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Battery Dead Again!!!



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 3rd 04, 03:05 AM
Gary
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Posts: n/a
Default Battery Dead Again!!!

1990 Miata with WestCo battery:

I seem to forget to turn my lights off and run down the battery too often.
I'd say it happens about twice a month. I have a portable battery jumper in
my house and its no problem starting the car when I forget to turn off the
lights at home. But it really hurts when I forget away from home. I may have
to keep the portable battery unit on the passenger's side floor. I'm afraid
to put it in the trunk, because you know what will happen. A dented trunk,
from within.

To be properly warned, I bought one of those light minders from Miata
Marketing. Its a buzzer and has two wires that attach to a couple fuses
inside the car. Unfortunately, the ends of the wires have clips which go
under two specific fuses, but its too thick to insert them into the fuse
holder without forcing them in and damaging the fuse holder. Yes, I used the
right clips (there were 3 depending on year and model). The bottom line: I
had to cut the clips off and wrap the bare wire around the fuse leads and
insert them in. That worked for a while, but the vibrations cause it to no
longer make a good contact and the warning buzzer no longer works. I plan to
solder the wires onto the fuse leads, but what if that fails?

My other idea is to get one of those Priority One units which cuts off the
battery when in reaches a threshold. Then if I leave the lights on, I can
open the trunk and press a button to allow the battery to work enough to
crank the engine. However, the friggin thing is almost as much as buying a
new WestCo battery.

Other than telling me to not ever leave the lights on again, is there any
advice or tips or products?

Thanks,

Gary


Ads
  #2  
Old November 3rd 04, 04:31 AM
Southoceandrive
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Gary" > wrote in message
news:F1Xhd.6469$o52.3207@trndny03...
> 1990 Miata with WestCo battery:
>
> I seem to forget to turn my lights off and run down the battery too often.
> I'd say it happens about twice a month. I have a portable battery jumper

in
> my house and its no problem starting the car when I forget to turn off the
> lights at home. But it really hurts when I forget away from home. I may

have
> to keep the portable battery unit on the passenger's side floor. I'm

afraid
> to put it in the trunk, because you know what will happen. A dented trunk,
> from within.
>
> To be properly warned, I bought one of those light minders from Miata
> Marketing. Its a buzzer and has two wires that attach to a couple fuses
> inside the car. Unfortunately, the ends of the wires have clips which go
> under two specific fuses, but its too thick to insert them into the fuse
> holder without forcing them in and damaging the fuse holder. Yes, I used

the
> right clips (there were 3 depending on year and model). The bottom line: I
> had to cut the clips off and wrap the bare wire around the fuse leads and
> insert them in. That worked for a while, but the vibrations cause it to no
> longer make a good contact and the warning buzzer no longer works. I plan

to
> solder the wires onto the fuse leads, but what if that fails?
>
> My other idea is to get one of those Priority One units which cuts off the
> battery when in reaches a threshold. Then if I leave the lights on, I can
> open the trunk and press a button to allow the battery to work enough to
> crank the engine. However, the friggin thing is almost as much as buying a
> new WestCo battery.
>
> Other than telling me to not ever leave the lights on again, is there any
> advice or tips or products?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Gary
>
>

There is a subtle 'light on' warning signal that is standard on many
Miatas -- THE BIG FREAKIN' BARN DOORS FLANKING THE HOOD. If you train
yourself to detect this slight change in body shape, it may alleviate your
problem.


  #3  
Old November 3rd 04, 07:15 AM
Lanny Chambers
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In article >,
"Southoceandrive" > wrote:

> There is a subtle 'light on' warning signal that is standard on many
> Miatas -- THE BIG FREAKIN' BARN DOORS FLANKING THE HOOD.


The parking lights alone draw enough to drain the Miata's small battery
in a few hours. If you leave a door ajar over a weekend, the interior
light will run the battery dead flat as well.

One of these days it may happen to you. I'm sure you'll pardon us if we
howl with derisive laughter.


Gary, the miata.net Garage has instructions to turn your seat belt
buzzer into a light minder:
http://www.miata.net/garage/buzzer.html

Mine's been wired that way for years, with no problems. I never need to
be reminded to use my belt. But the buzzer has saved my battery a dozen
times.

--
Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA
'94C
the alignment page:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html
  #4  
Old November 3rd 04, 11:22 PM
Jitendra
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


Southoceandrive; your reply was hilarious. I laughed so hard I almost spilt
my tea!

