Re: Intermittent Electrical problem fixed

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Rob Hughes wrote:
 
> I had been having an intermittent (triggered by bumps) universal electrical
> cutout, and after some fairly extensive troubleshooting, the battery was the
> only thing left I could think of that would cause it.
> 
> At any rate, I *finally* tracked down the problem: a bad positive battery
> cable.  I never considered this, because just 18 months ago, I spent what

Rob, BTDT.

I got home from my 3600 mile jaunt this summer (RMIHR/Moab/NWBRU.. BTW,
work *progresses* on the RMIHR write-up... soon everyone.. soon), worked
a few days, and then went for another weekend camping/wheelin' trip. 
Well, we were to leave Saturday morning.  Friday night I go out to the
Scout to run to the grocery store for my typical bread n' lunch meat...
won't start.  NOTHING.

I jump start it from my other Scout, and all is well.  Turn it off, try
it again.. NOTHING.

I (wrongly) assumed that since the jumper cables were attached to the
battery clamps, it must not be the clamps..

I went to change batteries with the "jumping" Scout.. broke the post. 
It was still good enough to push back into the battery and it still
works even now... though I've since jerked the motor from that Scout and
don't need the battery any more.. so I ran into the backyard and grabbed
the Diehard from my "parts Chevy Luv" and swapped it in... ran fine. 
Hmmm.. my 6 month old Exide "NASCAR" series is dead!  *sob sob*

Too late to get my shopping done.. 

I get up the next day and go wheelin'.. we get to the trailhead ~50
miles away, and it stalls and won't start.  GRRRRRR.  My friends come up
and one wiggles the battery cable.. sparks... and away I go.  Bad
cable!  It was a clamp-on style connector and it was bad.

While the others pitched camp, I cleaned the wire and reattached the
clamp, and all was well (this was just after my week of soaking cold in
Colorado.. I opted to sleep on the seat of the dry Scout).

The funny thing... I stopped at a full-service station for a cleaning
and inspection before I left for Colorado.. and they said to change out
the battery cables before long...

-Tom