battery drain
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New User
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Uniontown, Pa
battery drain
got a 86 150 super cab--- the battery goes dead after setting without a start up for several weeks--- have performed short test at fuse panel everything reads not draw-- any suggestions as were to look for the short.
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: ann arbor mi
i like the test where u take off the + side terminal.. put a test light to the + terminal of the wire and the ground of the test light to the + side battery terminal.. if it lights up even a little u have a drain that will kill a battery for sure.. most auto parts stores will test a battery for free.. also with the engine running yous should have over 12.5v but more like 14v even a little higher if its a high amp system..
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Nebraska
Place a voltmeter between the negative battery terminal and the negative cable and measure the amperage draw. Generally any draw under 0.05 amp (50 milliamps) is okay. If you're sure it's not an electrical accessory, it could be your alternator, or your battery may be dying.
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From: Buffalo
In my 1985 f150 i replaced the battery,alt,voltage reg, and cleaned all connections. the next day my new battery was dead !! i pulled the NEG wire and checked it with a amp meter.it read 13 AMP.... somthing is draining my battery...i tried the pulling all the FUSES one at a time and nothing ....Could this be somthing to do with the starter ? i even pulled the headlight connector....still nuttin..Whne i disconnect the hot wire to the ALT, the drainage goes away..I took back the alt, they tested it and said it wasnt putting out anything.i got a new one AND IT DID THE SAME THING.....HELP PLEASE !!!!!!
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Northwest BC. Canada
A dirty battery will track voltage across the top between the terminals. This will kill a battery as well
Sprinkle baking soda over the battery top and with warm water and an old shoe brush, scrub the battery top this will neutralize any acid on the battery and eliminate the tracking.
Sprinkle baking soda over the battery top and with warm water and an old shoe brush, scrub the battery top this will neutralize any acid on the battery and eliminate the tracking.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Alaska
mcanik is right
but you have to make sure not to get any down in the cells. Don't open the cells while you are doing this or you will kill the battery. I have tested some batteries that test good with a carbon pile tester and work fine if you use them regularly, but if you let them set they go dead. At work we have a Midtronics battery tester and I have checked the same battery and it gives you 2 readings 1) state of voltage 2) state of health. The voltage would be good but the state of health would be maybe about 50% or so. Evidently this tester measures resistance within the battery and can tell when the lead plates are headed south.
So clean it and if it's an old battery this could be the problem if you don't come up with anything else.
but you have to make sure not to get any down in the cells. Don't open the cells while you are doing this or you will kill the battery. I have tested some batteries that test good with a carbon pile tester and work fine if you use them regularly, but if you let them set they go dead. At work we have a Midtronics battery tester and I have checked the same battery and it gives you 2 readings 1) state of voltage 2) state of health. The voltage would be good but the state of health would be maybe about 50% or so. Evidently this tester measures resistance within the battery and can tell when the lead plates are headed south.
So clean it and if it's an old battery this could be the problem if you don't come up with anything else.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Buffalo
well, after a few days i narrowed it down to the wiring ....duh.
the F WIRE from the voltage reg to the alt i was thinking was bad. Then i got a call from a friend saying to take it to a auto eletronic shop down the road..Well, i caved in and took it there. I explain evrything it did to the guy, he called me back a few hrs later....... it was the wiring between the voltage reg , alt and battery.!!!!!!! no kidding i said....some how it was OVER chargeing arround 17 volts....almost burned up my new batt..
i'm picking it up today,All new wiring and it only cost me 150.00
just in time to snowplow.....
THANKS EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP, THIS PLACE IS GREAT !!!!
the F WIRE from the voltage reg to the alt i was thinking was bad. Then i got a call from a friend saying to take it to a auto eletronic shop down the road..Well, i caved in and took it there. I explain evrything it did to the guy, he called me back a few hrs later....... it was the wiring between the voltage reg , alt and battery.!!!!!!! no kidding i said....some how it was OVER chargeing arround 17 volts....almost burned up my new batt..
i'm picking it up today,All new wiring and it only cost me 150.00
just in time to snowplow.....
THANKS EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP, THIS PLACE IS GREAT !!!!
Postmaster
Joined: May 2004
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Sometimes all these numbers make things too difficult. May I suggest just hooking up a light between the negative post of the battery and the dangling cable end (terminal). If you get a glow, you've got a drain.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: GANS
I'm not sure how "much" it should, but mine was around 50mA. I don't have a problem leaving my truck for a week without starting, and it'll still start.. If you are reading .1A, that should mean 100mA.
Just for drill, if you have an EEC-IV ignition, pull your ecm fuse, or the ground connector at the battery, and see if it goes away.
Just for drill, if you have an EEC-IV ignition, pull your ecm fuse, or the ground connector at the battery, and see if it goes away.
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