Help with massive electrical drain
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More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: PNW
Help with massive electrical drain
So, I am assisting my buddy with a battery drain issue with his 1980 Ford F350 with a 351.
backstory: the truck has sat all winter and he was installing the new battery when he smelled a hot smell... hot smell was the fusible link that supplies the power to the voltage regulator.
I replaced the fusible link, and installed a much needed new ground cable. The battery went immediately from 12v to 2v and quickly drained to 0v. So my question is: what the hell could be causing that massive of a drain without causing an electrical fire?
any suggestions would be appreciated.
backstory: the truck has sat all winter and he was installing the new battery when he smelled a hot smell... hot smell was the fusible link that supplies the power to the voltage regulator.
I replaced the fusible link, and installed a much needed new ground cable. The battery went immediately from 12v to 2v and quickly drained to 0v. So my question is: what the hell could be causing that massive of a drain without causing an electrical fire?
any suggestions would be appreciated.
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 77
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From: Erie, PA
I had a drain this past few months would park the 93 F150 and it would be dead by morning, Even changed battery and still died overnight . Something I did not give thought to was my Remote starter. I lost the key Fob and was in no hurry to change it out.
Went to pull the radio as it was dead and old. Low and behold my Remote starter eletronics box was fried and melted and warm to the touch removed the box and I have not had a drain since. Damn luck the old Girl did not burn up on me.
Worth a shot to check if you have one,
Went to pull the radio as it was dead and old. Low and behold my Remote starter eletronics box was fried and melted and warm to the touch removed the box and I have not had a drain since. Damn luck the old Girl did not burn up on me.
Worth a shot to check if you have one,
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
Put the battery on a charger first. Like you are suspecting, no battery is going to drain like that without something smoking first, so I believe the battery is low on charge right now.
When you get it charged(slow charge overnight is best) hook the + cable up, but do not hook the neg cable up. Instead, get a testlight and clip it to the battery neg post, and then touch the testlight to the negative cable, do not let the neg cable end touch anything metal(sit it on a rag).
When you touch the testlight, it if lights up bright, you have a drain. You can then take fuses out till the light goes out. And you can also take the wires off the alternator, and if the light goes out, the alternator is bad causing the drain.
When you get it charged(slow charge overnight is best) hook the + cable up, but do not hook the neg cable up. Instead, get a testlight and clip it to the battery neg post, and then touch the testlight to the negative cable, do not let the neg cable end touch anything metal(sit it on a rag).
When you touch the testlight, it if lights up bright, you have a drain. You can then take fuses out till the light goes out. And you can also take the wires off the alternator, and if the light goes out, the alternator is bad causing the drain.
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