No Electrical power

[fmracerbob]

This morning I went to start my 96 SL500 and the whole car is dead. No power of any kind. I checked the fuses in the engine bay on the passenger side and all the fuses and relays in the fuse box.

The night before in order to get the paint code I had moved what looks like some kind of resistor/ballast block mounted must above the chassis plate. Was careful to make sure I didn't touch it to anything. That is the only thing I can think of that changed.


I am charging the battery with the neg disconnected. Don't have a meter but the initial charging rate was about 8 amps. Possible for the battery to go from working fine to totally dead over night ?

Any ideas ?. A master fuse or relay some where, had that on my XJ6.

AND HERE IS THE RESULT ;

Disconnected battery neg and put on charger for about 15 min. Friend came over with meter and it showed 12.45. Don't think could have gone from stone dead to 12.4 in 15 min. Connected neg and car came alive.

All I can figure is the ballast/relay just above chassis plate is grounded by mounting bolt and some how triggered some kind of master relay type to shut off battery. Reconnecting battery restored power

Any one know what the object above the chassis plate is and what in the electrical system could shut off all power ?