Battery drain over night

Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 FORD EXPEDITION
  • 5.4L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 110,000 MILES
I checked all fuses and radio is a problem and rear wiper too. That fixing this week and pulled out fuses and still my truck is putting out 0.63 amps and it's the anti theft security system red light on dash flashes a lot and how do you turn it off when truck is off?
Wednesday, April 8th, 2020 AT 6:20 PM

34 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,068 POSTS
Hi,

Are you referring to the light which indicates the anti theft system is armed? If so, it can't be turned off. What all have you checked so far? Take a look through this link. It explains a lot of different things that can cause this type of issue.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-dead-overnight

Let me know if anything there helps. Also, let me know how you are determining the draw.

Joe
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Wednesday, April 8th, 2020 AT 6:49 PM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
I check everything today and its putting out 0.53 on my Innova tester when turn off over night, is that normal? If not what number am I looking for this?
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Thursday, April 9th, 2020 AT 5:35 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good evening,

I thought I would throw mt 2 cents in for you.

The red light on the dash by the windshield is normal for flashing and cannot be turned off.

Normal draw is 50 to 75 milli amps. That is.050 to.075 amps.

How you check it is to remove the negative cable and put a voltmeter in line with the cable end and the battery. Set the meter to DC amps. Then let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

If the draw is higher than spec, remove the fuses one by one until the draw drops to spec. Then you need to find out what components are on that fuse and disconnect them one at a time until you find the component that is causing the draw.

Roy
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Thursday, April 9th, 2020 AT 5:42 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,068 POSTS
Is that amps or milliamps? It it is milliamps, that is acceptable. If it is amps, then it's too high. It should be around.05 amps.
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Thursday, April 9th, 2020 AT 5:47 PM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Sorry, not sure if it's amps or multiamp?
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Friday, April 10th, 2020 AT 10:50 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
That is 1/2 amp. Way too high.

When the reading is correct it will read.050.

Roy
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Friday, April 10th, 2020 AT 11:01 AM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Okay. Thanks guys for all feed back! I re did all fuses again and had 1 fuse that made it drop to.42 and was mirror lights etc. What else can I check under hood with tester to see why there is.42amps putting out? Maybe a bad diode? Did alternator test already and was good 14.3 when running.
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Friday, April 10th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
That is still too high. It needs to drop to 50-75 milli amps.

Remove each fuse one at a time until it drops to that. Then let me know the fuse number and I will get the power distribution for that fuse.

Make sure the doors are closed and the hood is closed enough to turn off the lamp if you have one.

Roy
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Friday, April 10th, 2020 AT 5:16 PM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Hi, I recheck all fuses and relays and stay the same.42 with 1 fuse out and wondering if.42 is good because I used innova 3300 and it said it's a multi-reader device. Past 2 days I checked fuses and came to.52 with all fuses in. What do you think?
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 10:00 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
No, again, it should be.050. You have 1/2 amp reading.

Can you take a picture of how you have you meter hooked up?

Roy
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 10:05 AM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
It's called multi-reader I guess?
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 10:06 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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I need to see where the leads are connected.

Roy
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 10:08 AM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Here's a good picture:
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 10:53 AM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
No, this one sorry.
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 10:54 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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  • 52,797 POSTS
Good. Now leave them attached and remove each fuse one at a time and see if the draw drops.

Roy
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 10:59 AM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Yes, I did that 3 times in 2 days bud and not one fuse made it drop. Stayed the same and pulled out. Only fuse box I found was on the passenger side on my SUV. Is there more fuses elsewhere I can check? I will take picture of box and was a lot.
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 11:16 AM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Here box bud, thanks for your patience.
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 11:23 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You have 3 relay panels but no other fuse boxes.

Did you disconnect the big wire on the back of the alternator?

Roy
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 11:32 AM
Tiny
TERRY L MENESES
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
No, I didn't disconnect the wire on alternator. What do I do?
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 11:43 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Remove the wire from the back of the alternator. It should be held by a nut.

Then check the draw.

Roy
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Saturday, April 11th, 2020 AT 11:48 AM

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