Need Help !! Battery Drain Problems
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From: Oshkosh Wisconsin
Need Help !! Battery Drain Problems
Hey guys:
I have a 93 f150 5.0 and for the past few months i've been having problems with my electrical.
Recently I've change the postive battery wires, starter, and the celenoid.
Problem: My battery has a drain of about 0.01 volts every minuet or so.
I've checked my fuses and what not also i only have an aftermarket cd player and i have nothing else that is running as far as after market stuff. I'm very frusterated right now
. So any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Brian
sorry for the short post any more information needed please ask.
I have a 93 f150 5.0 and for the past few months i've been having problems with my electrical.
Recently I've change the postive battery wires, starter, and the celenoid.
Problem: My battery has a drain of about 0.01 volts every minuet or so.
I've checked my fuses and what not also i only have an aftermarket cd player and i have nothing else that is running as far as after market stuff. I'm very frusterated right now
. So any ideas would be greatly appreciated.Thanks, Brian
sorry for the short post any more information needed please ask.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 615
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From: Smithville TX.
Brian, I know this probably sounds silly but it happened to me. My battery was draining and I chased wires for a half a day only to find that my glove compartment light was not going off when my glove box door was shut.
Michelle
Chelle's 56 Hauler
Michelle
Chelle's 56 Hauler
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From: Virginia
Get a testlight and hook it up like the diagram above. If it lights up bright, you do have a drain(if you have a battery saver relay that lets you use the electric windows and accessories for a few minutes after the key is removed, wait a little while before doing the drain test).
Make sure the doors are shut and the underhood light is off when doing the test, or they will create a false reading.
So, if the light lights up bright, start pulling all the fuses one at a time till the light goes out. When you find the fuse that makes the light go out, that is the circuit giving you the problem.
If the light never goes out with any of the fuses, then take the alternator wires off. If the light goes out, then you have a problem with the alternator(even though it's charging ok).
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 615
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From: Smithville TX.
Dave, I have checked for battery drains with a test light as in your diagram before, but goofey me started at the battery cable connection and went to the next connector until I found the problen. Removing the fuses never occoured to me. Thanks for that tid bit of information, may be there is hope for me yet.
Michelle
Michelle
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From: Oshkosh Wisconsin
OK guys heres an update:
I found that engine compt fuse box fuses S 50A and L 50A are problems. also fuses inside are #13 and #16
it says #13 is : stop/hazard lamps; anit-lock brake module memory/power; speed contorl; stop sense for: electronic engine control; anti-lock brakes (not sure what this is)
#16 changed on the outside fuse but nothing happend on the inside fuse.
any ideas now?
thanks for the responses guys it is helping!!
brian
I found that engine compt fuse box fuses S 50A and L 50A are problems. also fuses inside are #13 and #16
it says #13 is : stop/hazard lamps; anit-lock brake module memory/power; speed contorl; stop sense for: electronic engine control; anti-lock brakes (not sure what this is)
#16 changed on the outside fuse but nothing happend on the inside fuse.
any ideas now?
thanks for the responses guys it is helping!!
brian
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From: Louisville,Ky.
Just for kicks, try pulling the plug off of the alternator that goes to the internal regulator and see if the draw stops. I have seen many regulators stick open. They charge good, but drain the battery when not running.
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From: Oshkosh Wisconsin
I just tried that and nothing change but when i had the negative wire off the post and checked it with a volt meter the the number goes down but when i did have the volt meter hooked up for a bit and checked it again it started higher then before... i'm stumped now
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From: Oshkosh Wisconsin
Can any one atleast maybe tell me what the fuses do? My truck kinda runs crap so I was wondering if it was the speed contorl or engine stop stuff? I have no idea anymore 
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From: Virginia
Originally Posted by ech0sh4y
I just tried that and nothing change but when i had the negative wire off the post and checked it with a volt meter the the number goes down but when i did have the volt meter hooked up for a bit and checked it again it started higher then before... i'm stumped now
A voltmeter in series is way to sensitive to accurately measure a drain. Your truck does have a drain, and that is normal. The radio and various computer memories will cause a drain. If you re-configure your meter to read amperage, then you can hook it up like the testlight in series, and measure the current in amps. Depending on the vehicle, this value will vary, but most autos will have around a 12ma drain normally(.012 amps). Some autos will have up to 30ma and it is considered too much to have over 70ma drain.
The bulb in the testlight takes way more current than the meter to light up. That's why it works so well. On some autos you may get the testlight to barely glow, but this will usually not give any problems. The memories in the components will not be enough to make the testlight glow bright.
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From: Oshkosh Wisconsin
I THINK I FOUND IT!!! WOOO HOOO
After chasing wire for 2 days and a few odd hours I think i've finaly found the problem. I chased it back to my cd player. A ground wasn't properly hooked up and it solved the problem. Yay for not checking the obvious. Also now I think I'll be needing a battery after the repeated drains, but we'll wait a few days for that.
Thanks for all of your help guys I probably wouldn't of found it with out you guys!
Thanks,
Brian
After chasing wire for 2 days and a few odd hours I think i've finaly found the problem. I chased it back to my cd player. A ground wasn't properly hooked up and it solved the problem. Yay for not checking the obvious. Also now I think I'll be needing a battery after the repeated drains, but we'll wait a few days for that.
Thanks for all of your help guys I probably wouldn't of found it with out you guys!
Thanks,
Brian
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From: Virginia
I think I'll be needing a battery after the repeated drains, but we'll wait a few days for that.
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