NEED HELP, batteries discharging
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NEED HELP, batteries discharging
I've searched the forums on this topic a bunch but I'm still stumped.
2003 F350 6.0 4x4
I've been pushing the glow pugs for about a year so I finally replaced them. The day I started on the glow plugs the batteries were nearly dead, that's the first time I've had problems with them discharging. Jump started the truck, charged the batteries, replace 8 glow plugs and GPCM, drove truck for a day, parked it for 3 days and batteries were dead again. One battery took charge from charger, second had shorted out and was replaced at autozone (for free since they are only 2 years old). Ran it around for a day, parked it for 3 days....dead.
My attempts at diagnosis so far....
Closed and locked doors (with remote), waited 15 min, disconnected both positive battery cables, connected test light (can't find voltmeter- go figure) shows a medium bright light. Went fuse by fuse through the panel with the only change when the BODY SECURITY MODULE/4X4 MODULE 10 amp fuse is pulled, then the test lamp has the medium bright light for <1/2 sec then goes to a very dim light.
I've got that fuse pulled and charging the batteries again but I'm not sure where to go from here.
THANKS for any ideas!!
2003 F350 6.0 4x4
I've been pushing the glow pugs for about a year so I finally replaced them. The day I started on the glow plugs the batteries were nearly dead, that's the first time I've had problems with them discharging. Jump started the truck, charged the batteries, replace 8 glow plugs and GPCM, drove truck for a day, parked it for 3 days and batteries were dead again. One battery took charge from charger, second had shorted out and was replaced at autozone (for free since they are only 2 years old). Ran it around for a day, parked it for 3 days....dead.
My attempts at diagnosis so far....
Closed and locked doors (with remote), waited 15 min, disconnected both positive battery cables, connected test light (can't find voltmeter- go figure) shows a medium bright light. Went fuse by fuse through the panel with the only change when the BODY SECURITY MODULE/4X4 MODULE 10 amp fuse is pulled, then the test lamp has the medium bright light for <1/2 sec then goes to a very dim light.
I've got that fuse pulled and charging the batteries again but I'm not sure where to go from here.
THANKS for any ideas!!
Senior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 311
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From: Clearwater
You need to do a parasitic draw test. You need a multimeter that can do amperage, you place it in series with the battery and then wait 30 minutes for all the computers,etc to go to "sleep". The specification for a draw should be less than 30 milliamps that is 0.030 amps. If it is more than that, you need to slowly pull all the fuses and see which one drops the reading into spec and then check the owners manual to see what that fuse powers. Then pinpoint it to whichever component is sapping power or staying powered on when it should be off. Some fuses for the modules will increase the draw when plugged back in and then you will have to wait for it go back to sleep to keep pulling fuses.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Moyock, NC
Like jboczar said....once the system has gone to bed...don't wake anything up (i.e. open door, energize hood light, probing around and energize anything)... then using the multimeter pull one fuse at a time while watching for the drop in impedance use....don't re-insert the fuse...just note where it goes back...keep pulling one at a time until you find your parasitic draw. Once you know which fuse, then grap a wiring diagram for the culpible circuit and run it to ground...literally. Oh yeah...check ALL fuse circuit panels....Good luck. 
Posting Guru
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From: Edmonton, AB.
If it helps, I would suggest that if you have any aftermarket electronics, I'd suspect that first. It sounds like from your original post, that you have a security system. Might be a good place to start.
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THANKS jboczar, MoyockPowerstroke and conger! I will give that a go and of course report back. Electrical issues are NOT my strength. The BODY SECURITY MODULE/4X4 MODULE is a Ford fuse label- it seems to kill the keyless entry and who knows what else???
Only aftermarket item is the trailer brake module and I removed it first without any changes.
Only aftermarket item is the trailer brake module and I removed it first without any changes.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,116
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From: Florida
sorry i didn't see the 2yrs old part. im blind, one thing i have noticed on my truck after i installed a autometer volt meter in the dash is that the glow plug runtime can be noticed when you fire the truck up the voltage drops to near 12vdc for the entire glowplug "on" time which does not correlate to the dash glow plug light, then once the glowplugs go off the voltage goes up to 13vdc-14vdc when running.
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Here's where I am...
After changing glow plugs and GPCM, I've found that BOTH batteries were bad.
With those replaced, they are holding a charge of 12.8v with key off and 14.3v at idle. And I have to say the truck is starting better now (cranking faster) than it has for a year!
I hooked a multimeter in and waited the 30 min with doors locked and everything off. AT 30 min is showed a draw of 195mA but after climbing in the window and taking some phone pictures of the fuse panel (for reassembly purposes) the draw was 15-19mA.
With hunting season rapidly approaching and my lack of desire to have problems at 9500ft and 30mi from town, this result doesn't give me a good feeling. Is it possible that I killed the batteries pushing the glow plugs so long and THAT was the etiology of the problem? I'm going to run the truck around town today and then check the parasitic draw and battery voltages again tonight...
I still hate electrical problems!
After changing glow plugs and GPCM, I've found that BOTH batteries were bad.
With those replaced, they are holding a charge of 12.8v with key off and 14.3v at idle. And I have to say the truck is starting better now (cranking faster) than it has for a year!
I hooked a multimeter in and waited the 30 min with doors locked and everything off. AT 30 min is showed a draw of 195mA but after climbing in the window and taking some phone pictures of the fuse panel (for reassembly purposes) the draw was 15-19mA.
With hunting season rapidly approaching and my lack of desire to have problems at 9500ft and 30mi from town, this result doesn't give me a good feeling. Is it possible that I killed the batteries pushing the glow plugs so long and THAT was the etiology of the problem? I'm going to run the truck around town today and then check the parasitic draw and battery voltages again tonight...
I still hate electrical problems!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,170
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From: Moyock, NC
It sounds like you're okay. 15-19 mA is acceptible....as Exact maximum allowable draw is determined by calculating several factors...as a general rule,the maximum should not exceed 50mA or .050 mA draw.
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...ectrical_drain
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...ectrical_drain
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