Battery Issue for a new owner

Oldgearz said:
Someone tell me if I'm wrong, but there is current to the coil regardless of the position of the ignition switch. Everything is HOT on the care except to the distributor which is controlled by the ignition switch. I don't have a pop-up so I don't know if that is different. Check to see if you have a master cutoff switch on the drivers side engine wall, inside near the clutch or under the hood. If you have one, charge the battery and then turn the switch off and check your battery the next day. Don't forget to turn the switch back on like I have done.
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Yep, these old Fords are wired differently than a more modern vehicle. The coil is hot and the key/ ignition switch is what controls current to the distributor.
 
Except if it has a modern ignition switch, in which case the power to the coil could be off when the ignition switch is off.
 
nkaminar said:
Except if it has a modern ignition switch, in which case the power to the coil could be off when the ignition switch is off.
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If you just replace the switch it'll be wired the same. The switch is between the coil and points. Its not too hard to rewire so it is more like a modern vehicle. I prefer to do that, I don't like the coil hot until I want it to be hot.
 
One check you can do...while the car is turned off, pull the belt off the generator. If the generator starts to spin on its own (known as "motoring") it suggests that the cutoff is bad and current is leaking back through the generator.

Good luck, and tell us what you find when you solve the problem.

Ken
 
Good afternoon...One more thing to consider...if your 'A' still has the original wiring or very old wiring...the insulation may be cracked and falling off some place or the other...this condition will cause a short...just take a strong light and check all the wiring...to include that behind the little chrome dash board...four screws, top and bottom will let you take it off...Ernie in Arizona
 
Thanks for all the help! So I think I found the issue (maybe). After installing my freshly charged battery last night I noticed the tail lights on. I'm thinking i left the switch on the steering wheel on.......yeah i'm dumb.

I bought a terminal shut off for the future.
 
Welcome to the “club”. The “yeah I’m dumb” club that is.

When I put the car in the garage I always shut off the gas valve and let the carburetor run dry until the car dies. One day I forgot to turn the key off so the battery was dead the next time I got in it.

I also tried to start the car one time by pressing the foot rest instead of the starter switch.

David Serrano
 
kursed30 said:
Thanks for all the help! So I think I found the issue (maybe). After installing my freshly charged battery last night I noticed the tail lights on. I'm thinking i left the switch on the steering wheel on.......yeah i'm dumb.

I bought a terminal shut off for the future.
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You not dumb, the stop light switch has power to it all the time, switch sticks and you don't see and then the battery goes dead.
 
kursed30 said:
Thanks for all the help! So I think I found the issue (maybe). After installing my freshly charged battery last night I noticed the tail lights on. I'm thinking i left the switch on the steering wheel on.......yeah i'm dumb.

I bought a terminal shut off for the future.
Click to expand...

You not dumb, the stop light switch has power to it all the time, switch sticks and you don't see and then the battery goes dead.

Learning curve ! We have all been there.
 
kursed30 said:
Thanks for all the help! So I think I found the issue (maybe). After installing my freshly charged battery last night I noticed the tail lights on. I'm thinking i left the switch on the steering wheel on.......yeah i'm dumb.



I bought a terminal shut off for the future.
Click to expand...
Again, not dumb. It's a learning experience, just like anything else. Soon you will probably learn all kinds of things that look simple in hindsight.

On your fancy new battery disconnect, if it's the post type with the thumb wheel, those get gunked up and need cleaned occasionally, just a warning.
Good luck!

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
 
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