Thanks for the laugh.

Jitendra
'95 Red

>>
>>

> There is a subtle 'light on' warning signal that is standard on many
> Miatas -- THE BIG FREAKIN' BARN DOORS FLANKING THE HOOD. If you train
> yourself to detect this slight change in body shape, it may alleviate your
> problem.
>
>



  #5  
Old November 4th 04, 02:37 AM
Leon van Dommelen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Southoceandrive" > wrote:

>
>"Gary" > wrote in message
>news:F1Xhd.6469$o52.3207@trndny03...
>> 1990 Miata with WestCo battery:
>>
>> I seem to forget to turn my lights off and run down the battery too often.
>> I'd say it happens about twice a month. I have a portable battery jumper

>in
>> my house and its no problem starting the car when I forget to turn off the
>> lights at home. But it really hurts when I forget away from home. I may

>have
>> to keep the portable battery unit on the passenger's side floor. I'm

>afraid
>> to put it in the trunk, because you know what will happen. A dented trunk,
>> from within.
>>
>> To be properly warned, I bought one of those light minders from Miata
>> Marketing. Its a buzzer and has two wires that attach to a couple fuses
>> inside the car. Unfortunately, the ends of the wires have clips which go
>> under two specific fuses, but its too thick to insert them into the fuse
>> holder without forcing them in and damaging the fuse holder. Yes, I used

>the
>> right clips (there were 3 depending on year and model). The bottom line: I
>> had to cut the clips off and wrap the bare wire around the fuse leads and
>> insert them in. That worked for a while, but the vibrations cause it to no
>> longer make a good contact and the warning buzzer no longer works. I plan

>to
>> solder the wires onto the fuse leads, but what if that fails?
>>
>> My other idea is to get one of those Priority One units which cuts off the
>> battery when in reaches a threshold. Then if I leave the lights on, I can
>> open the trunk and press a button to allow the battery to work enough to
>> crank the engine. However, the friggin thing is almost as much as buying a
>> new WestCo battery.
>>
>> Other than telling me to not ever leave the lights on again, is there any
>> advice or tips or products?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>

>There is a subtle 'light on' warning signal that is standard on many
>Miatas -- THE BIG FREAKIN' BARN DOORS FLANKING THE HOOD. If you train
>yourself to detect this slight change in body shape, it may alleviate your
>problem.


That can be quite effective if you mainly drive your car on sunny
top-down Sunday afternoons, with maybe an occasional 5 minutes
in the rain or twilight. Those who *really* drive their Miatas,
however, tend to often see absolutely nothing strange in the
two headlights they have been looking at many times, including
the past many hours in rain or darkness, when they have stopped
the car.

I am sure *some* people who really drive their Miatas will recognize
the problem anyway. I just cannot check that claim. I know that
my light buzzer stopped the problem. My fuse tap does not fit
that well with the fuse in the fuse box either, but I have not have
it fall out in the seven years or so I used it.

Leon

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)
  #6  
Old November 4th 04, 03:27 PM
Gary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

The barn doors aint the problem, Nimrod, its the freaking parking lights!


"Southoceandrive" > wrote in
message ...
>
> "Gary" > wrote in message
> news:F1Xhd.6469$o52.3207@trndny03...
> > 1990 Miata with WestCo battery:
> >
> > I seem to forget to turn my lights off and run down the battery too

often.
> > I'd say it happens about twice a month. I have a portable battery jumper

> in
> > my house and its no problem starting the car when I forget to turn off

the
> > lights at home. But it really hurts when I forget away from home. I may

> have
> > to keep the portable battery unit on the passenger's side floor. I'm

> afraid
> > to put it in the trunk, because you know what will happen. A dented

trunk,
> > from within.
> >
> > To be properly warned, I bought one of those light minders from Miata
> > Marketing. Its a buzzer and has two wires that attach to a couple fuses
> > inside the car. Unfortunately, the ends of the wires have clips which go
> > under two specific fuses, but its too thick to insert them into the fuse
> > holder without forcing them in and damaging the fuse holder. Yes, I used

> the
> > right clips (there were 3 depending on year and model). The bottom line:

