Not cranking/starting no battery dash light

[luckysnafu]

Installed a volvo electric fan over the weekend and blew the low speed fuse (15A) in the process.  Replaced with a 30A fuse and it was fine.  Worked on car for rest of day and now it will not turn over and some electronics do not work.

Symptoms:
Car won't turn over (starter does not even click)
Red battery light on dash not working
Brake lining light gets bright when key is in start position
Power windows don't work
Electric fan doesn't work
Interior blower doesn't work
Fog lights don't work
Power mirrors don't work
All other lights work, radio works, OBC works, power locks work

I thought the problem were some relays, K5 and K7 since they are connected to the starter and most of the other electronics that are not working go through them. I replaced them and still have the same problem. One of the relays I tried in K5 ended up making the power windows work all the time, even without the key in the ignition.  

With all the K relays removed, the battery light (red) on the dash faintly lights up. When I put a relay in K5 or K7 the battery light gets so faint it's hard to see.  

Anybody have any ideas on what is wrong with my car?  I haven't tried to roll start the car because if it doesn't start I can't get the car back into my driveway since my street is downhill.  

I am getting battery voltage at the power distribution on the firewall on the passenger side and at the main connection on the fuse box circuit board.  Most fuses are getting power except for the ones relating to the electronics that do not work.  I can't figure out what is going on (or not working).

[romeomike]

Search for e30_91_modified_090512.pdf as it's a beefed up 1991 Electrical Troubleshooting Manual.

The ETM has your fuse listing (in the power distribution section), in case your car didn't come with an owner's manual that has this info as well. Pull fuses, inspect, and replace as necessary. Fuse 17 is for the power windows, 19 for the power mirrors, 29 and 30 for the fog lights.

Get your battery tested and replaced if necessary. All it takes is one bad cell to deny you cranking voltage.

Consider temporarily unplugging your Volvo fan and try to start your car.

[luckysnafu]

Thanks for the reply.  I found that manual last night and was looking at it.  From what I can tell, the unloader relays (K5 and K7) and starter are the culprits. K5/7 are grounded through the starter so something isn't happening right on this wire.  I'm going to trace the wire when I get home and see if there is something wrong with it or the connection to the starter.

I have tried disconnecting the volvo fan but it doesn't help.  The battery is good and I have already tried jumping it with my other car.

[luckysnafu]

Figured it out.  I changed the engine mounts during all of this and had to remove the A/C compressor to remove the passenger side mount.  Since the A/C doesn't work I just left the compressor out but forgot to reconnect the ground wire.  Connected the ground wire last night after measuring only 5 volts between the fuse box and engine.  Everything now works again.  Hard to believe all that stuff can shut off with just a bad ground wire...

[JP 91iS]

Seems like most electrical issues are due to bad/missing grounds.  Whenever I have any kind of gremlin the first thing I usually do is check the grounds.  Good thing it wasn't a snafu'd fan install.

[fiftytakedowns]

Where is the ground wire you forgot to reconnect?

[sports.racer]

Hard to believe all that stuff can shut off with just a bad ground wire...

Just remember, when the ground is gone the electrons will go where ever they can in search of a ground. Truly strange things can happen in these cases.

[luckysnafu]

Where is the ground wire you forgot to reconnect?

It was the ground wire connected to the AC compressor.  I removed the compressor and forgot to put the ground wire back on the engine.