No electrical power to anything

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bernhard
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No electrical power to anything

Post by bernhard »

Had the 712 siting for 2 months and when i went to start it i had no power. No dash lights wiper motor wont come on no head lights. Checked the batteries and they were completely dead. Charged them both up and now have 12.6 volts on each battery. reinstalled batteries and same problem. At this point i figured it was a bad battery disconnect switch behind the drivers seat. Removed it and directly connected the wires together, still nothing. However i can get my winch to work so i know i got plenty of juice its just not getting to where it needs to go. At this point i believe it to be a bad Ignition switch. Any way to check this? I have a replacement switch from SAV that i purchased years ago but its not the factory switch. It only has 6 terminals and the factory switch has 7. It is SAV part # SAV1555. Anyone wired one of these up? Any suggestions?

Thanks
Bernhard
1973 712M
1975 710K
2013 Tacoma TRD 4X4
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pcolette
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by pcolette »

Is your winch wired directly back to the batteries - both power and ground? If so, and since the winch works, it may be indicating that your ground from the battery to the chassis is bad. Try removing the ground connections from the battery switch and the chassis next to the switch. Clean them up well with a wire brush and re-assemble.

If the new ignition switch has numbers printed next to the terminals, they should match up with the wiring schematic. I just recently wired up a new but not original switch that I got from Scott and everything matched up ok.
Paul C.
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undysworld
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by undysworld »

At this point i believe it to be a bad Ignition switch. Any way to check this?
Volt/Ohmmeter. Check for 24v on the positive path, and 0 impedance from the ground of the 24v batteries (not the ground at the strap between batteries). I agree with PC that it's likely to be a ground, but...
I have a replacement switch from SAV that i purchased years ago but its not the factory switch. It only has 6 terminals and the factory switch has 7. It is SAV part # SAV1555. Anyone wired one of these up? Any suggestions?
Have you contacted SAV for a schematic on it? They've undoubtedly wired one up, and that's who I'd try first.
bernhard
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by bernhard »

undysworld wrote:Volt/Ohmmeter. Check for 24v on the positive path, and 0 impedance from the ground of the 24v batteries (not the ground at the strap between batteries)
Have no voltage at the switch.. did clean the ground well with a wire brush just in case. non of the breakers appear to be tripped.. Truck was running great when i put it away!
Bernhard
1973 712M
1975 710K
2013 Tacoma TRD 4X4
Jim LaGuardia
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by Jim LaGuardia »

I know this one! Unplug the main harness connectors under the dash, clean the terminals and plug them back together.
I have found the terminals can corrode preventing contact.
It is usually the connector with the large red wire.
Cheers, Jim LaGuardia
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Middlebury_Pinz
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by Middlebury_Pinz »

If the vehicle was stored outside, you might want to trace the wiring harness and see if its been eaten :-(. Mice and squirrels love the plastic in the wiring and will chew it up too include in their nests. When I store my vehicles inside, I put a rodent bait station under each vehicle. I hope Scott is right and not me.
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loyalp
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by loyalp »

Jim LaGuardia wrote:I know this one! Unplug the main harness connectors under the dash, clean the terminals and plug them back together.
I have found the terminals can corrode preventing contact.
It is usually the connector with the large red wire.
My money is on this. Mine sat for only a week once and the main connector corroded clean through.
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Jimm391730
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by Jimm391730 »

Assuming that the ideas above don't solve your problem, the general proceedure is to start where you have power and measure the voltage from that point to ground (at the starter terminal, for example) and the follow the power lead up to the dash and repeat the voltage test at every connection that you find. Once you get to the ignition switch it gets slightly harder to know if the switch is expected to carry the power to a particular terminal or not; but if you have power going to the switch and not leaving from another terminal (with the switch on) then the switch is at fault.

