Dead Battery, New Lights x4, Shaky Engine, Grr!

[Marlon_JB2]

Yesterday, I stopped by Autozone to pick up 4 lights. One set for ground use, as seen in my signature picture, and 2 other round ones for my ghetto lightbar. I installed the ground driving lamps yesterday in about 2 hours. It came with a full premade wiring harness. Followed all instructions. Here's how it's wired and mounted...

Mounted on the lower bumper. Grounded on the radiator crossmember just like I did on my '04 KJ. Power comes from the fuse box, just like my '04 KJ. This kit includes a relay however, and the switch needs light for its own LEDs. I ran those very small gauge wires to the fusebox with an add-a-fuse... joined with the parking lamps and grounded on a ground panel under the kick panel, where the hood release is located.

Then I started up my Jeep, it took forever, finally started, and ran funny. I get out on the street, it doesn't really want to go over 2000RPM. Pulled over, shut off for 45 seconds, started it back up, ran fine. Filled my tank up. Water in the fuel I'm thinking since I was so low. Ran fine for the rest of the day.

Played with the lights for a bit, aimed them and such. Hopped in the Jeep today to move it away from the garage so I can work on the lightbar. It started just fine. Had to do it again as I was not far enough away, started fine again. Turned it off, then I turned on the radio as I cannot work on the Jeep without music. Got one side mounted, lights too, the radio shuts off while playing Issac Hayes. This is an ultimate offense. I was not pleased. I had the parking lamps on (forgot to turn them off) and was only outside about a half hour. I've done this before with absolutely no problems.

So what gives here? I'll have to PUSH my Jeep all the way out of the backyard to jump it, and if nobody here has ever seen Detroit... we have REALLY LONG DRIVEWAYS. This is going to be a struggle... then I'm gonna have to drive over my own grass in my mom's vehicle to jump the thing. Ugh!

](*,)

When it was running... yesterday...

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[2003KJ]

Jump it, and take it for a nice long drive so that the battery can get fully charged back up.

This will happen to mine if I do alot of just moving it in and out of the garage, or around the driveway. I'll almost have to jump it, and it will run kinda rough and rich untill I drive it for a bit.

Take it out and drive it for about 20 minutes. Then let it sit over night and try starting it again in the morning. If it fails, replace the battery.

 

[hyde]

how did you get those lights there, looks nice, installation pix?
And i assume they are to blame for this.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Guess it's time for me to put my amp gauge back in, huh? Another electrical project...

Huseyin, in the '05+ bumper, there's what looks like a "grille extension". The lower part of the bumper has "slots" in it... I just put the lights in the outermost slots... 1 and 7. I'd take pics, but my camera battery is dead too... ugh!

 

[hyde]

Hope you get it fixed soon.

As for the slot down there, we have something looks like wind/water deflector, and most suitable place for "protected" lamps of that size would be the hook openings, possibly small rectangular or square lamps, if there is any place to mount them there.

how did you wire it, and did you put a hole on your dash for the switch?

 

[Jeger]

Would it be easier for you to just take the battery out, use the other vehicle to drop it off at autozone, or wherever, let them do their free charge and test thing while you get a bite to eat?

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Hope you get it fixed soon.

As for the slot down there, we have something looks like wind/water deflector, and most suitable place for "protected" lamps of that size would be the hook openings, possibly small rectangular or square lamps, if there is any place to mount them there.

how did you wire it, and did you put a hole on your dash for the switch?

No holes, and the '05s still have the wind deflector...

and Jeger, I'm not hungry. =P~

 

[Trodo]

Possibility you have a short somewhere, draining the battery?

 

[hyde]

No holes, and the '05s still have the wind deflector...

cool, where did you mount the switch, * am I missing the topic where you discussed these stuff... :-k

 

[Marlon_JB2]

No holes, and the '05s still have the wind deflector...

cool, where did you mount the switch, * am I missing the topic where you discussed these stuff... :-k

I wasn't going to post a topic with all of the details until after I finished everything.

I forgot to say... for a while when I had the radio playing, I had to take the dog for a ride.... I figured that would shut him up since he had been whining all day... I used my mom's vehicle to do so.

The power windows were REALLY slow. I don't understand how a battery can go from a great charge to... nothing that quickly. I inspected ALL wires today... no crossings, no shorts.

I must have been gone about 45 mins... that's when I also saw a Jeep Commander which had slammed into a pole, AND DRAGGED THE POLE WITH IT. That's another post.

I wouldn't be so upset if my Jeep hadn't interrupted Issac Hayes...

 

[JeepJeepster]

hmm, sounds like the battery just ran down. So you had the lights on aiming them.. Then you started it to move it, then started it again to move it again.. Without letting the battery recharge.. When you start the jeep, it drains the battery a decent amount. So after you started it twice, you turned the radio on for 45min while you took the dog out..

Were the park lights also on while you took the dog out?

