Weird Electrical Problem
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Weird Electrical Problem
This is the weirdest thing. Yesterday my lights decided they were not going to go out when I turned the truck off. I had it on automatic. So, I tried to turn them off at the switch. No go. Then I unhooked battery #1. Lights are still on. I unhooked battery #2. Headlamps went off but all other lights stayed on. How can this be?
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Texas
Unless you have some after market light set up that has a component that holds a charge for a short time or a solar charger plugged in, then the lights should go off with both batteries disconnected.
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I agree. This is a wrecker. I know of nothing on it that would be holding a charge. The lights stay on after unhooking the battery until I turned the ignition again and then they went off. As of right now, they are off and I have both batteries unhooked. I thought this was technically impossible.
Of the next Riffraff East
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Concord NC
Are you sure you don't have an extra battery for the extras on the wrecker. I know that on the emergancy vehicles, they sometimes have an extra battery for the extra lights and radios.
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Not that I know of. But I will certainly do a little more research on that aspect tomorrow. That really is the only thing that makes sense. Only thing is, I think I've touched every inch of this truck at some time or another and can't remember ever seeing anything that would remotely resemble a battery other then the 2 under the hood.
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Not that I know of. But I will certainly do a little more research on that aspect tomorrow. That really is the only thing that makes sense. Only thing is, I think I've touched every inch of this truck at some time or another and can't remember ever seeing anything that would remotely resemble a battery other then the 2 under the hood.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Texas
Do you have something else to drive? Leave the lights running off of the mystery battery for a while and see how long it takes to drain down. See what else doesn't function properly with the dead mystery battery.
Or you could ask a local mechanic how much he charges to diagnose an electrical issue and then bet him that amount that you can make your lights stay on if he removes both batteries.
Or you could ask a local mechanic how much he charges to diagnose an electrical issue and then bet him that amount that you can make your lights stay on if he removes both batteries.
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Of the next Riffraff East
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Concord NC
I bet you will find it somewhere in the bed around your wrecker controls. Even when you do find it, you still have to figure out why you are getting a feed back to you lights.
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It's a pretty vital piece of equipment for me so I don't want to discharge it on purpose. I was hoping someone had experienced this before. It defies science to me that a vehicle can have power when it's batteries are disconnected.
Of the next Riffraff East
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Concord NC
If you think about it, the winch and lift motors use a bunch of juice and it would be a bad thing if the wrecker I am depending on runs its batteries dead. For that reason alone I could see where the extra battery would be used for the lift motors.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Texas
I would think the controls would only be operated when the truck was running, but Barry may be on to something here. With the batteries disconnected go play with the rear controls and see if you have any power there. That should narrow it down. If there is an extra battery or two for the tow controls it's better to find it now before they die.
