Mystery Amp Draw
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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Mystery Amp Draw
My 2001 Limited Powerstroke X seems to have an amp draw problem when the truck is off. It may even be intermittent, hard to tell. The truck is equipped with dual optima red-tops, so they can handle a bit of abuse without showing signs of a problem, which is why I'm not sure if it is intermittent or not. If the truck sits for a few days, it has a tough time starting. I pulled both batteries and the alternator and had them tested on a machine - no problems there.
Were there any common problems with these trucks drawing juice when off? It's a limited, so there are plenty of bells and whistles to do funky things. I figure chasing a mystery amp draw is a potential nightmare - I'm hoping there may be some common components that others may have had problems with.
Were there any common problems with these trucks drawing juice when off? It's a limited, so there are plenty of bells and whistles to do funky things. I figure chasing a mystery amp draw is a potential nightmare - I'm hoping there may be some common components that others may have had problems with.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
If you have access to a clamp on type ammeter, put it on the main battery positive lead, and then go to the fuse panel.
Pull fuses one at a time until the amp draw is less than a full amp.
- Good place to start.
Alternate idea is to go directly to the electrical forum with the question. The man in charge there is a lot more savvy on vehicles than I am yet - I can fix an F-14 or an E-2C, but trucks are another adventure.
Pull fuses one at a time until the amp draw is less than a full amp.
- Good place to start.
Alternate idea is to go directly to the electrical forum with the question. The man in charge there is a lot more savvy on vehicles than I am yet - I can fix an F-14 or an E-2C, but trucks are another adventure.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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I have a clamp-on ammeter for AC voltage - will this work on a DC system, or do I need a DC-specific ammeter?
Seems like I've tried it on DC before and wasn't confident that it was accurate - do I need to make a 10x adjustment to the reading to correct for the lower voltage?
Seems like I've tried it on DC before and wasn't confident that it was accurate - do I need to make a 10x adjustment to the reading to correct for the lower voltage?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
You can try using a test probe (with a bulb) by disconnecting the negative post, and going from the clamp to the battery post.
The reason I say probe vice meter is that a digital meter will read voltage regardless of amp draw (which may be low). A test probe will light brightly if there is a lot of current flow.
The reason I say probe vice meter is that a digital meter will read voltage regardless of amp draw (which may be low). A test probe will light brightly if there is a lot of current flow.
