No power at all?

Hi,

Have you checked the fuse for continuity? There is a main 120-amp fuse under the hood. I attached a portion of the power distribution circuit below for you to reference.

Take a look at the schematic and see if that is what you are seeing. Show me which terminal sparks when you attach the battery jumper.

Let me know.

Joe

Thanks. Can you tell me how to check for continuity if the fuse?

You will need a multimeter to perform this. When you check continuity, basically you are checking to see if power goes from one place to another. The measurement is done in Ohms of resistance. In a perfect world, you want no resistance.

If you look at the last test of the following link, it shows a wire being tested for resistance/continuity. You will be doing the same thing with a fuse from one end to the other.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Let me know if this helps.

Joe

Yes, the picture i sent you is for the 120 amp. I tested it with multimeter, nothing happens when i touch the 2 ends, whether it's on ohm resistance or continuity. It sparks when i touch the right side if the fuse.

If you are not getting power through the fuse, it needs to be replaced. The thing is, what caused a 120 amp fuse to fail? WHen you say it sparks, what sparks in the pic above?

Joe

Using a probe, one side is 12v the other is ground. I think it sparked cause i was attaching a wire from positive to that side which the probe indicated as ground.

Even when connecting a jumper box , after attaching positive terminal then trying to attach the ground to the battery's negative post it sparks a bit more than it should.

Hi,

I would have to see the extent of the sparking. Some can be considered normal from low voltage draws at all times.

I watched your video. If the fuse between those two points is good, you would have power on each side and not ground on one of the sides. Remove the fuse and confirm continuity, which I feel won't exist. If there isn't continuity within the fuse, the next step is to replace it and see if it fails again. If it does, then we have a short which could be anywhere. If that is the case, let me know and together we will start eliminating possible issues. Also, if the fuse does fail again, disconnect the battery and remove the fuse box to see if there is anything damaged under it where the connectors are located.

Take care and let me know what you find.

Joe

Yes, I am hoping there is not a short because this like you said could be anything and hard to diagnose. I ordered another one. Will see how it goes.

Got another fuse, connected battery ground slowly and it sparked more than it would when installing a new battery, there is definitely a short somewhere. I only touched it twice and removed it so the fuse won't blow again.

Hi,

What I would suggest is this. Remove the fuse. Using a multimeter, check for continuity to ground between the return side where the fuse goes (not the power supply side).

If there is continuity, remove one fuse in the box at a time to see if there is a specific fuse that eliminates the ground.

Try that and let me know what you find.

Joe

Hmm, that makes sense. So, continuity would be to check between where it is grounding at the fuse and the chassis or battery terminal and once a fuse is removed and ground is out that is where the issue is.

So, with a voltmeter turn it to volts and touch on battery and other end to the end if the fuse that was coming as ground? I did but nothing was reading. I could not understand from the link how to do it as far as removing a fuse by one to see if it eliminates the ground from the fuse end.

Sorry read it wrong, with a connector to ground and other end to the fuse end where it sparks it reads about 25 , sometimes more or so when the voltmeter is on continuity test.

I removed each fuse in the box while voltmeter on continuity and one end to round and the other to the fuse end in the box, while fuse is off, but none of the fuses resulted in the numbers to go to zero.

Hi,

If that is the case and there is no continuity, I have to ask how badly does it spark when you connect things?

I don't like doing this because not being there makes it difficult to be confident, but if you record how badly it sparks and upload it for me to see, I may be able if it is excessive.

Let me know.

Joe

So, this video shows what i have done.in the video i meant the voltmeter was at continuity not resistance.

Here it shows the amount of spark. It almost feels like what happens if you switch the jumper around say if you connect the negative to positive.

Hi,

when you installed the negative cable, I didn't see any spark. It did spark with the jumper. That is excessive. Does that happen if all fuses other than the 120amp fuse is removed?

At this point, you could either remove the box and inspect the connectors or remove all fuses but the 120 amp and see if it still sparks.

Let me know.

joe

Let me try. But there are other fuses inside the car or is it most likely something within the box? Yes, it didn't spark with just the battery because its drained.

Can you connect the jumper pack with the negative disconnected without it sparking? Also, I just went through the power distribution schematics. It appears all power to the interior fuses run through the box under the hood and then into the vehicle.

Joe

You mean disconnect the negative battery terminal the connect jumper to both battery posts?

Yes. Just to make sure the battery isn't internally shorted.

Let me know.

Joe

Oh, had a thought about that just didn't know it can happen.

Sparks normally when the negative terminal is removed and with negative jumper attached, nothing excessive.

But if i also remove both battery terminals and connect jumper straight to them still sparks excessive.

With all fuses out except the 120 still sparks.

I am not seeing anything burned or weird under the box. But isn't the fuse which is snowing on bottom supposed to connect to something? Or is it just made like this to sit inside the box, weird that the end of the fuse which comes out of the box underneath connects to nothing. I am guessing the issue with the 120 fuse since it still sparks with nothing else connected and even with the battery jumper only connected to the jumper box.

More.

Also found out that the positive battery cable which has 2 leads going into the box one is negative other is positive.

Okay progress. I followed the positive cable that goes from the box to alternator, found a previous work was done on one of the coils which melted before the repair or after, disconnected the 3 front coils, no change. kept following the sane wire to alternator, removed the positive cable which has a nut on the alternator and now it does not show ground on the 120-amp fuse. Connected all the fuses that i removed back and now it does mot spark, but no power inside other than interior lights, nothing when i turn ignition on.

Hi,

Take the alternator to a parts store and have them bench-test it. They will likely do it free of charge. It appears there is an internal short. Also, take a pic or two of the wire repair you mentioned.

Once we can get the alternator reconnected without sparking, we can tackle the other concerns with fuses inside.

Let me know.

Joe

Put in a new alternator, no more spark after i connected jumper, i have headlight so am good for now. Thanks

Hi,

Thanks for the update. I'm glad to hear you got it repaired. Wiring can certainly be a nightmare. LOL

Regardless, feel free to come back anytime in the future if you have questions or need help. You are always welcome.

Take care,

Joe