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electrical problem
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electrical problem
thanks in advance for any help,,,2002 7.3 F-350 125000 miles...i do not drive this vehicle but once or twice a week,,I always have to jump start it or charge and jump start simutaniously to get it to start,,, it has a new alternator,2 new batteries,good clean connections,,,its getting harder and harder to charge,,but when it does start its fine for at least 2 days...but any longer and its hard to get charged enough to start..any ideas...thanks
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
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From: Milroy, PA
What kind of accessory wiring do you have? or is all your wiring OEM? Two things, what is your voltage while running? Second thing, were going to need to see what your current draw from the battery is while not running. To do that, youll need to unhook one battery, and put an ammeter inline with the battery that is still hooked up. (Usually on the negative side) Youll need to unhook the underhood lightbulb if it still works, because its current draw will though us off.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2007
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What Mike said... And Welcome!!!
Sounds like you have a draw SOMEWHERE. If it lasts two days after running then it is probably a small draw, which may make it harder to find... I would start with the dumb stuff like the glove box light. I'm sure you could go and find out how much different things draw, and once you find out how much is being drawn while not running you would know where to start.
Sounds like you have a draw SOMEWHERE. If it lasts two days after running then it is probably a small draw, which may make it harder to find... I would start with the dumb stuff like the glove box light. I'm sure you could go and find out how much different things draw, and once you find out how much is being drawn while not running you would know where to start.
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From: Concord NC
What batteries do you have? Sounds like you still have a bad alt. or bad batteries. Remember, just because their new don't mean there good. Rebuilt alt. are known to be bad off the shelf.
Is you battery light on when you drive?
Is you battery light on when you drive?
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I have found that the battery terminal on the right side of the truck that the positive cable runs through can corrode inside and draw on your batteries and you will not see it. the easiest way to check this is probably to disconnect the driver side pos. terminal and see if you notice a difference in sound the way the truck cranks. first crank with all batteries and then with just the pass. battery. you can do this with the batt. up and still notice a huge difference in the way it starts but if you have pass. terminal problems it likely will not turn enough to start. But I also have to say I have a 2001 f-450 that developed this same problem and have not been able to find out what is wrong for several years now so I am going to follow this thread closely.
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thanks for responses,havent checked volts yet,,finally got started today after a long charging session,,going by the chargers ,the batteries seem to want to charge but as soon as u turn key on a major draw is feeding ,,,but once i got started , i ran it idle for 5 mins,shut it off and tried to start right back up and fired up like nothing was ever wrong,i then drove it a total of 175 miles today and night and all was fine but i know when i leave it longer than 2 days it will be completely dead
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: La La Land
And...
As long as the glow plugs (GP's) are on, don't check the alternator or battery voltage. While they GP's are on, your battery boltage will read about 12 volts, maybe a few tenths more or less, so wait until the glow plug relay (GPR) circuit "times out".
Then, and only then, check the alternator output voltage. It should be reading in the neighborhood of 14.6 volts.
Pop
As long as the glow plugs (GP's) are on, don't check the alternator or battery voltage. While they GP's are on, your battery boltage will read about 12 volts, maybe a few tenths more or less, so wait until the glow plug relay (GPR) circuit "times out".
Then, and only then, check the alternator output voltage. It should be reading in the neighborhood of 14.6 volts.
Pop
