Dead Navigator
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 268
Likes: 3
From: Florida
Make sure that the system is charging first. Measure that the voltage across the battery is around atleast 14 volts with the truck running and all accesories off. If it is, check for a current draw. There is a better explanation of this test (and diagram) on the electrical forum, but here is the jist:
1. Turn the truck off
2. Turn off all accessories
3. Disconnect the negative lead from the battery. Connect your voltmeter or test light in line with the battery terminal and the (-) lead. If you read more than several millivolts or your test light lights up, you have a current draw.
4. Pull and replace one fuse at a time until the meter reads 0 or the light goes out.
5. Troubleshoot that circuit.
Good luck.
1. Turn the truck off
2. Turn off all accessories
3. Disconnect the negative lead from the battery. Connect your voltmeter or test light in line with the battery terminal and the (-) lead. If you read more than several millivolts or your test light lights up, you have a current draw.
4. Pull and replace one fuse at a time until the meter reads 0 or the light goes out.
5. Troubleshoot that circuit.
Good luck.
New User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Battery Draw
I've got a '98 Exped. and have the same symptoms. Local mechanic told me about connecting multimeter and pulling fuses to find the electrical draw. I've been through every fuse I can find (believe me, there's a lot) and even started pulling connectors apart. No dice. nothing stopped the draw. (btw. I did go through the obvious things like interior lights left on, sun visor mirror light, etc., I even pulled the CD case . It also has a new alt. and Bat.) I cannot find the draw anywhere. the draw is about .3 amps. my mechanic friend told me there should be a draw of about .003 amps, but it's not enough to bother anything. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. Thank you!!
New User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
I will look into that. My latest efforts include isolating the alternator, and lubricating all the door and hatch latches. I did find something very strange. When I isolated the alternator, I also unhooked the other end of the alternator wiring, that is, I unhook it from the solenoid, removed the alternator field minifuse and unhooked the connector that plugs in behind the megafuse block. When all of this was unhooked, the draw stopped!! As far as I could see, these wires were not hooked to anything. Now, if I touched the main hot wire(the big red one) to anything, including the radiator hose or even myself, there was a draw, the draw being higher/lower depending on the conductivity of the material it was touching. HOW CAN THIS BE???? The only place these wires are connected to anything is at the alternator megafuse which itself is isolated from any ground. I'm really stumped on this one.