I
> > had to cut the clips off and wrap the bare wire around the fuse leads

and
> > insert them in. That worked for a while, but the vibrations cause it to

no
> > longer make a good contact and the warning buzzer no longer works. I

plan
> to
> > solder the wires onto the fuse leads, but what if that fails?
> >
> > My other idea is to get one of those Priority One units which cuts off

the
> > battery when in reaches a threshold. Then if I leave the lights on, I

can
> > open the trunk and press a button to allow the battery to work enough to
> > crank the engine. However, the friggin thing is almost as much as buying

a
> > new WestCo battery.
> >
> > Other than telling me to not ever leave the lights on again, is there

any
> > advice or tips or products?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Gary
> >
> >

> There is a subtle 'light on' warning signal that is standard on many
> Miatas -- THE BIG FREAKIN' BARN DOORS FLANKING THE HOOD. If you train
> yourself to detect this slight change in body shape, it may alleviate your
> problem.
>
>



  #7  
Old November 4th 04, 03:34 PM
Gary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I'll let you know if soldering the leads on actually works. Why did they
make the fuse clips so thick, because it would have worked had they
engineered the light minder for all Miatas' fuse boxes.

I like Larry's FAQ about converting the buzzer to a light minder.

Anyone know how many pennies Mazda engineers shaved off the cost of a Miata
by not implementing a warning alert if you leave your lights on when the
ignition is off?


"Leon van Dommelen" > wrote in message
...
> "Southoceandrive" > wrote:
>
> >
> >"Gary" > wrote in message
> >news:F1Xhd.6469$o52.3207@trndny03...
> >> 1990 Miata with WestCo battery:
> >>
> >> I seem to forget to turn my lights off and run down the battery too

often.
> >> I'd say it happens about twice a month. I have a portable battery

jumper
> >in
> >> my house and its no problem starting the car when I forget to turn off

the
> >> lights at home. But it really hurts when I forget away from home. I may

> >have
> >> to keep the portable battery unit on the passenger's side floor. I'm

> >afraid
> >> to put it in the trunk, because you know what will happen. A dented

trunk,
> >> from within.
> >>
> >> To be properly warned, I bought one of those light minders from Miata
> >> Marketing. Its a buzzer and has two wires that attach to a couple fuses
> >> inside the car. Unfortunately, the ends of the wires have clips which

go
> >> under two specific fuses, but its too thick to insert them into the

fuse
> >> holder without forcing them in and damaging the fuse holder. Yes, I

used
> >the
> >> right clips (there were 3 depending on year and model). The bottom

line: I
> >> had to cut the clips off and wrap the bare wire around the fuse leads

and
> >> insert them in. That worked for a while, but the vibrations cause it to

no
> >> longer make a good contact and the warning buzzer no longer works. I

plan
> >to
> >> solder the wires onto the fuse leads, but what if that fails?
> >>
> >> My other idea is to get one of those Priority One units which cuts off

the
> >> battery when in reaches a threshold. Then if I leave the lights on, I

can
> >> open the trunk and press a button to allow the battery to work enough

to
> >> crank the engine. However, the friggin thing is almost as much as

buying a
> >> new WestCo battery.
> >>
> >> Other than telling me to not ever leave the lights on again, is there

any
> >> advice or tips or products?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Gary
> >>
> >>

> >There is a subtle 'light on' warning signal that is standard on many
> >Miatas -- THE BIG FREAKIN' BARN DOORS FLANKING THE HOOD. If you train
> >yourself to detect this slight change in body shape, it may alleviate

your
> >problem.

>
> That can be quite effective if you mainly drive your car on sunny
> top-down Sunday afternoons, with maybe an occasional 5 minutes
> in the rain or twilight. Those who *really* drive their Miatas,
> however, tend to often see absolutely nothing strange in the
> two headlights they have been looking at many times, including
> the past many hours in rain or darkness, when they have stopped
> the car.
>
> I am sure *some* people who really drive their Miatas will recognize
> the problem anyway. I just cannot check that claim. I know that
> my light buzzer stopped the problem. My fuse tap does not fit
> that well with the fuse in the fuse box either, but I have not have
> it fall out in the seven years or so I used it.
>
> Leon
>
> --
> Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
> http://www.dommelen.net/miata
> EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)



  #8  
Old November 5th 04, 02:34 AM
Simply Pete
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Gary" > wrote in message
news:j%qid.218$iZ2.138@trndny08...
> The barn doors aint the problem, Nimrod, its the freaking parking lights!


I can't think of a reason to use the parking lights... if I turned them on
when I parked the car, they would drain the battery.

