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Battery Drainage Issues

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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 03:12 PM
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Battery Drainage Issues

This truck has been an adventure to me. My latest issue is a battery drainage problem. I installed new signals so I must have either a wire short. I connected the power wire to the accessory terminal on the ignition switch. Could that have something to do with it? I'll get under and look for the problem. Has to be simple. I have to mention that I hate dealing with wiring and suck with a voltmeter.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 03:29 PM
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I've disconnected power to the signals to see if that resolves it.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 04:06 PM
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Its not the signal. Voltage continues to drop with the signalstat disconnected from power. Must have a short under the dash since I was fumbling with wires under there.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 04:39 PM
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I know what you mean..I hate electrical issues..and suck at anything electrical!
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 05:22 PM
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Hi, Im assuming you have a 12 volt system, that did not have turn signals b4, and you are using bulbs and not LEDs, and the problem started when you added trun signals?
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by underthebridgejim
Hi, Im assuming you have a 12 volt system, that did not have turn signals b4, and you are using bulbs and not LEDs, and the problem started when you added trun signals?
Yes, but I'm using LED signals with an LED flasher relay. Charged the battery and disconnected the turnsignal system from power, but the battery still drains. I'll just have bite the bullet and dig under the dash to find the source of the problem.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 05:36 PM
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Do you have LEDs in front AND back? The reason I ask is because an LED flasher will not work if there is a regular filament bulb in the circuit. Ill let you dig, let me know how you do.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by underthebridgejim
Do you have LEDs in front AND back? The reason I ask is because an LED flasher will not work if there is a regular filament bulb in the circuit. Ill let you dig, let me know how you do.
Yep. LEDs front and back.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 06:13 PM
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Have you found your problem?
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 06:19 PM
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See if the coil is warm (or hot), also the ballast resistor. You may have the ignition on all the time.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 06:36 PM
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The next spot that often causes trouble is the front marker lites, if they have not been converted to 2 circuit sockets, mine were wired together as a seires circuit, that caused a back feed and short. Im thinking that by just removing the leds from there sockets, would not only rule out feed back questions , but it will give you a chance to make sure that you have 2 circuit sockets. after that, I would start taking circuits out of play untill you find the culprit. Shooting electrical trouble is tedius at best, and every one has there way of doing it. There are a lot of guys here pretty good at it,and will chime in to help as well. (One thing b4 I forget,when your done for the day disc, your battery untill you find the problem, to prevent fire.) Ill be on and off the baord for a few hours, im no expert, but do not mind helping you at all.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 09:24 PM
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Please don't start tearing into the turn-signal problem until you repair the short that is draining your battery. Usually, but not always, the problem is where you last worked. Like you said under the dash. Maybe a wire going through the firewall shorted or is rubbing or arced on the metal dash or instruments back side. chuck
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 10:20 PM
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Originally Posted by underthebridgejim
The next spot that often causes trouble is the front marker lites, if they have not been converted to 2 circuit sockets, mine were wired together as a seires circuit, that caused a back feed and short.
The LEDs are separate than the marker lights. I did just install marker lights because there were none. I wired them on one circuit, so that could be the problem. Would this happen even with the marker lights off? I'll unhook them tomorrow and recharge the battery.
 
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Old Mar 10, 2012 | 10:44 PM
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Without seeing what the po did I cant say, but thats why I sugested just removinig the LED lites out of the sockets, Im thinking by temporarily pulling the bulbs, it will show wheather or not its backfeeding from the turn sig. circuit thru the marker lit wiring, then you can easily replace the LED lites. I agree with 48fordpicumupas far as not tearing it all apart blindly. If pulling the bulbs doent help, front, then back, then maybe you could disc one circuit at a time reconecting them if they di not fix your drain. I take it that you did not find anything under the dash? and did you check what AlbaquF1 sugusted?
 
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Old Mar 11, 2012 | 03:29 PM
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Bumping back to page one, so we can all help him see this thru.
 
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