Battery drain
8/12/17, 03:26 AM
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Battery drain
I know that there have been many discussions on this issue I have read through many and I'm at wits end here. I have had it into Ford I have an automotive degree myself it is driving me crazy. If my vehicle sits for more than 15 hrs without starting it will not crank over. I have replaced the alternator the battery I removed the radio for a few months and it was still die. Battery is good voltage drop test within range alternator 14.1 v then 13.4 v when fully charged. When headlights and AC on 13.2 v when brakes applied 12.6v and regulator in alternator may fry I'm on alternator number 5 battery 3 I need fixes not put a trickle charger on it and roll your windows down and turn AC off.
8/12/17, 10:56 AM
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8/12/17, 11:46 AM
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8/13/17, 09:09 PM
#7
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Degree or not... not gonna assume anything here. Forest and trees happen, right? Right. So sorry if I point out the obvious to you' to you, but... anyway.
Tootin' my own horn, but it worked for me. This may be all you need. My '06's electrics have been wonderful since:
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...4/#post6917899
If this doesn't work, you're chasing circuits with fuses... or maybe just trade in the car. Eric the Car Guy is good stuff, here he goes chasing fuses:
Once you find the fuse that stops the draw, you'll know where to hunt down and kill the bastidge thing what's causing the issue.
The bigger issue is the door ajar switch is in the latch in the door. So defeating that will be... interesting. You may need to get someone to do the fuses from inside the car with the doors closed. Awesome, right?
But in case you wanna do it yourself, here's the info you'll need to defeat the switch:
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...8/#post6715923
Might be able to latch the door latch while open and that work...?
I should go try that... Heh.
As far as what battery? I have no idea what to tell ya. The Motorcraft batteries are made by Johnson Controls. And they're crap. But the O'Reilly Super Start battery that was in my '06 that lasted 4+ years this time (compared to 2 years tops for all the others)? Johnson Controls again.
Go. Figure.
It's a crapshoot regarding batteries. I mean, the Ford and O'Reilly maker is the same one what makes the Walmart Everstart line. And after finding this out, I went ahead and stuck an Everstart in my motorcycle, 'cause cheaper option than OEM Yuasa... and it works great!
For information... All you ever wanted to know about who makes what automotive batteries: http://jgdarden.com/batteryfaq/batbrand.htm
(Inside information they don't want you to know... ALL the car batteries are Johnson Controls. Maybe one or two are outliers, but... )
Lotta info there. Hope I helped with some of it. Good luck!
Tootin' my own horn, but it worked for me. This may be all you need. My '06's electrics have been wonderful since:
https://themustangsource.com/forums/...4/#post6917899
If this doesn't work, you're chasing circuits with fuses... or maybe just trade in the car. Eric the Car Guy is good stuff, here he goes chasing fuses:
Once you find the fuse that stops the draw, you'll know where to hunt down and kill the bastidge thing what's causing the issue.
The bigger issue is the door ajar switch is in the latch in the door. So defeating that will be... interesting. You may need to get someone to do the fuses from inside the car with the doors closed. Awesome, right?
But in case you wanna do it yourself, here's the info you'll need to defeat the switch:https://themustangsource.com/forums/...8/#post6715923
Might be able to latch the door latch while open and that work...?
I should go try that... Heh.As far as what battery? I have no idea what to tell ya. The Motorcraft batteries are made by Johnson Controls. And they're crap. But the O'Reilly Super Start battery that was in my '06 that lasted 4+ years this time (compared to 2 years tops for all the others)? Johnson Controls again.
Go. Figure.
It's a crapshoot regarding batteries. I mean, the Ford and O'Reilly maker is the same one what makes the Walmart Everstart line. And after finding this out, I went ahead and stuck an Everstart in my motorcycle, 'cause cheaper option than OEM Yuasa... and it works great!
For information... All you ever wanted to know about who makes what automotive batteries: http://jgdarden.com/batteryfaq/batbrand.htm
(Inside information they don't want you to know... ALL the car batteries are Johnson Controls. Maybe one or two are outliers, but... )
Lotta info there. Hope I helped with some of it. Good luck!
Last edited by houtex; 8/13/17 at 09:34 PM. Reason: misinformation/misremembering about batteries, all fixed.
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Buckshot Barry (8/24/17)
8/14/17, 08:01 AM
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the problem is the drain is within tolerance and watching it for 3 hours it never once spiked and the dealership said they cannot have a tech sit on it for a full 8 hour shift watching the meter non stop for a sporadic spike it is a walmart battery tested 3 times by 3 different shops. alternator is a ultima from autozone lifetime warranty
I currently have a negative post battery disconnect on it and pop hood every night and unscrew to stop it from draining .
if it was a bad battery then when I reconnect it next day it would still not start since installing the disconnect problem has been fixed but this fix is a meager bandage over the problem I want to fix the problem
I currently have a negative post battery disconnect on it and pop hood every night and unscrew to stop it from draining .
if it was a bad battery then when I reconnect it next day it would still not start since installing the disconnect problem has been fixed but this fix is a meager bandage over the problem I want to fix the problem
8/15/17, 12:43 AM
#9
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Hm. Given all that... there is no way it's not a draw somehow, someway. There has to be more than 50 milliamps getting drawn to drain the battery. Anything more is out of line. Not voltage. Amps. You're proving the battery is fine, and also the alternator as the battery is charged overnight as long as you don't keep it connected. It otherwise runs all day, yes? Excepting the overnight, the battery is charged up at all times, right? You don't see any voltage drop while parked at the store, school, work, etc?
