OP
OP
gordizmom
Active Member
Of course you would say this. I should have taken a screenshot of your snarky comment yesterday.
What Is Pulling Power From Battery
- Thread starter gordizmom
- Start date
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OP
OP
gordizmom
Active Member
I didn't ask to be forgiven so there's that. Peace and love to you too.
I did check the rear wiper and it looked okay to me. Not sure what it's supposed to look like but it's all the way in the down position.
Its not a war. Take deep breaths and think puppies
while you are going out to check the rear wiper. Please.
Aspen03
Full Access Members
I was part of that original thread and feel entitled to chime in. Get a new mechanic that knows how to troubleshoot electrical. If they in fact did a draw test and went through every circuit on the vehicle they would have found something, it's simple process of elimination. They may not nail down precisely what the draw is but can at least isolate it to a circuit and present further troubleshoot options to you.
It's not a cheap in most cases just due to it being a methodical, time consuming process which is where an experienced electrical guy can in fact save you money even if hes charging $80 an hour. Its worth reading up on and buying a decent meter as well. For what you'd spend on 2 hrs labor you could get a very high quality one and being retired you have the time to just plug away at it. This is one area YouTube has quite a bit of how to on that poses little risk if you don't do something precisely right, so long as you aren't just using a test lamp as some of the circuits w modules on them can be sensitive to the resistance it'll introduce.
If it's not a draw issue then it's either battery/alternator related or just simply your short trips. It doesnt take much to pull down a battery, figure you start, drive for a couple minutes, assuming w heavy loads on....ac, radio, etc. I'm assuming your also not in the peak charging output range of alternator very long either if it's a short trip. You run your errand and repeat to come home. Starting is a very heavy load on a battery.
The jump pack you have being used all of the time is just going to destroy the battery, you wont get many full discharge cycles out of it before it really starts to go downhill. While the battery tender is a better option as far as maintaining the ability to start from home as itll at least keep it at a full soc.
Moral of the story is stored energy doesnt just evaporate...it goes somewhere whether that's used by a device or to ground and there's always a path...the question is where.
It's not a cheap in most cases just due to it being a methodical, time consuming process which is where an experienced electrical guy can in fact save you money even if hes charging $80 an hour. Its worth reading up on and buying a decent meter as well. For what you'd spend on 2 hrs labor you could get a very high quality one and being retired you have the time to just plug away at it. This is one area YouTube has quite a bit of how to on that poses little risk if you don't do something precisely right, so long as you aren't just using a test lamp as some of the circuits w modules on them can be sensitive to the resistance it'll introduce.
If it's not a draw issue then it's either battery/alternator related or just simply your short trips. It doesnt take much to pull down a battery, figure you start, drive for a couple minutes, assuming w heavy loads on....ac, radio, etc. I'm assuming your also not in the peak charging output range of alternator very long either if it's a short trip. You run your errand and repeat to come home. Starting is a very heavy load on a battery.
The jump pack you have being used all of the time is just going to destroy the battery, you wont get many full discharge cycles out of it before it really starts to go downhill. While the battery tender is a better option as far as maintaining the ability to start from home as itll at least keep it at a full soc.
Moral of the story is stored energy doesnt just evaporate...it goes somewhere whether that's used by a device or to ground and there's always a path...the question is where.
Trainmaster
Old School Member
She checked that wiper when we suggested it five months ago, but decided to ask us all over again now.
texasscot
Well-Known Member
This went south fast. IMHO "I only leave my house once a week and where I go is about four miles to and from. "
is not enough to compensate for the energy drain of starting it combined with the general leakage of power/voltage that happens with any car. Get a trickle charger and all is good as its very possible there's is nothing wrong with the car.
is not enough to compensate for the energy drain of starting it combined with the general leakage of power/voltage that happens with any car. Get a trickle charger and all is good as its very possible there's is nothing wrong with the car.
laffinguy
New Member
Agree with texasscot. 8 miles per week is not enough to keep your battery in good condition. Instead of a trickle charger, maybe just drive it maybe an hour or two each week. That would only be 2,000 or 3,000 miles each year, and would actually help keep keep the truck in good shape.
Purchase a cheap auto bulb socket with wire leads. Put a bulb in it. Disconnect the neg battery terminal. Put one wire on the neg battery terminal and one on the neg cable. The bulb with light bright if there is a drain and dim if normal. If bright, get a needle nose pliers and pull each fuse one at a time. Start with the radio/cd and wiper. Check the bulb for changes after pulling each fuse. If there is a change you found you drain. Harbor Freight sells a volt meter, for $5. Set it to 20V and touch terminals to battery. You should have 12.2 engine off and 13.6-14.5 engine running, if alternator is working right.
Craig Lasnier
Active Member
Its definitely the alternator, had the same problem on my 99, there is a diode on the alternator that can go bad or be defective even in a rebuilt. Disconnect the alternator overnight and I'm sure you will see no drain. When that diode goes bad it will destroy a battery overnight. Good luck.
Newtons4thlaw
New Member
Afternoon gentlemen where is the diode located in the alternator? can it be replaced?