I have a worn switch in one of my trucks; sometimes I have to turn the key on rapidly in an attempt to get the switch guts to move farther in an attempt to make contact; I have also found that at least in my case I can reach up under the dash and it seems like one of the terminals at the top of the switch (closest to the windshield) is the culprit; if I just barely wiggle that terminal the switch makes contact and all is well. It is not the screw terminal at the end (the screw is tight) but the internal contact that must not be connecting properly with the rotating portion. All things wear out, eventually. One day I'll have to actually replace the switch but for now I have to play with it once every other month or so; it is only an ocasional problem.

Best of luck.
Jim M.
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edzz
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by edzz »

May help. Have it printed large enough that you can trace the circuits with coloured pencils.
http://www.sdp-pinzgauer.org/html/swiss_schematic.html
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John L
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by John L »

"I know this one! Unplug the main harness connectors under the dash, clean the terminals and plug them back together.
I have found the terminals can corrode preventing contact.
It is usually the connector with the large red wire."


Jim... you are a genius!!!!!! I had the exact same problem over the weekend. My 03 red tops died on me. I pulled everything out, cleaned it up. Treated some minor rust issues. Bought new red tops (the wife doesn't know yet :roll: ) and after hooking everything back up I had absolutely no power to anything. SO, instead of taking my usual route of running down every possible cause; I got on the forum and did a search and found this post. The first thing I did was unplug the harness, clean it up really good with some electrical cleaner and some sand paper, plugged it back together and BAM there was more power to everything than I have had before. Your post saved me at least 24 hours of chasing down random electrical gremlins. Thanks a ton!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I get up your way or you get down this way dinner or lunch is on me. :D
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edzz
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by edzz »

:idea: Using a corrosion inhibiting grease designed for electric connectors may help prevent future problems. http://www.super-lube.com/super-lube-an ... p-199.html
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Stekay
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by Stekay »

One question... I don't understand the cause of dead batteries.
'76 710K
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Jimm391730
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by Jimm391730 »

I don't understand the cause of dead batteries.
All batteries will die eventually from age; in the case of lead acid batteries they become drained and sulfate (which is mostly irreversible; this is the most common death to lead acid batteries). Wet cell batteries will drain themselves within a few months, sealed AGM or Gel cells take twice as long. This is called self discharge. Sulfation happens when the battery energy is depleted; sulfation is prevented when the battery has a good charge. Wet cell, AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) and Gell cells are all variations of the lead acid battery chemistry. So if you don't do anything to them a perfectly good battery will self discharge, sulfate, and die in 6 months to a year or so.

Any parasitic loads (24 to 12 volt converters, battery equalizers, radio memory, etc.) can easily drain a battery dead in 1-3 months. Modern vehicles all have these parasitic loads but the vehicle is expected to be driven often or at least every week or two. Extend the storage time to a few months and even those batteries are ruined.

Older technology wet cells need to have distilled water added periodically; if this is not done then they fail from other issues (concentrated acid, dry plates, etc.).

If you plan to put your truck in storage you should use a battery tender charger or at least put a normal charger on each battery at least one day a month.
Jim M.
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BobbyD
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Re: No electrical power to anything

Post by BobbyD »

In the hopes that my batteries last, I installed a Solargizer Model 150... viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7674&p=55161#p55161
EI had a few of them. I think they are out. You may want to send them an email or call.

That product has been replaced by a newer product... http://www.pulsetech.net/24V-Battery-So ... -7300.aspx BUT Amazon has the old ones here... http://www.amazon.com/Solargizer-mainte ... B000N6JG60

There are other solutions out there... But I really like the passiveness of a solar solution and this seems to work... ask me in 8 years.

My install pictures are here... viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6456&p=46003#p46003

Also, this is a really good time to replace the rubber grommets that protect the main battery/power cable where said cable exits/enters the battery compartment. Home Depot sells a bag of rubbery grommets in the electrical dept. for $3.00. Two of them will fit the two holes in the battery compartment. Use fish oil (wd40) if you have to pull a lot of wires through. NOTE: When the red wire wears through on your 43 year old vehicle where the old grommet was, it is inconvenient, smells funny, leaves a unsightly (now larger) hole and could cause a fire. It normally happens on a turn or sudden incline change... both places where you, now, WISH you could drive from... but can't.
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