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Author Topic: Electrical short  (Read 2852 times)

greywolf27030

  • Old-Timer
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  • Posts: 1660
    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Electrical short
« on: August 25, 2020, 08:38:00 AM »
I have an intermittent short in my electrical system. When it occurs, I get a significant arc when attaching the battery cables.  Most of the time, no short.  What is the best way to go about finding the problem?
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Jack Byrd

redsteve

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 65
    • 1991 Capri, the rest are red or appliances...
Re: Electrical short
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2020, 06:38:40 PM »
Hi Jack,

I had this happen in another vehicle once upon a time.

I found a load that didn't shut off, causing the circuit to complete when I put the cable on the terminal.

Perhaps a switch, somewhere, that is not fully disconnecting?

Putting a circuit load tester between the negative battery terminal and its cable to see if you have some kind of load?

I found it by pulling one circuit fuse at a time to isolate the problem.

But, my problem wasn't intermittent...yikes!

The last similar problem in my Capri was under the carpet alongside the transmission tunnel, a wire that lost its insulation grounding on the tunnel...that was expensive...

Good luck!

Steve
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greywolf27030

  • Old-Timer
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  • Posts: 1660
    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Re: Electrical short
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2020, 10:02:31 AM »
Thanks Steve, the only short I've had was a bad alternator. It charged fine, but had an internal short.
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Jack Byrd

jdp

  • Full Member
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  • Posts: 203
    • 1994 Magenta Capri NA, 94 Reef greenXR2 and 92 XR2
Re: Electrical short
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2020, 05:45:38 PM »
This might sounds like a dumb question, but was your door open?   I had recently left the door open while replacing the battery in the wife's 94 and the inside light drew an arc when I put down the negative cable.   Startled me, then I realized the door was still open.
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John

greywolf27030

  • Old-Timer
  • *****
  • Posts: 1660
    • 1991 XR2, 1992 XR2, 1993 XR2
Re: Electrical short
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2020, 08:28:22 AM »
Quote from: jdp on August 26, 2020, 05:45:38 PM
This might sounds like a dumb question, but was your door open?   I had recently left the door open while replacing the battery in the wife's 94 and the inside light drew an arc when I put down the negative cable.   Startled me, then I realized the door was still open.

Not really a dumb question, but it doesn't matter because my interior lights are burned out and I've never replaced the bulbs.
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Jack Byrd