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mattadams
Horsepower Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 2000 Ford F-150
Joined: Jul 2005
Member # 175
From: Westminster CO
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 Posted - January 18 2007 : 12:48p
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Been working on this for weeks no, as temperature allows. Since my truck isnt my daily driver anymore, its just sitting parked at my parents house until I can sell it (if I can sell it), or until I buy a house in a few months, whichever comes first, but I'm too afraid to park it at my apartment complex. So if the truck isn't started and ran regularly, battery is completely dead within 2-3 days. Brand new optima red-top in there, same exact thing. Only way to keep it from happening is to keep the battery going on a trickle charger.
Most all accessories on the truck are wired so they only come on with the truck, i.e. most have the switches wired through the radio fuse, so the relays aren't activated until the truck is turned on. There are only a few exceptions, none of which I'd think would drain the battery to the point it wouldn't even have interior dome lights in just a matter of days. The only devices that are wired to come on constantly and not wired through the radio fuse are the reverse camera and the alarm, including the LED. A while ago I discovered that XM tuner was apparently wired so it was coming on without the vehicle being on, but have since resolved that. I've also recently taken out of the truck a lot of the accessories that were no longer being used, like the CD changer, CD changer adapter/harness, GPS power/antenna cables, CB antenna and unplugged CB, unplugged the cruise control to keep it from catching fire, etc.
The only idea I had left was a process of elimination... unplug one thing, wait a few days and see what happens, if it kills it, plug that back in, unplug another thing, wait a few days, etc. but don't know of a better approach. Anyone else have any ideas?
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RHuckster
Horsepower Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 05 Ranger FX4 04 Eclipse
Joined: Jun 2005
Member # 142
From: Lake Elsinore Ca
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Posted
- January 18 2007 : 12:54p
| Yea, I have kinda the same problem with my Eclipse. I know the flashing Leds for the alarm & the radio when the faceplate is removed uses a tiny bit but mine lasts several weeks before going dead. I also discovered while standing out & watching it the the Capacitor for the stereo kicks in once in a while. Its oversized so I'm not sure why its coming on but I think I'll just pull the fuse on it next time it sits for a while. Its not using leds but neons & I'm not sure how much it pulls but after several weeks it pulls my 2 yellow tops dead.
Rick | |
devnull
Mod Wrangler
Premium Member
Blogs: 4 (View)
Vehicle: 2009 Hyundai 1-Ton
Joined: May 2005
Member # 20
From: PartsUnknown
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Posted
- January 18 2007 : 1:55p
| The cameras can actually draw a fair bit of power.
Your best option is to get out an ammeter and start measuring the current draw of the various circuits in the truck to track down the culprit. | |
Bluewater
Horsepower Member
Premium Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 2004 F-250
Joined: Dec 2006
Member # 1717
From: FL
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Posted
- January 18 2007 : 2:41p
| | My friend had the same problem.In his case it was an LCD TV. | |
mattadams
Horsepower Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 2000 Ford F-150
Joined: Jul 2005
Member # 175
From: Westminster CO
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Posted
- January 18 2007 : 2:42p
| | Interesting. Guess I can start with the backup camera (for some reason I hadn't thought of it until I started the last post) and go from there. My dad has an ammeter but I have no clue how to use it other than for some of the standard functions, I wish there was a how-to video on all the different settings and stuff, I suck at math and so forth :). | |
Mark05KR
Nitrous Member
Premium Member
Blogs: 0 (Add)
Vehicle: 2005 King Ranch F-150
Joined: Oct 2005
Member # 374
From: New Ipswich New Hampshire
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Posted
- January 18 2007 : 3:48p
| I had the same problem with my '86 F-150. Battery would go dead in 2-3 days. Also, when I started it up the battery gauge would peg all the way to the right and slowly move back, but it never got past about 3/4 to the right of center.
I finally brought it in to the garage to let them check it out. Turned out to be an internal short (or something) in the radio. The memory/clock circuit in the radio was drawing about 10 volts with the truck turned off. It took the guys 5 hours to track it down. Haven't had a problem since I pulled the radio and now the battery gauge is just about centered after the truck runs for 5 minutes. | |
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Figuring out whats draining the battery...
