Help - Batteries keep draining

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Mar 26, 2007 | 04:12 PM

MAXedOut

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Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 53

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From: Peoria, AZ

Help - Batteries keep draining

OK, the wife's '05 diesel X seemed like it was starting a little soft the other day. Since we were getting ready for a road trip to Mexico I took it to have the batteries checked and wound up replacing them. Problem solved right? Well, off we go to Mexico and after sitting for about 2 days at our campsite I went to start it and it was dead! I had someone jump me and then didn't have an issue. It seems like there is something that is draining the battery if it sits longer than a day, but I'm not sure how to find out what that is. I've checked all of the reading lights, etc. and everything is off. We've had the truck about 2 months now, and this issue just cropped up last week.

Any ideas on how to troubleshoot and find the culprit?

Thanks!

Mar 26, 2007 | 04:18 PM

SPL Tech

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Joined: Jan 2007

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Series a digital multimeter inline with the battery ground and set the meter to the 10 amp (2 or 3 amp with some meters) DC range. Look at how much current is being drawn. Start randomly removing fuses until the reading drops drastically. When it drops drastically look at what the fuse goes to. What ever the fuse goes to is the problem.

btw... the vehicle should be off and all doors should be closes.

Mar 26, 2007 | 05:02 PM

Brians97F250Crew

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Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 726

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Maxed .... SPL is right on. One extra thing though. On the diesels you'll need to lift the cable or cables off the other battery or it'll continue to draw off that one.