I've been searching past threads to find a way to circumvent the parasitic battery drain I am currently experiencing on my '98 SDV Concours. Yes, I know it's a short to ground somewhere, and I also know what is involved to find and fix it (i.e. lots of time and an ohm meter). But, in the interim until the cold weather breaks, is there a way to disable the RSS/ELC by pulling a fuse/breaker such that I don't experience any more dead battery for the morning and evening commute? Does anyone know specifically which breaker(s) control this system?

My pals are getting tired of jump'n the car for me.

Thanks guys!

BTW - this forum has been a big help to me over the years! Thanks to all the knowlegeable folks here!

It may sound hokey but I saw a simple knife switch installed on the positive battery terminal on a jeep that had battery drain like you described. It worked.

If I can't find the breaker to disable this circuit, then it may come to that. Good idea (and one I hadn't thought of)

Thanks

pull the rss fuse....

Try this...CAREFULLY tho!
Make sure all accessories are off, including the dome light(s). Pull the door off the fuse panel, so you have access. Disconnect the (-) battery cable, and connect a DVOM, set to the amps scale, with one side to the battery and the other to the (-) cable. Alligator clip leads at least 6' long are best for this. Now place the meter against the windshield, facing inward, so you can see it from the driver's seat. Note the reading. If it's > .3 amperes (e.g. 0.8) then you are seeing the parasitic draw. You can open the door; the dome lights will be dim, but since they draw current, you want to make sure the dome light switch stays open for this test. Then pull the fuses, one by one. (Pliers are not advised.) Don't even need to pay attention to what they are, until you see the reading drop. At this point, look at which circuit you're dealing with. You can then reconnect the (-) battery cable, and see if your situation improves. Keep in mind that you'll need to make sure that you've tested all the accessories which could be on the same circuit, as I've seen drain problems caused by door locks. Pulling the fuse cured the drain, but also disabled the dome lights. Make sure you can live without all the conveniences affected. If so you've temporarily fixed your problem; you've also narrowed it down enough to know which circuits to look at. Keep in mind also that you may have to repeat this test with two or three fuse boxes, one fuse at a time. If you turn on the headlights or fan while your meter is connected in series with the battery you'll likely blow its internal fuse or destroy it. Concentration is important on this. Hope it helps tho...
It might also be worthwhile to have the battery load tested first. If it has a shorted cell, it might cause the symptoms you describe.

HT

Great idea! And I believe, thanks to your method, I have found the problem! I did exactly as you suggested. First, I purchased a new battery as I knew the old one was ruined from the constant drain and me re-charging/jumping it all the time. So I hook up the DVOM and start pulling fuses. Sure enough, I didn't have to get too far into it to find the horn circuit was drawing power for no reason - turns out a wire had rubbed bare and was contacting sheet metal right behind the battery - most probably a result of me being in there all the time!

Hopefully I can move on to my real issur now - crossover gasket replacement.

Thanks again!

Pete

:thumbsup: You're welcome! I had to do this on a 1988 Bonneville...I was able to buy it cheap because of the battery drain. Turned out to be the door locks, and the only bummer was that the dome lights were on the same circuit. I sold the car before I could even bother with fixing the real problem, but suffice it to say I'd have just referred to it as a "police car" option if anyone asked.
No one did... :nuffsaid: