Battery ???
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Powerstroke Doctor
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
From: Loxahatchee, FL
Yea I just pulled one fuse at a time. I'll have to give that a try. I thought that even if there were a couple of circuits affecting this I would at least see the test light dim a little when 1 of the fuses were pulled.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,844
Likes: 6
From: Albuquerque
Battery — Drain Tests
Here is a step-by-step according the the FORD SD service manual. Good luck...
biz
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2003 F250 SD SC 142" XLT FX4 V10 Auto 4x4 3.73s
biz
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2003 F250 SD SC 142" XLT FX4 V10 Auto 4x4 3.73s
Battery — Drain Tests
NOTE: A periodic pulsing of up to 80 mA (0.080 amp) is caused by the integrated control panel (ICP) and should be considered normal. However, no production vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) continuous draw.
Check for current drains on the battery in excess of 50 milliamps (0.050 amp) with all the electrical accessories off and the vehicle at rest. Current drains can be tested with the following procedure:
***WARNING: Do not attempt this test on a lead-acid battery that has recently been recharged. Explosive gases can cause personal injury.
***CAUTION: To prevent damage to the meter, do not crank the engine or operate accessories that draw more than 10A.
NOTE: Many modules draw 10 mA (0.010 amp) or more continuously.
NOTE: Use an in-line ammeter between the battery positive or negative post and its respective cable.
NOTE: Typically, a drain of approximately one amp can be attributed to an engine compartment lamp, glove compartment lamp, or luggage compartment lamp staying on continually. Other component failures or wiring shorts may be located by selectively pulling fuses to pinpoint the location of the current drain. When the current drain is found, the meter reading will fall to an acceptable level. If the drain is still not located after checking all the fuses, it may be due to the generator.
NOTE: To accurately test the drain on a battery, an in-line digital ammeter must be used. Use of a test lamp or voltmeter is not an accurate method due to the number of electronic modules.
1. Make sure the junction box/fuse panels are accessible without turning on interior and underhood lights.
2. Drive the vehicle at least five minutes and over 48 km/h (30 mph) to turn on and exercise vehicle systems.
3. Allow the vehicle to sit with the key off for at least 40 minutes to allow modules to time out/power down.
4. Connect a fused jumper wire between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post to prevent modules from resetting and to catch capacitive drains.
5. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the post without breaking the connection of the jumper wire.
6. NOTE: It is very important that continuity is not broken between the battery and the negative battery cable when connecting the meter. If this happens, the entire procedure must be repeated.
Connect the tester between the negative battery cable and the post. The meter must be capable of reading milliamps and should have a 10 amp capability.
7. NOTE: If the meter settings need to be switched or the test leads need to be moved to another jack, the jumper wire must be reinstalled to avoid breaking continuity.
Remove the jumper wire.
NOTE: Amperage draw will vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on the equipment package. Compare to a similar vehicle for reference.
NOTE: A periodic pulsing of up to 80 mA (0.080 amp) is caused by the integrated control panel (ICP) and should be considered normal. However, no production vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) draw.
8. If the draw is found to be excessive, pull fuses from the battery/central junction box one at a time and note the current drop. Do not reinstall the fuses until you are finished testing.
Check the wiring schematic in the wiring diagram for any circuits that run from the battery without passing through the battery/central junction box. Disconnect these circuits if the draw is still excessive.
Battery — Electronic Drains Which Shut Off When the Battery Cable is Disconnected
1. Repeat the steps of the battery drain testing.
2. Make sure all doors are closed and accessories are off. Without starting the engine, turn the ignition switch to ON for a moment and then OFF. Wait a few minutes for the illuminated entry lamps to turn off if equipped.
3. Connect the ammeter and read the amperage draw.
The current reading (current drain) should be less than 50 mA (0.05 amp). If the current drain exceeds 50 mA (0.05 amp) after a few minutes, and if this drain did not show in previous tests, the drain is most likely caused by an inoperative electronic component. As in previous tests, remove the fuses from the battery/central junction box one at a time to locate the problem circuit.
