going to be 12v, but it won't have the capacity to run anything other with any kind of amperage draw.
Sounds like a fusible link let go, but that' purely a guess based on the vague description.
Sounds like a fusible link let go, but that' purely a guess based on the vague description.
IBallEngineer
New member
Well voltage IS an indicator of the state of charge of the battery. And since the OP is saying there is no power inside the vehicle. We should at least know if the battery is charged. Then proceed to see if voltage is "good" at other points. This is a good indicator of connection integrity which is a more probable issue anyway.
So the melted wire goes from the fuse panel into the wiring harness pack that runs into the lower part of the engine,the fuses next to the wire were melted as well. With this wire connected the negative on the battery causes clicking noises when touched from ground using a light gauge.ill try and post pictures in the am. When you clip into the negative post then the battery has power when the wire from the fuse box is Disconnected..... Sounds fubar too me.
GangsterOfLove
New member
The old guy test is to turn on the headlights and turn the key. If the headlights go out the battery is toast. Doesn't matter how it measures.
If the headlights stay bright, start looking for where you lose the connection -fuse, link, connection, ground.
Follow the circuit.
If the headlights stay bright, start looking for where you lose the connection -fuse, link, connection, ground.
Follow the circuit.
IBallEngineer
New member
Being an old guy myself, I know that test. Unfortunately it isn't very accurate on newer cars. Because the headlights don't have a direct path to the battery, you have relays that are subject to the same lose or bad connections as the ignition system. Often you won't even get the headlights to come on at all, but its not because of your battery.
IBallEngineer
New member
Well obviously you have a problem on your truck, and have a hard time relating the specifics in your posts. I recommend you have a professional look at it.
greenbomer
New member
On my 2001 there is a fuzzed wire between the battery and the car or starter, I'm not sure which.
Yet it doesn't really tell you anything about the battery's ability to do anything other than show you it has 12volts.
Try breaking loose a bolt tightened to 250ft lbs with a 3/8" ratchet. It aint gonna happen. Get the right 3/4" drive socket and a 30" breaker bar and that bolt is going to come loose, yet the person turning it isn't any stronger.
That's the equivalent of having 12v and not the amperage capacity to do any work.
Try breaking loose a bolt tightened to 250ft lbs with a 3/8" ratchet. It aint gonna happen. Get the right 3/4" drive socket and a 30" breaker bar and that bolt is going to come loose, yet the person turning it isn't any stronger.
That's the equivalent of having 12v and not the amperage capacity to do any work.
I completely understand that if there isn't a minimum voltage there is a problem. Duh!
The point is that having 12.6v doesn't mean that the battery is good, which is the word you chose to use when asking if the OPs battery has 12.6v.
A battery can have one or more dead cells and still show 12+ volts.
The point is that having 12.6v doesn't mean that the battery is good, which is the word you chose to use when asking if the OPs battery has 12.6v.
A battery can have one or more dead cells and still show 12+ volts.
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IBallEngineer
New member
Voltage is the force the drives the amperage. Kind of like the pressure in a hydraulic system. Amperage is the flow, like how big the hose is. They are interdependent, and both can tell you a lot in troubleshooting. However most people don't have access to ammeters capable of checking a battery or charge/starting systems, but they do have voltmeters. And voltage can tell you more than just if a system has 12V or not. I can solve almost any vehicle electrical failure with just a voltmeter(not counting logic circuits ie ecu).
Anyway we have to start "somewhere", battery state of charge is always a good start.
:snacker:
Anyway we have to start "somewhere", battery state of charge is always a good start.
:snacker:
Ok so the volts were at 14.7 the entire time. To answer that. So the solution was the new battery terminal connector on the negative side wasn't clamping down enough so I had to flip the clamp end over and throw some grease on it. This caused the melting of the fuse box and the two fuses next to it. The ABS fuse and the alternator fuse. Once replaced and the wire that melted got tightened back down, yota runs just like before. Thanks for all the help and entertainment.
Josh
GangsterOfLove
New member
All very true, but if if the headlights work and then you turn the key and the headlights go out then it's time to have the battery load tested.
It's an easy check and the one I always do first.
IBallEngineer
New member
A load test is invalid, if the battery is not charged. I think we are both on the same page as far as verifying the battery is good, but we have different methods.