If the mechanics didn't see any draw in three hours... that'd be weird, but also would mean it's a timing issue of catching it. Aka, something is getting set off to cause the problem, but when and/or why?
You say the car is stock, but... one wonders if there might be some module installed somewhere. What's the history of the car? Has it been yours all along? Is there something plugged in the console power port (not the one in the dash), or is it being shorted out with a small something that might've fallen inside it? Have an inverter, charger...?
Otherwise it's a trigger event. That'll be tough to catch. You might want an always recording security camera aimed at the car overnight to see if lights suddenly come on for no reason. This might indicate a smart junction box that's messed up.
Past that, you'll just have to yank groups of fuses and relays. I would have said to sit there on a weekend day, and do the testing to find out some window of time to somehow narrow it down/speed things up, but honestly... I think it's just fuse pulling and testing time.
I'd start with the ones in the smart junction box (passenger kick panel fuse box) and see what happens that way. ALL of them. You're 'cutting' the car in half on fuses/relays.
If the problem persists, the problem's in the power distribution box and its fuses/relays. Put back all the SJB fuses and yank half of the distribution box fuses. If the problem goes away, you know the issue is in the SJB, and putting BACK half of the fuses is in order.
Repeat the halving as needed and indicated until you find the problem circuit. Then attack that circuit.
It's going to (Siphon with a large amount of negative pressure), but that can be electrical for ya.
---
Still... I just... there *has* be a >.05 amp draw happening. If it is, then the finding will be much easier than the half and half culling/waiting thing.
You sure this isn't a salvage title flood car or such?
If the mechanics didn't see any draw in three hours... that'd be weird, but also would mean it's a timing issue of catching it. Aka, something is getting set off to cause the problem, but when and/or why?
You say the car is stock, but... one wonders if there might be some module installed somewhere. What's the history of the car? Has it been yours all along? Is there something plugged in the console power port (not the one in the dash), or is it being shorted out with a small something that might've fallen inside it? Have an inverter, charger...?
Otherwise it's a trigger event. That'll be tough to catch. You might want an always recording security camera aimed at the car overnight to see if lights suddenly come on for no reason. This might indicate a smart junction box that's messed up.
Past that, you'll just have to yank groups of fuses and relays. I would have said to sit there on a weekend day, and do the testing to find out some window of time to somehow narrow it down/speed things up, but honestly... I think it's just fuse pulling and testing time.
I'd start with the ones in the smart junction box (passenger kick panel fuse box) and see what happens that way. ALL of them. You're 'cutting' the car in half on fuses/relays.
If the problem persists, the problem's in the power distribution box and its fuses/relays. Put back all the SJB fuses and yank half of the distribution box fuses. If the problem goes away, you know the issue is in the SJB, and putting BACK half of the fuses is in order.
Repeat the halving as needed and indicated until you find the problem circuit. Then attack that circuit.
It's going to (Siphon with a large amount of negative pressure), but that can be electrical for ya.
---
Still... I just... there *has* be a >.05 amp draw happening. If it is, then the finding will be much easier than the half and half culling/waiting thing.
You sure this isn't a salvage title flood car or such?
Last edited by houtex; 8/15/17 at 12:44 AM.
8/15/17, 03:13 PM
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I had a similar problem with a battery that was supposedly good, per Advance Auto tests anyway . . . had the draw checked and it was below spec, something like 3 mA IIRC . . . but the battery would still die after a day or two . . . . replaced the battery, and it's all better.
I know you said it's a new battery, but that would be my chief suspect.
I know you said it's a new battery, but that would be my chief suspect.
8/16/17, 12:22 AM
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Not a salvage title no flooding I've checked for anything that shouldn't be there checked all wire looms for damage missing or frayed nothing I do have a security camera aimed at it and only problem was the shaker 500 turning on randomly but that was cured by installing a shaker 1000 unit over 2 months ago no interior lights turning on no dash lights I have a dash can I installed in rear window and watched footage to see if any lights come on and only light displayed is security light flashing sparatically nothing plugged into cig lighters
But back to sjb and other issue 12.6 v running in gear AC on headlights on foot on brake put in neutral 13.3 neutral foot off brake 13.5
But back to sjb and other issue 12.6 v running in gear AC on headlights on foot on brake put in neutral 13.3 neutral foot off brake 13.5