SuzukiSavage.com - Question about battery drain ( in my truck )

raydawg

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Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
11/26/16 at 15:05:41

I know the alternator is good, and so is the battery.
I hook up my meter to 20 volts scale, and after turning off the truck, it starts out reading about 12.6 volts sitting, key off, doors shut.
I can set there and watch it trickle out, down to about 12.5 in a half hour.
This has to be too much, right?

I try the amp reading, and I just don't get it, arg!

I know this truck has a computer that will go to sleep, they say, after a spell. But shouldn't my voltage drop be much lower than that?

I did notice my OM fog lamps will not turn on, and I believe they have a relay. Can a bad relay drain voltage even tho the switch is off?

HELP! Lips Sealed

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck ) Reply #1 - 11/26/16 at 15:38:35 Disconnect negative battery cable. Charge battery,monitor the voltage.
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raydawg Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 11551 pacific northwest Gender:	Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck ) Reply #2 - 11/26/16 at 16:14:48 justin_o_guy2 wrote on 11/26/16 at 15:38:35: Disconnect negative battery cable. Charge battery,monitor the voltage. I did, no drop unconnected. With a meter I got the drop as stated.
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rl153 Serious Thumper Offline S40 Just right! Posts: 900 Bloomfield,CT Gender:	Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck ) Reply #3 - 11/26/16 at 16:48:09 did you try disconnecting the red terminal putting the meter in line set to amps? The red wire from the meter goes to the red post and the black wire from the meter goes to the battery cable. It shouldn't read more than .05 amps . This should test for current loss.
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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
Reply #4 - 11/26/16 at 17:10:08

Then connect a test lamp between the negative post on the battery and the disconnected cable.
Start pulling fuses one at a time until you see a change.
Yes, put them back,, don't just keep pulling fuses.

If you don't find it that way, PM me. I'll give you my number.
Typing out troubleshooting tips is too long.

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raydawg

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Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
Reply #5 - 11/26/16 at 18:21:07

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 11/26/16 at 17:10:08:

Then connect a test lamp between the negative post on the battery and the disconnected cable.
Start pulling fuses one at a time until you see a change.
Yes, put them back,, don't just keep pulling fuses.

If you don't find it that way, PM me. I'll give you my number.
Typing out troubleshooting tips is too long.

Ok, for now I just put that switch, its actually a knob, on the negative post. It has a knob you turn, like on/off. It has another post that you then put your ground/negative cable to.
Yes, it shuts off everything, and i have to pop the hood and use my key to unlock the door, as the keyless one needs juice Grin

But for now, and until I can get around to really digging into this issue, I'll try and make a go of it.

The first problem I had was the stereo sound went out, even tho it shows output to speakers, lights up, etc.
Came back on once, while driving, then just slowly went away (the sound).
Its all stock, no after market stuff at all.

I only drive it when the weather doesn't allow me to take my bike.
One more year than it won't matter no more Grin

Thanks

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
Reply #6 - 11/26/16 at 18:33:00

k, for now I just put that switch, its actually a knob, on the negative post. It has a knob you turn, like on/off. It has another post that you then put your ground/negative cable to.

I had one on a mower. When it gets current through it it arcs a bit. You will have to clean it once in a while..Too many variables to explain.

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Ruttly

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Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
Reply #7 - 11/26/16 at 19:21:13

Ray , pull fuse for your fog lights and see if problem goes away
After that take off negative cable from battery put a test light inbetween cable & negative terminal. It should glow and then fade out ,that's ecm memory ,normal, if it comes on and stays on then you have a problem, to find the problem remove all connectors from alternator it light goes out alt has bad diode bridge, charges fine but as soon as you key off it drains battery by morning it's dead or remove relays one at a time when light goes out that circuit has a problem then do the same with fuses, some vehicles have 2 fuse boxes 1 under hood & 1 in cab , oh yeah Hi

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Ruttly Serious Thumper Offline Thumpers Rule Posts: 4997 Manteca , CA Gender:	Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck ) Reply #8 - 11/26/16 at 19:27:57 Ray om fog lights ,most won't turn on unless headlights are turned on and won't come on if high beams are on. So if you have headlights & fog lights on and you turn on your high beams fog lights will automatically turn off until high beams are turned off
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Kris01 Serious Thumper Offline Eat, sleep, RIDE! Posts: 3767 Tennessee Gender:	Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck ) Reply #9 - 11/26/16 at 20:07:06 Are you sure there's a problem? A 0.1V loss in a half hour is nothing, especially since it's a 12 V battery. It's supposed to be close to 14V charging and around 12ish not charging. Auto Zone will load test your battery for free. Perhaps the battery just won't hold a charge.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck ) Reply #10 - 11/26/16 at 20:50:22 He makes a good point. I ASSUMED you were having problems starting.
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Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
Reply #11 - 11/27/16 at 07:09:41

Its a brand new battery.
I started there, the other one went dead. It was (?) years old....
I charged it, the truck started, just like it always did.
Thought it was fixed.
A few days later I tried it to see if it would start, nada.
I pulled the battery, took it in, and it had a bad cell.
Bought another.
Put it in, all good.
A few days later I tried it again., nada.
I charged it, good.
It holds a charge without being connected.
My reading while running is about 14.5 volts.
I load it up with lights, heater, etc, and it still over 13 volts.
I think I will leave it hooked up, connected all day, see what my reading is after hours of being off.

Not sure how all that water got into the channels under the doors, they were full, wire bundles were sitting in water.
No signs of water at quarter panels where fuse box is, where others have reported leaks in the F150.
On the driverside, a big plug of some type with many wires to it, was packed with debris, almost like a rat had built a nest....
It was wet and soggy too.......????
I have been running a small heater for days drying out the carpet, etc, it was so wet the floor panel on the driver side was just about rusted through. I get in with wet shoes from putting my boat on the trailer, saltwater too. I think that was what sped up the corrosion maybe.

Thanks guys, I'll let you know.
It a great truck, so comfortable to drive, but I do miss my 4 wheel drive.
If i can't fix it, maybe I'll just get a new "used" truck, I dunno.
This engine only has about 40,000 on it, I had to buy a new one when the timing chain jumped at 80,000 plus miles, 4 months out of warranty, ARG!
That was 6 grand Embarrassed

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old_rider

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Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
Reply #12 - 11/27/16 at 15:52:24

I have a relay on my ninja's fuse panel that I added.... if I do not switch it off, it will drain my battery over a two day period.
Disconnect the relay, charge the battery and see what happens.
I hard wired the relay after a friend of mine had added a security system to his vulcan and it kept killing the batter after about 4 days.
The relay needs power to remain in the closed position..... so I hard wired my fuse box with an off switch, the relay is still in for electrical security only

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck ) Reply #13 - 11/28/16 at 19:36:32 Test light, in series with the negative cable, pull and replace fuses one at a time. When you pull the one that feeds the circuit that is loading the battery down, the lamp will Dim. Every vehicle has some drain..
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raydawg

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Re: Question about battery drain ( in my truck )
Reply #14 - 12/04/16 at 14:34:59

Well I think I might have found it......

I believe some things are so obvious we tend to overlook them, sorta like that Dorthy chick who messed up a bunch of lives when she went looking for what was in her own backyard all the time Grin

So, anyway, I'll give you a quick run down and how I sorta missed it.

From the beginning.

Truck wouldn't start.
Charged battery, never checking the reading of it.
It started.
Cool.
Days later, after sitting a few, no start,
WTF.
Pull battery, put in a spare off one of my boats.
Drive to NAPA.
They look at the battery and say, "Well that battery looks good"
It was real clean, etc...
I guess they work better clean.
He reads a bad cell.
He ask if I have my receipt for a pro rated adjustment.
I said no....
Just give me anudder.
I put it in.
Truck fires right up.
Days go by before I try to start again.
No start.
WTF....
Just click, click, click, again.
WTF.
I charge battery.
Did not read battery.
All charged up.
Turn key, she start.
I think I must have parasitic drain.....
I rocket scientist.
NOT.

I fiddle.
I fiddle more.
I pull every fuse.
I read meter going down, on voltage.
Not amps.
I can't figger that out as my computer keeps staying on as I open doors to pop hood to get to battery.

I fiddle more and find the water and wires.
I drain, dry, and put back together.
I put on a battery switch that connects to ground post.
I leave it "off".
Open truck with key to pop hood to turn on.
Did this for a week.
Always started.......

Snow coming tonight, no ride bike tomorrow.
Go check on truck.
She start.
I drive around just to warm her blood up.

I pop hood.
I look real close and obvious.
I see much corrosion up under the crimp on the ground terminal.
Lots of blue.
more than I get in my toilet with tidy bowl.

I get to thinking ( dangerous ).
When I installed that on/off switch on battery ground, I had to manipulate the truck grounds a bit to get it to fit.
I must have knock off just enough corrosion, inadvertently, to allow a better circuit, which would give me more crank and less, tick, tick, ticking....
When I try to start truck.

I have not shut if off (turn off at battery) since Friday afternoon.
It starts good every time.
WTF.

I didn't even know I am a wizard.
I will keep spare battery with me, just in case.
I will read spare battery to see if its charged.
Before I buy a new truck Grin

So, there you go.....

HEY..... wait for me Dorthy, I wanna go house flying with you!

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“The biggest big business in America is not steel, automobiles, or television. It is the manufacture, refinement and distribution of anxiety.”—Eric Sevareid (1964)

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