No power to on position?

[countryboytn]

Yesterday I went out to start the Bronco, and it turned over then acted like it died, and I realized I didn't have power to the radio or CB, but when I put it on accessory I do. Looks like all the fuses are good and I tried another switch with the same results. any ideas?

 

[countryboytn]

Never mind... I fixed it, it was/is a bad battery.

 

[countryboytn]

Update number 2: The battery tested good (took it to Advance). I thought it was the battery cause I put the one out of the F-350 in it and it fired right up. Turns out it just needed the ground cleaned.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^When in doubt, check the cables. Corrosion, exposed or unexposed, can cause alot of issues. In my 87 Bronco, I always had electrical issues, until someone had mentioned to check the cables and wires. The terminals and posts were clean as all get out, but pull back the rubber and it was green and white corrosion built up 6" up the cables. Replaced em, and no more problems.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

^^^When in doubt, check the cables. Corrosion, exposed or unexposed, can cause alot of issues. In my 87 Bronco, I always had electrical issues, until someone had mentioned to check the cables and wires. The terminals and posts were clean as all get out, but pull back the rubber and it was green and white corrosion built up 6" up the cables. Replaced em, and no more problems.

Ben, what did you do about the negative cable that bolts to the frame, did you just swap in a standard one or pay a bunch for the OEM one from ford.

 

[LEB Ben]

^^^Went to NAPA and swapped in a standard one.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

^^^Went to NAPA and swapped in a standard one.

I'm guessing there was no negative affects?

 

[LEB Ben]

I'm guessing there was no negative affects?

Not at the time...only had the thing another 6-9 months.

 

[greystreak92]

When check for corrosion in battery cables, keep in mind that they can (and do...yes this IS the voice of experience speaking) corrode from the INSIDE out. I chased an intermittent hard-start/no-start problem in my '93 for a month including replacing the alternator and the starter before I found the real culprit. Now, you are asking, GS you always remind us to take the guesswork out of the situation first... why would you do this?

Taking a meter to the battery cables I was getting full battery voltage at every point tested... battery terminals, alternator terminals, starter terminals. Then I got to thinking... You dope, voltage is NOT what the starter needs the most because the starter motor is the single biggest DRAW on the electrical system. And the DRAW has absolutely nothing to do with voltage. I did have 14.4 VDC at the starter... at approximately 0.45 amps! Well they only reason I would be getting 0.45 amps through a piece of #6 stranded copper wire would be if it WASN'T #6 stranded copper wire. And sure enough, when I split the insulation down the length of the positive cable, there was about ONE strand of that copper wire left that was actually conducting electricity all the way between battery and starter. In place of the rest of the copper strands inside that cable was that nasty, yellow-green glop we all know as corrosive scale that we normally see on the battery terminals. Just to give you and idea of how much electricity will actually get through one strand of the copper inside a piece of #6 cable, one strand is about the equivalent of a piece of #18 or #20 copper wire. The AMPERAGE that needs to get to the starter is as close to the battery's full capacity of 400-600 amps as possible. I'm lucky I didn't set the corroded section of cable on fire trying to start the truck.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

When check for corrosion in battery cables, keep in mind that they can (and do...yes this IS the voice of experience speaking) corrode from the INSIDE out. I chased an intermittent hard-start/no-start problem in my '93 for a month including replacing the alternator and the starter before I found the real culprit. Now, you are asking, GS you always remind us to take the guesswork out of the situation first... why would you do this?

Taking a meter to the battery cables I was getting full battery voltage at every point tested... battery terminals, alternator terminals, starter terminals. Then I got to thinking... You dope, voltage is NOT what the starter needs the most because the starter motor is the single biggest DRAW on the electrical system. And the DRAW has absolutely nothing to do with voltage. I did have 14.4 VDC at the starter... at approximately 0.45 amps! Well they only reason I would be getting 0.45 amps through a piece of #6 stranded copper wire would be if it WASN'T #6 stranded copper wire. And sure enough, when I split the insulation down the length of the positive cable, there was about ONE strand of that copper wire left that was actually conducting electricity all the way between battery and starter. In place of the rest of the copper strands inside that cable was that nasty, yellow-green glop we all know as corrosive scale that we normally see on the battery terminals. Just to give you and idea of how much electricity will actually get through one strand of the copper inside a piece of #6 cable, one strand is about the equivalent of a piece of #18 or #20 copper wire. The AMPERAGE that needs to get to the starter is as close to the battery's full capacity of 400-600 amps as possible. I'm lucky I didn't set the corroded section of cable on fire trying to start the truck.

What do you do for your negative battery cable, I see no problem with converting to a standard cable but you never know.

 

[greystreak92]

I work in the entertainment industry... we have SERIOUS electrical cable at our disposal. I use a length of #2 Entertainment Industry Feeder cable. (Yes that is a real designation under the Belden Wire chart). It has nearly TWICE the current carrying capacity of most standard wire and cable commercially available and it remains incredibly flexible even at very low temperatures. It also disperses heat quicker. All of these traits can be attributed to the fact that the stranding in it is considerably finer than most cable found in use in cars. I use this for both positive and negative cables.

 

[FordF-SuperDuty]

I work in the entertainment industry... we have SERIOUS electrical cable at our disposal. I use a length of #2 Entertainment Industry Feeder cable. (Yes that is a real designation under the Belden Wire chart). It has nearly TWICE the current carrying capacity of most standard wire and cable commercially available and it remains incredibly flexible even at very low temperatures. It also disperses heat quicker. All of these traits can be attributed to the fact that the stranding in it is considerably finer than most cable found in use in cars. I use this for both positive and negative cables.

Yes, but I don't have acceses to that stuff, so all I need to know is if the frame link is necesary.

 

[greystreak92]

Oh hehe, yes, it is absolutely necessary. Remember that the truck (like most vehicles) has a "negative ground" system. Which is to say that the negative side of nearly every circuit in the truck runs through the metal of the body and frame. So not having a good negative attachment to the frame would be like disconnecting the battery from the negative side... which is an extremely bad idea even temporarily. This is also why you will find the woven grounding straps from the cylinder heads to other locations in the engine bay. The heads are more or less electrically isolated due to the gaskets so the straps are added to ensure a strong ground (negative) otherwise you end up with poor spark issues which leads to fouled plugs and a dirty valve train... excess soot in the exhaust system... you get the idea. The hood has a ground strap too because of the under-hood courtesy lamp circuit and the fact that there isn't much electrical contact through the hinges.

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Ive had the cable that goes down to the starter wear through on the 72 because of a stupid clip that held it to the inner fender. If your gonna replace one cable might as well do the rest so ya dont have to worry about it down the road.