POWER DRAIN/POSSIBLE SHORT
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POWER DRAIN/POSSIBLE SHORT
I have a 2004 Excursion 4x4 6.0 Diesel, 160,000mi. I've had the truck for less than a year. When I first got the truck, the battery light would come on and of intermittently, then finally it just stayed on. The batteries still seemed to stay charged for the most part though. Finally, they did die.
Since they were the wrong batteries anyway, I put in two new batteries. Everything was fine for a couple of days and then they were dead. I pulled the alternator and took it to O'Reilly's and it tested OK, so I put it back on, charged the batteries, and it took'em down again. It seems like there's a short, on my way home yesterday, the PCM started shutting things down. My battery and ABS lights were on and then the gauges quit. I checked the fuses and #4 Power Point I/P was blown.
What is Power Point I/P? I'd heard about there being problems with dust and crap behind the instrument panel causing shorts and this truck has a lot of dust in it, as it appears to have been a Border Patrol truck in it's previous life.
Any ideas would be great.
Since they were the wrong batteries anyway, I put in two new batteries. Everything was fine for a couple of days and then they were dead. I pulled the alternator and took it to O'Reilly's and it tested OK, so I put it back on, charged the batteries, and it took'em down again. It seems like there's a short, on my way home yesterday, the PCM started shutting things down. My battery and ABS lights were on and then the gauges quit. I checked the fuses and #4 Power Point I/P was blown.
What is Power Point I/P? I'd heard about there being problems with dust and crap behind the instrument panel causing shorts and this truck has a lot of dust in it, as it appears to have been a Border Patrol truck in it's previous life.
Any ideas would be great.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2009
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same problem
My gauges shut down when I hit a pothole, but also only intermittently. I am still searching. I did find a loose pin and harness connection and the problem has not returned and I just traveled the Alaska Canadian Highway. I hope this helps you.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2009
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The pp has it's own seperate circuit and fuse and is not shared by anything else. Here's Fords method to check for a drain.
Note:
To accurately test the drain on a battery, an in-line digital ammeter must be used. Use of a test lamp or voltmeter is not an accurate method due to the number of electronic modules.
1. Make sure the junction box/fuse panels are accessible without turning on interior and underhood lights.
2. Drive the vehicle at least five minutes and over 48 km/h (30 mph) to turn on and exercise vehicle systems.
3. Allow the vehicle to sit with the key off for at least 40 minutes to allow modules to time out/power down.
4. Connect a fused jumper wire between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post to prevent modules from resetting and to catch capacitive drains.
5. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the post without breaking the connection of the jumper wire.
6. Note:
It is very important that continuity is not broken between the battery and the negative battery cable when connecting the meter. If this happens, the entire procedure must be repeated.
Connect the tester between negative battery cable and the post. The meter must be capable of reading milliamps and should have a 10 amp capability.
7. Note:
If the meter settings need to be switched or the test leads need to be moved to another jack, the jumper wire must be reinstalled to avoid breaking continuity.
Remove the jumper wire.
Note:
Amperage draw will vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on the equipment package. Compare to a comparable vehicle for reference.
Note:
No production vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) draw.
8. If the draw is found to be excessive, pull fuses from the battery/central junction box one at a time and note the current drop. Do not reinstall the fuses until you are finished testing.
9. Check the wiring schematic in the wiring diagram for any circuits that run from the battery without passing through the battery/central junction box. Disconnect these circuits if the draw is still excessive.
Note:
To accurately test the drain on a battery, an in-line digital ammeter must be used. Use of a test lamp or voltmeter is not an accurate method due to the number of electronic modules.
1. Make sure the junction box/fuse panels are accessible without turning on interior and underhood lights.
2. Drive the vehicle at least five minutes and over 48 km/h (30 mph) to turn on and exercise vehicle systems.
3. Allow the vehicle to sit with the key off for at least 40 minutes to allow modules to time out/power down.
4. Connect a fused jumper wire between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post to prevent modules from resetting and to catch capacitive drains.
5. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the post without breaking the connection of the jumper wire.
6. Note:
It is very important that continuity is not broken between the battery and the negative battery cable when connecting the meter. If this happens, the entire procedure must be repeated.
Connect the tester between negative battery cable and the post. The meter must be capable of reading milliamps and should have a 10 amp capability.
7. Note:
If the meter settings need to be switched or the test leads need to be moved to another jack, the jumper wire must be reinstalled to avoid breaking continuity.
Remove the jumper wire.
Note:
Amperage draw will vary from vehicle to vehicle depending on the equipment package. Compare to a comparable vehicle for reference.
Note:
No production vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) draw.
8. If the draw is found to be excessive, pull fuses from the battery/central junction box one at a time and note the current drop. Do not reinstall the fuses until you are finished testing.
9. Check the wiring schematic in the wiring diagram for any circuits that run from the battery without passing through the battery/central junction box. Disconnect these circuits if the draw is still excessive.
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I'm charging the batteries right now. When I get off work, I'm going to go home and put one in and leave the #4 Powerpoint I/P fuse out and see if the battery light still stays on.
I really appreciate the responses and advice. I'd still like to know, however, what the #4 PowerPoint I/P fuse controls. Does anybody know? This fuse blew and I need to know what it controls so I can track down the possible short.
I really appreciate the responses and advice. I'd still like to know, however, what the #4 PowerPoint I/P fuse controls. Does anybody know? This fuse blew and I need to know what it controls so I can track down the possible short.
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 514
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Like I said earlier, that fuse only controls the I/P PowerPoint, nothing else. It has it's own circuit. In case you dont know this is the I/P PowerPoint, below the right vent.
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I think it's the alternator. I took it off and had it tested when all of this started, and it tested fine, but I've got my truck running right now, and before I started it, I metered the batteries at 12.4v, after I started it, they went up to 13.4, and when I put the lead on the alternator, it read the same, but as soon as I turned just the headlights on, it went down to 12.3v and the batteries went to 11.9v.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2008
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Trying to determine if I have the same issue. couple weeks ago truck wouldn't start - few second jump and off we went, but watched volts drop the entire time, down to 10.5. had the batteries tested, 6 yrs old - said one was bad, replaced it. things seemed good. the other day I got home and the battery light was one, volts bouncing around 11.7. drove around for a bit, went up a bit, but not much. replaced the other battery that night and drove for an hour, up for 13.8 showing. in the morning back to 12.5. put the truck on the charger - showed 80% and took 6hrs to top them off. now the morning volts shows about 12.8, jumps right up to 13.3 when moving then will pop up to 14.7 or more after a bit. is it normal to have the volts flatten like that? never really watched the volts while driving till now. I did disconnect my tap off the battery for the lights etc to make sure that wasn't the issue. as long as it gets over 14 on the move it would seem to me the alternator is good - is that correct?
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2009
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A battery at 100% charge should read 12.6-12.7v. With a fully charged battery, at 2000 rpm without a load the alt should be putting out 13-15v. If you turn the a/c on high along with the high beams the voltage should increase a minimum of 0.5 volt above base voltage. The alternator is designed to maintain a battery charge, not to recharge a dead battery. Overloading the charging system with a dead battery can tax it to the point of where it may damage the alternator.
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Ok, glad I put the truck on the charger then. So it sounds like things are good now as long as the voltage doesn't drop down to the 11's again overnight - then I probably have something leaking. Will watch it for few days before hooking my wire back up too.
thanks
thanks