Electrical issues and questions

[hmrlvr]

I'm having electrical problems lately I think. Three times now, I've unlocked my truck with the remote and got in to start it. Before I did anything, I could hear the cds changing in the radio. When I start the car, the clock says 12:00 like the battery was dead. The truck always starts though. It has happened only since I added some lights to the grill. The lights are PIAA brand and the switch has a small light on it which is on all the time (either green or red). Is that enough to drain the battery over a 2 day period of the truck sitting? Any ideas? Thanks

[hmrlvr]

I'm having electrical problems lately I think. Three times now, I've unlocked my truck with the remote and got in to start it. Before I did anything, I could hear the cds changing in the radio. When I start the car, the clock says 12:00 like the battery was dead. The truck always starts though. It has happened only since I added some lights to the grill. The lights are PIAA brand and the switch has a small light on it which is on all the time (either green or red). Is that enough to drain the battery over a 2 day period of the truck sitting? Any ideas? Thanks

[DDWH]

Sounds exactly like the same problems I was having with my suburban after I had a 6 disk cd changer installed. I am not an expert, but it could be the little bit of draw is freaking things out or could be where you tapped in?

[hmrlvr]

I first tapped in with an "add a fuse", into the fuse box. Thinking that might be the problem, I pulled the add a fuse and connected straight to the battery...??? Still happening.

[f5fstop]

If that switch light was draining the battery, the remote would not unlock the doors and the radio would not make noise. Assuming the light is an LED, it would take a loooong time for just that LED to run the battery down.
Give me some hints:
Which circuit did you tap into for the power to the switch?
Did the switch require a ground connection for the LED?
Most of these types of switches are two-pole switches. Power comes in on one pole, goes through the switch when the switch is closed (turned On), and the power flows to the lights' relay, energizes the coil, and allows full battery voltage to run to the lights.
When the switch is closed, the LED comes on. That's the type of setup I'm used to.

Sounds like the B+ to the radio is loose (or the radio ground), and when you stepped in, it closes the connection. The noise you hear sounds like a normal initiazation sequence for any radio if it is disconnected from power, and then power is applied. The radios internal memory has to be reset and it has to know how many CDs are inside it.

[hmrlvr]

the switch is the one that came with the lights and wire loom. It does have a ground for the relay which I attached to the chassis under the hood. The hot wire for the switch which they call the "switch power wire" is connected directly to the pos. battery post.

[hmrlvr]

Anyone? I need ideas.

[Holliday]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by hmrlvr:
Anyone? I need ideas. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Link

[f5fstop]

I guess I would need more information. Have installed a few off-road lights before, and never attached the switch wire to B+, but always to Ignition Hot.
Reason is if the switch is to B+ (always hot), and the relay is grounded, and the lights themselves are hooked to B+ through the relay, they would stay on forever, unless you manually turn off the switch. What I'm trying to understand is, did you connect the switch to B+, and the actual power feed from the lights to ignition power? That would explain why your switch light is always on, but the lights are going off when the ignition is turned off.
I guess my question is, what feed is supplying the actual lights through the switch side of the relay?
Another question does the wiring diagram with the lights call the circuit to the switch, "switch power power wire," or "switched power wire?" Switch implies it is just that, the power to the switch. Switched implies they wanted switched power to be used versus battery B+.

Oh, and I do believe that the radio on the H3 will retain presets with no battery power. I have not confirmed this, but most new GM radios do, and would believe the H3 had this same feature.

[hmrlvr]

f5fstop I just PMed you. It's possible that the battery connections were loose. The nuts are tapered and pull the cable connectors tight on the battery posts. I put the new wire connectors under the tapered nuts so the connections were a little loose. I now added another nut on top of the original with the new light connectors between the nuts. (If this makes no sense don't be suprised. I'm looking at it and it makes only a little sense) Anyway, I'll try this and see if it works. Thanks.

[f5fstop]

Yes, as a loose ground, it could be a loose battery post, stranger things happen. But, being the cynic, it could be something else...
Good luck...

[hmrlvr]

I'll watch it and let you know what happens. Thanks