Pete




  #9  
Old November 5th 04, 02:41 AM
Leon van Dommelen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Gary" > wrote:

>I'll let you know if soldering the leads on actually works. Why did they
>make the fuse clips so thick, because it would have worked had they
>engineered the light minder for all Miatas' fuse boxes.


Actually, I think they just got a generic kit, probably not really
intended for mini-fuses.

>I like Larry's FAQ about converting the buzzer to a light minder.


He likes to be called Lanny, but Larry is OK.

>Anyone know how many pennies Mazda engineers shaved off the cost of a Miata
>by not implementing a warning alert if you leave your lights on when the
>ignition is off?


Well, since the US government requires a seat belt annoyer, they
assumed that people entering a *sports car*, fresh to do some real
driving, and exiting it tiredly, would end up converting a seat
belt annoyer in a lights-on warner, allowing the cost of the
second buzzer to be saved.

Mazda was trying to produce a sports car for young people still
able to drive it, rather than for old people able to afford it.
Any added cost multiplies because the amount of the cars you
sell decreases with increasing price, meaning the same development
cost must be supported by fewer cars. It quickly adds up.

Leon

>"Leon van Dommelen" > wrote in message
.. .
>> "Southoceandrive" > wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >"Gary" > wrote in message
>> >news:F1Xhd.6469$o52.3207@trndny03...
>> >> 1990 Miata with WestCo battery:
>> >>
>> >> I seem to forget to turn my lights off and run down the battery too

>often.
>> >> I'd say it happens about twice a month. I have a portable battery

>jumper
>> >in
>> >> my house and its no problem starting the car when I forget to turn off

>the
>> >> lights at home. But it really hurts when I forget away from home. I may
>> >have
>> >> to keep the portable battery unit on the passenger's side floor. I'm
>> >afraid
>> >> to put it in the trunk, because you know what will happen. A dented

>trunk,
>> >> from within.
>> >>
>> >> To be properly warned, I bought one of those light minders from Miata
>> >> Marketing. Its a buzzer and has two wires that attach to a couple fuses
>> >> inside the car. Unfortunately, the ends of the wires have clips which

>go
>> >> under two specific fuses, but its too thick to insert them into the

>fuse
>> >> holder without forcing them in and damaging the fuse holder. Yes, I

>used
>> >the
>> >> right clips (there were 3 depending on year and model). The bottom

>line: I
>> >> had to cut the clips off and wrap the bare wire around the fuse leads

>and
>> >> insert them in. That worked for a while, but the vibrations cause it to

>no
>> >> longer make a good contact and the warning buzzer no longer works. I

>plan
>> >to
>> >> solder the wires onto the fuse leads, but what if that fails?
>> >>
>> >> My other idea is to get one of those Priority One units which cuts off

>the
>> >> battery when in reaches a threshold. Then if I leave the lights on, I

>can
>> >> open the trunk and press a button to allow the battery to work enough

>to
>> >> crank the engine. However, the friggin thing is almost as much as

>buying a
>> >> new WestCo battery.
>> >>
>> >> Other than telling me to not ever leave the lights on again, is there

>any
>> >> advice or tips or products?
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >>
>> >> Gary
>> >>
>> >>
>> >There is a subtle 'light on' warning signal that is standard on many
>> >Miatas -- THE BIG FREAKIN' BARN DOORS FLANKING THE HOOD. If you train
>> >yourself to detect this slight change in body shape, it may alleviate

>your
>> >problem.

>>
>> That can be quite effective if you mainly drive your car on sunny
>> top-down Sunday afternoons, with maybe an occasional 5 minutes
>> in the rain or twilight. Those who *really* drive their Miatas,
>> however, tend to often see absolutely nothing strange in the
>> two headlights they have been looking at many times, including
>> the past many hours in rain or darkness, when they have stopped
>> the car.
>>
>> I am sure *some* people who really drive their Miatas will recognize
>> the problem anyway. I just cannot check that claim. I know that
>> my light buzzer stopped the problem. My fuse tap does not fit
>> that well with the fuse in the fuse box either, but I have not have
>> it fall out in the seven years or so I used it.
>>
>> Leon
>>
>> --
>> Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
>> http://www.dommelen.net/miata
>> EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

>


--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)
  #10  
Old November 5th 04, 06:19 PM
Expmiata
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

>I can't think of a reason to use the parking lights... if I turned them on
>when I parked the car, they would drain the battery.
>
>Pete


ffffthhttt.......ACK!, there goes my coffee all over the monitor ;-)
~Cissy :-)
 




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