NOTE: A periodic pulsing of up to 80 mA (0.080 amp) is caused by the integrated control panel (ICP) and should be considered normal. However, no production vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) continuous draw.
Check for current drains on the battery in excess of 50 milliamps (0.050 amp) with all the electrical accessories off and the vehicle at rest. Current drains can be tested with the following procedure:
***WARNING: Do not attempt this test on a lead-acid battery that has recently been recharged. Explosive gases can cause personal injury.
***CAUTION: To prevent damage to the meter, do not crank the engine or operate accessories that draw more than 10A.
NOTE: Many modules draw 10 mA (0.010 amp) or more continuously.
NOTE: Use an in-line ammeter between the battery positive or negative post and its respective cable.
NOTE: Typically, a drain of approximately one amp can be attributed to an engine compartment lamp, glove compartment lamp, or luggage compartment lamp staying on continually. Other component failures or wiring shorts may be located by selectively pulling fuses to pinpoint the location of the current drain. When the current drain is found, the meter reading will fall to an acceptable level. If the drain is still not located after checking all the fuses, it may be due to the generator.
NOTE: To accurately test the drain on a battery, an in-line digital ammeter must be used. Use of a test lamp or voltmeter is not an accurate method due to the number of electronic modules.
1. Make sure the junction box/fuse panels are accessible without turning on interior and underhood lights.
2. Drive the vehicle at least five minutes and over 48 km/h (30 mph) to turn on and exercise vehicle systems.
3. Allow the vehicle to sit with the key off for at least 40 minutes to allow modules to time out/power down.
4. Connect a fused jumper wire between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post to prevent modules from resetting and to catch capacitive drains.
5. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the post without breaking the connection of the jumper wire.
6. NOTE: It is very important that continuity is not broken between the battery and the negative battery cable when connecting the meter. If this happens, the entire procedure must be repeated.
Connect the tester between the negative battery cable and the post. The meter must be capable of reading milliamps and should have a 10 amp capability.
7. NOTE: If the meter settings need to be switched or the test leads need to be moved to another jack, the jumper wire must be reinstalled to avoid breaking continuity.
Remove the jumper wire.
NOTE: Amperage draw will vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on the equipment package. Compare to a similar vehicle for reference.
NOTE: A periodic pulsing of up to 80 mA (0.080 amp) is caused by the integrated control panel (ICP) and should be considered normal. However, no production vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) draw.
8. If the draw is found to be excessive, pull fuses from the battery/central junction box one at a time and note the current drop. Do not reinstall the fuses until you are finished testing.
Check the wiring schematic in the wiring diagram for any circuits that run from the battery without passing through the battery/central junction box. Disconnect these circuits if the draw is still excessive.
Battery — Electronic Drains Which Shut Off When the Battery Cable is Disconnected
1. Repeat the steps of the battery drain testing.
2. Make sure all doors are closed and accessories are off. Without starting the engine, turn the ignition switch to ON for a moment and then OFF. Wait a few minutes for the illuminated entry lamps to turn off if equipped.
3. Connect the ammeter and read the amperage draw.
The current reading (current drain) should be less than 50 mA (0.05 amp). If the current drain exceeds 50 mA (0.05 amp) after a few minutes, and if this drain did not show in previous tests, the drain is most likely caused by an inoperative electronic component. As in previous tests, remove the fuses from the battery/central junction box one at a time to locate the problem circuit.
Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
There are a number of things going on that don’t go through the fuse box. The starter cable, for instance, could be draining through the starter. Another thing that will cause untold amount of hassle is when someone installs a new radio and decides they want to bypass the ignition switch so they can listen to the radio with the key out. Today’s radios don’t turn completely off when you hit the power button on the radio. The power amps stay lit and will drain a battery usually in about two days.
