Battery Drain Testing

[jlkearns68]

How do I keep the interior lights from coming on?
The passenger door doesn't appear to have a button to hold shut to simulate that the door is closed. Is there an easy way or some other way to trick the system?

 

[stamp11127]

Need to know year and model of the expy and if interior lights are staying on with doors closed.
Door switches are usually part of the door latch assy.

If they aren't staying on you can do the draw test with the door open.

 

[jlkearns68]

It's a 2004 XLT.
Lights stay on for a few seconds after closing door unless truck is locked.

Need to leave door open to work with the fuse panel.
I tried engaging the locking mechinism but that didn't shut off the lights.

 

[stamp11127]

Connect your meter and take a current reading with everything turned off and doors closed. This will be the current amount your looking to drop. Open a door and take another reading which should be higher. Subtract the first reading from the second reading, this will be what the lighting circuit pulls.

Example:
2 amp reading initial draw (parasitic)
5.5 amp reading w/door open

5.5 - 2 = 3.5

3.5 amp is the interior light draw

start pulling / replacing fuses until the meter reads 3.5

Is your problem the lights not going off unless locked?

 

[metaldrgn]

If you turn the instrument panel lights off the interior lights should stay off.

 

[stamp11127]

That doesn't work on my 1st gen.

 

[AskMeLater]

2nd gens have a thumb wheel next to the headlamp switch. This wheel is used to adjust the brightness of the instrument panel, and is also used to turn interior lights on (all the way up, past detent) or off (all the way down, past detent)

 

[jlkearns68]

Finally got back to this.

If I close the lock fully on the passenger side it does think the door is closed. Thought I checked that before but maybe I only did 1 click instead of the 2 required.

I pulled the negative cable and attached my amp meter.
I did break the connection before connecting the meter.
I waited about 10-15 minutes before starting.

I pulled every fuse inside the passenger area and did not see any drop in amps. Actually it increased from .66 to .89 amps.
I didn't see any fuses inside the engine compartment but it was starting to get dark. My meter shuts off after x minutes not sure if this would affect anything but I did have to turn it on 2 or 3 times during my testing. Below you will see my readings and the fuse pulled. 99% of the time I had one fuse out. Some fuses it was easier to pull the adjacent fuse without putting the other one back in. Don't think this should be an issue.

My battery was tested at Walmart (last year) before the warranty expired and was said to be good.


Fuse Amps
Begin 0.66
40 0.67
39 0.68
38 0.66
37 0.66
41 0.68
12 0.70
13 0.71
14 0.72
15 0.72
16 0.73
17 0.72
18 0.74
19 0.75
20 0.75
21 0.76
31 0.76
30 0.76
29 0.77
28 0.78
27 0.78
26 0.77
25 0.77
24 0.78
23 0.78
22 0.78
11 0.78
10 0.78
9 empty
8 0.81
7 0.83
6 0.81
5 0.82
4 0.82
3 0.83
2 0.83
1 0.83
42 0.82
32 0.84
33 0.84
34 0.84
35 0.85
36 0.86
102 0.85
110 empty
118 empty
109 0.85
117 0.86
108 empty
116 0.88
107 0.86
115 0.87
106 empty
114 0.86
105 empty
113 0.87
104 0.87
112 0.87
101 0.87
103 0.87
111 0.87

Relay Amps
6 0.86
5 empty
4 0.87
3 0.88
2 0.88
1 0.88
203 0.88
202 0.87
201 0.88

Breaker
401 0.89

 

[stamp11127]

There is a relay box on the front driver side by the headlights. You want to do the test again and pull each relay.
The amp draw should be in milliamps, not as high as you are getting now.