Just sounds like the battery ran down to me. Charge her up and see how it does. O

 

[Marlon_JB2]

hmm, sounds like the battery just ran down. So you had the lights on aiming them.. Then you started it to move it, then started it again to move it again.. Without letting the battery recharge.. When you start the jeep, it drains the battery a decent amount. So after you started it twice, you turned the radio on for 45min while you took the dog out..

Were the park lights also on while you took the dog out?

Just sounds like the battery ran down to me. Charge her up and see how it does. O

Nah, you misunderstood. The only lights I had on were the parking lamps. Let me try this again.

I went outside, started up the Jeep once.
Tried to open the garage. The door almost slammed into my bumper.
Moved it again.
Then left on the parking lamps and the radio while I mounted one lamp to the lightbar, and did some other random junk.
1/2 hour passed by... I GUESS.
The the dog wouldn't stop whining.
Let the windows up and turned everything off. Windows were really slow.
I got tired of him so I took him for a ride for about 45 mins.
Came back, mounted and cut one side, then the radio shut off.

I finished mounting the lightbar though... haven't done a bit of wiring. I will jump it when it stops raining.

I have a habit of goofing off a lot while working on a Jeep... so that's why it takes me so long to do stuff.

It's probably just drained.

2 starts with no recharging + those damn glow plugs that do not shut off, radio and parking lamps... it all adds up. But my thing is... I thought these Optima batteries were supposed to withstand so much more work...

I'm kinda wanting the ol' everyday Ma Mopar battery... heard it starts up the Jeep better too.

 

[CRD4Liberty]

The reason you may be having engine problems among other things is that you have the CRD. That's a fly by wire system that constantly monitors everything including your lights. You add lights without changing the program and the ECM thinks something is wrong and goes into limp mode or whatever it thinks it has to do to get back into program perameters. The new diesels are worlds ahead of the gas engine technology and you just can't go messing with current loads like you did with the old junk. Remember everything that your rig does first goes through the computer, there isn't the anolog systems of years past. You may have put in an low tech set of lights, but the computer is looking at light current loads, etc. all the time and manages these things. Also installing low tech systems, radios, etc. can have adverse effects on systems and it's only going to get worse. You do notice that your PC is a stand alone device on your desk and has no other loads attached to it right? Your rig is no different.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

The reason you may be having engine problems among other things is that you have the CRD. That's a fly by wire system that constantly monitors everything including your lights. You add lights without changing the program and the ECM thinks something is wrong and goes into limp mode or whatever it thinks it has to do to get back into program perameters. The new diesels are worlds ahead of the gas engine technology and you just can't go messing with current loads like you did with the old junk. Remember everything that your rig does first goes through the computer, there isn't the anolog systems of years past. You may have put in an low tech set of lights, but the computer is looking at light current loads, etc. all the time and manages these things. Also installing low tech systems, radios, etc. can have adverse effects on systems and it's only going to get worse. You do notice that your PC is a stand alone device on your desk and has no other loads attached to it right? Your rig is no different.

No, my battery is dead. Video coming soon. I'm going outside to test voltage now.

The engine RPM issue is something else I've seen on the LOST Diesel section.

Oh and please don't call my Jeep a CRD or a rig. I drive a Liberty.

Battery is measuring right at 9V.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-746604498936954336

 

[hyde]

Cool.. Just get a few girls in there and tell them to shake their booties cz your jeep's got rhythm.. yeahh.

Ding.. Ding.. Ding.. Ding..
I think you can probably even rap to it.


sorry man, I know it's serious but I love the flickering lights!!

 

[Bennett]

Your battery leaves much to be desired. Buy my optima yellow top. heheh

 

[-=JoN=-]

Your battery leaves much to be desired. Buy my optima yellow top. heheh

i want ur optima..but i just bought mine.. :-s

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Your battery leaves much to be desired. Buy my optima yellow top. heheh

Yeah, stupid Optima Red Top. Ma Mopar treats me much better...

 

[JeepJeepster]

The reason you may be having engine problems among other things is that you have the CRD. That's a fly by wire system that constantly monitors everything including your lights. You add lights without changing the program and the ECM thinks something is wrong and goes into limp mode or whatever it thinks it has to do to get back into program perameters. The new diesels are worlds ahead of the gas engine technology and you just can't go messing with current loads like you did with the old junk. Remember everything that your rig does first goes through the computer, there isn't the anolog systems of years past. You may have put in an low tech set of lights, but the computer is looking at light current loads, etc. all the time and manages these things. Also installing low tech systems, radios, etc. can have adverse effects on systems and it's only going to get worse. You do notice that your PC is a stand alone device on your desk and has no other loads attached to it right? Your rig is no different.

Haha, wha? His computer doesnt care that he added lights. Its not like he wired them to the PCM or the BCM.

Its a dead battery charge it and see if it holds charge. If it doesnt, then you have a bad battery. Im not to sure how many miles you have on it, but if its under 12k, they should replace the battery free of charge.

Ive had my optima red top for a year and love it. The yellow top is NOT made for starting. its made to be dis-charged and recharged many times. The cells are thicker and can handle the repeated discharge. O