I lost my key, hotwired it but now have battery problems

[CMF_russell_nash]

Hi, I lost my key so I first hotwired it then replaced the key ignition it with flick switch for "on" and a push switch for "start" as a short term measure. This worked fine for week, but then I went to start it and the battery was flat. I tried a replacement (second hand) battery form the scrap yard, which they claim was nearly new, it looks it, and they said had been charging all day. This worked fine but the next day I have the non starting problem again. Do you think my wiring a replacement ignition has shorted something which is draining the battery, or is there another explanation? My wiring is pins 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5, using the Haynes manual wiring diagram. One possibility is that having the acc shorted all the time has drained it, but I don't see how if everything is turned off? Thanks.

 

[CMF_lam.666]

i had a similar problem on a motorcycle i had, i incorporated a switch so i can switch it between two types of keys, when i left the switch in the on position, it would always kill my battery

is the switch on the car left in an on position?

 

[CMF_russell_nash]

The switch to set it to an "on" position before starting wasn't left on, I flick that off to stop the engine then leave it off. However, I found the idea of having another switch for the "acc" e.g. stereo, therefore 3 switches in total, a bit messy and cumbersome so I just set the "acc" to be connected all the time. I figured this wasn't a problem as long as you turned off the radio, windscreen wipers, which I think if I'm correct are powered when "acc" is connected. Of course maybe something else is being powered by it that I can't think of which has drained it.
One thing of note is that it took a week for the old battery to go flat, but the new one did the same over 1 night.
I suppose the logical conclusion is that it is the shorting of the "acc" setting that has caused it. There is an alternative to that for anyone who loses their key. If you just unscrew that black plastic bit from the back of the ignition key/steering lock barrel, there is a slot that you can stick a screwdriver in to start it. When I get round to having some charge in my battery I will see if the flat battery problem goes away once my wiring job is disconnected.
It is actually possible to start the car by just connecting pins 1 to 3 to 4, but for some reason the Haynes manual says it should connected to pin 5 also, but I don't know exactly why that is necessary.
Thanks anyway, it was certainly interesting to see how easy it is to start a car without a key, and useful in an emergency!

 

[CMF_russell_nash]

Ok, I have come to the conclusion that it is perhaps related to the starter motor, as talked about here:

https://micra.org.uk/cmf/message/17504

I disconnected all my wiring so that there was no chance that it was shorting. Did a full recharge, left it overnight and it wont start, but the starter motor relay does kick in. The original starter motor on this car knackered after 2 years, and the current one started playing up 10 years ago, but then mysteriously fixed itself.