No power?

[RandolphB]

Looking for any simple answers before I start digging.....

Battery was dead, so I charged it. Left the charger attached and opened door...had dome light and when I put the key in the dash was alive. Turned the key to on (not start) and everything died. No lights or power anywhere. Checked battery again and it shows charged. Main 80 amp fuse seems to be OK (haven't pulled it out yet to check with meter, but the view area where the fuse is supposed to melt is undamaged).

Anybody got any ideas? I'm looking for one of those simple common issues I guess. I don't even have a flicker of lights with the charger hooked up...to make sure there was at least some voltage available.

[RandolphB]

So I always follow up when I ask a question....even though it seems this one had everybody stumped. I found the problem today...and it is just weird...

So I checked all the fuses I could find. I checked the battery cables for corrosion and possible bad torque on their bolts. Kept putting the battery charger back on it and the "Battery Charged" light came on as soon as I hooked it up. Put it to the "Engine start" setting of 100 amps...still...nothing. So I finally yanked the battery out and carried it over to the workbench. Testing it there my meter said it had....1.2 volts! WHAT?!?!?! Hooked the charger up again and it read "Charged". Then I tested the output of the charger and it read 3.2 volts. Turned it up to 100 amps and got the same reading.

I have a couple more chargers, so I threw the battery on one of those (tested the output of the charger first) and it charged right up and the car started without so much as a blink of an eye. It's been sitting for months, and you'ed think it had been run this morning.

I can't believe it was the charger. I mean for 30 years this thing has always worked fine. I've charged dang near every car and battery I ever owned with it and it just quits now?!?!? They just don't make things like they used to.....but the worst part- a week ago the wife asked "Did the battery charger go bad?". Wish I hadn't told her what an awesome charger it has been for the last 30 years....OPPS.

[Sean5294]

It always seems to be something dumb. Glad you got it running!