Re: [alfa] dead short condition

["Dean W. Cains" <dwc@xxxxxx>]

Hi Dave:

Are you seeing a ground (zero ohms) from the positive battery cable to 
ground with the battery disconnected?  I can't imagine such a thing, 
without a fire occurring.  No kidding.

As for the Optima battery, I'd give it a full charge, and then take it to a 
vendor and have it load tested, as it could have an internal short.  I 
haven't owned an Optima in nearly a decade, ,but quickly burned through 2 
in my M3, and finally gave up and dropped in a NAPA battery which was fine 
when I got rid of the car several years later.  The Optima dealer didn't 
seem at all surprised at my troubles, but things may have improved 
(hopefully) in those 10 years.

Regards,

Dean
Lutz, Fl
'74 & '87 Spider Veloce's

At 02:37 PM 8/25/2004, you wrote:

> Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 23:29:08 -0400
> From: "David Jarman" <jarmanhome@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] dead short condition
>
> My wife's '94 Spider CE has developed a short to ground that has drained
> down the battery very quickly. This is an Optima battery that always seemed
> very strong, but it's down to fractional voltage and will no longer take a
> charge. Not good!
>
> Anyway, according to my VOM, I have continuity from the positive (hot)
> battery cable through to ground. I checked every circuit at the fuse box,
> they all read hot side to ground. No fuses are blown anywhere, not even at
> the relays under the rear shelf. I see no evidence of wire overheating nor
> burned insulation on any red wires. But there is just an overall short to
> ground throughout the entire car. My thinking is that the alternator diodes
> are fried, or perhaps the starter solenoid is shorted. Tomorrow, I'm going
> to have to get back on it.
>
> I'd appreciate any and all input on this one!  Thank you.
>
> Dave Jarman
> Lexington, KY
> USA
> '91 Spider
> '94 Spider veloce CE
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