First ask for help - knew it would happen.

After buying my 1996 MGF in October I spent time driving it, enjoying it and keeping an eye out for things to put right. One of the things I noticed was the lack of bulbs in the mirror along with disconnected high level break and under bonnet lights.
I put bulbs in the mirror, re-connected the high level brake light and the under bonnet light. They all work now, but the footwell lights do not and I can't figure out why - but had decided to live without them.
After a few weeks of MG inactivity due to other commitments I come to start up the car and all I get is a click, click. Used jump leads and the car started, moved it out of garage and back in as I didn't have time to use it. A few days later (yesterday) decided to start up go out and give the battery a charge as the sun was shining - no chance. The car will not start with jump leads and the battery is now completely flat. I can borrow a battery charger and will do but I am wondering if there is any connection between the disconnected lights I inherited - my fixing them and the battery discharging. Anybody got any ideas if this is possible, or what can be causing the battery to discharge (it looks newish), and how I can sort it out.

This is how I would start.

If you have a multimeter that can measure amps, I would disconnect the battery at the earth strap, fully charge it then using the multimeter on amps setting measure any leakage to ground from the negative terminal of the battery. It should only be a few milliamps due to the clock and alarm system.

After that, someone more knowledgeable than me will probably be able to give you some ideas.

Good luck!

I would then begin to pull fuses out, except the alarm and one on the clock circuit and see which circuit the current is draining from. You will see a drop in current on the multi-meter once you pull the fuse on the circuit that is draining the battery's charge.
One the culprit circuit is determined, then with the help of a wiring diagram - they are available on the how to pages - you should be able to figure out what to look for next, maybe a stuck relay or some switch contacts welded close.
If you cannot see a drop in current then have a look at the clock and in the radio area...don't forget the radio has a permanent connection to keep the memory.

Or it could just be a dead battery..

Sundance

Battery charged - started first time ! Hurray.

Battery disconnected - need to purchase a cutout switch and fit that.

Thank you all.
Still have not solved footwell light problem but that can wait until better weather.

Roger

Read this thread with interest...has you said your old battery looked in brackets (newish)....when I bought my mgtf I went down simular path of charging the battery and blaming a leak to earth has my battery looked (newish)...batteries can look new with a quick Polish but it's what's inside that counts....I renewed my battery and have had no problems since...the new battery has now been on 3 and a half years....and guess what?..it still looks (newish)

Hi Rone 100,
the reason all the under bonnet/boot lights are disconnected ( and the footwall lights) is because they all have festoon bulbs as standard which draw 1 amp . Now when you work on the car and have the door open ( like you do) the foot well and mirror lights stay on for quite a time before fading ,that's quite some battery drain. When we go to events with our MG we quite often leave the boot open and flattening the battery is a possibility so I and many others remove the boot and bonnet festoon bulbs as a matter of course. There is a way forward though now in respect of the 12volt festoon bulbs because you can get replacement low current led types that will fit .
Mike

Or you could replace the rear bootlight for one with a built in switch..and have the boot open as long as you want with zero power drain.

The under bonnet and boot lights are the same size as the interior lights in most 1980 and 90 Rovers, I have used these to replace the O/E lights in the F.