Electrical Proplems
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Electrical Proplems
I have a 97 150 ,i have several issue with it . There is something drawing down my battery , with my volt meter between the neg. battery post and the cable ,doors shut and hood lite out it shows about 10 to 11 volts.
My dash is totally out and my airbag module is fried. Has anybody out there encountered these problems?
Thanks Jeff
My dash is totally out and my airbag module is fried. Has anybody out there encountered these problems?
Thanks Jeff
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
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From: Central Florida
your just checking voltage, and that indicates your battery isn't charged. It should read close 12.6v. To check current draw, you need put the meter on Amps and in series to one of the battery cables, the current must flow through the meter, basically pull the ground off, one DMM lead to the battery and the other lead gets connected to the wire terminal. This will give you the current draw, which should be 20-40mA.
Once you have the meter hooked up, pull the fuses one at a time and make note of the current draw.
Once you have the meter hooked up, pull the fuses one at a time and make note of the current draw.
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Ok, just went and purchased a multi meter, pulled all the fuses and started putting them in one by one . The instrument cluster,gem and the audio system pegs the meter out. The brake on/off sw.rear anti-lock brake module and brake pressure sw. draws about 10 ma. Also the pcm module draws about 10ma. So i guess my problem could be somewhere around the instrument cluster ,gem and the audio system. Any suggestions .
Thanks Jeff
Thanks Jeff
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From: Virginia
What is full scale on the meter when in amps? You said it went full scale. It's a grey area how much amperage is normal, since each vehicle is different, but you will normally have a draw. Some cars draw as much as 70ma when off.
You also have to be careful when checking your truck, since you do have all these power saver relays and modules. The truck normally keeps all this stuff active after you shut the truck off for a few minutes. The battery saver and accessory delay relays which keep the accessories active are controlled by the instrument cluster computer.
What I would do is pull the accessory delay relay and the interior light relay both located in the fuse box, and then try your test again. This should kill the domelights and the radio/electric windows and the other accessories.
You also have to be careful when checking your truck, since you do have all these power saver relays and modules. The truck normally keeps all this stuff active after you shut the truck off for a few minutes. The battery saver and accessory delay relays which keep the accessories active are controlled by the instrument cluster computer.
What I would do is pull the accessory delay relay and the interior light relay both located in the fuse box, and then try your test again. This should kill the domelights and the radio/electric windows and the other accessories.
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Dave, my battery has been disconnected since yesterday. I had my meter set on the 50 ma scale except when it did go full scale then i set it on the 250 scale and it did the same. It only did this on the gem, dash cluster and the audio system. What i done was unplug the dash,recheck it at the fuse and it
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Ok i hit the wrong button before i was done.What i was trying to say is when i disconnected the dash and the stereo the meter didn't go full scale. I did notice there is a burnt smell on the dash circuit board, would that mean it is fried.
Thanks Jeff
Thanks Jeff
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From: Virginia
Ok, it sounds like you are going over 250ma, which would be too high. Like I said before, take the accessory delay relay out, with everything else hooked up, and see if the drain goes away. Also try the interior light relay out if the other one doesn't get it. This will tell us if it's the cluster is telling the relays to kick in when they shouldn't be.
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I'm probably trying to fix to much at once , there has been some kind of charge shot thru the system. Like i said in the first post ,not just my battery is draining i have no instruments/gauges and my air bag module is fried or at least it smells it , it keeps blowing the fuse. I thought my gem was the only thing fried, by replacing it i did get my door chimes back and my 4x4. This went a little deeper than i had thouhgt. My alternator is charging and there is nothing being drawn from it without the key on so does this exclude the alternator or should i take it off and get it checked? I will pull those relays and see if that helps the situation.
Thanks Jeff
Thanks Jeff
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Post Fiend
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From: Central Florida
Isolate the alt by disconnecting it. If the draw changes with only the alt disconnected then it must be drawing. If the amperage is constant it is not.
I take it you don't have auto-ranging on your DMM. Start higher than you expect, If you have a 1 or 2 amp setting start there. With my dome lights on, I have about 1.6A draw. Right now I have a 320mA draw until the battery saver kicks in and then it's about 160mA. Just to give you an idea on the scale.
I take it you don't have auto-ranging on your DMM. Start higher than you expect, If you have a 1 or 2 amp setting start there. With my dome lights on, I have about 1.6A draw. Right now I have a 320mA draw until the battery saver kicks in and then it's about 160mA. Just to give you an idea on the scale.
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That does give me more understanding about the draw,because when i put the gem fuse or the dash cluster fuse in, my meter set on 250 ma, i went full scale. At what point does this battery saver kick because as soon as i would put the fuse in and the meter went full draw i would pull the fuse back out so i wouldn't damage anything.
Thanks Jeff
Thanks Jeff