Battery drains every night

Tiny
1ERALBRIGHT
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 HONDA ODYSSEY
  • 3.6L
  • V6
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
My battery drains overnight. It used to be more sporadic but now it's every night. Pulled all the fuses in the vehicle to find the parasitic drain, no change in reading. Tested the alternator output while running and under electrical strain-looks good. Battery is new. With the vehicle off and key out of the ignition, I tested with the multi-meter against the metal body of the starter solenoid and the disconnected negative terminal of the battery-about 12 volts. Would the short be in the starter solenoid, cabling or ignition switch?
Sunday, March 17th, 2019 AT 5:15 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good morning,

Parasitic draw is measured in amps, not volts. Current flow causes a drain.

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

You need to put a voltmeter in line on the negative cable and check the amp draw.

Roy
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Sunday, March 17th, 2019 AT 6:35 AM
Tiny
1ERALBRIGHT
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
My multi-meter couldn't read amps high enough so I go another one. Now from the negative cable to the negative battery post it would read as high as 2.08 amps, then about 1.61 amps, then 1.05 before stopping at.44 amps. Same thing multiple times.
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Sunday, March 17th, 2019 AT 3:07 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Okay, when the modules go to sleep, the draw will drop. Usually around thirty minutes will put them to sleep.

When you test, it should be 50 to 75 milliamps.

.4 is way too high. That's when you remove fuses to see when the draw drops. Then you will know the circuit.

Roy
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Sunday, March 17th, 2019 AT 3:47 PM
Tiny
1ERALBRIGHT
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Checked the fuses again and found the draw dropped to nothing after pulling the #7 fuse on the driver's panel. Possibly related to the door latches, I read. Thanks for putting me on the right track!
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Sunday, March 17th, 2019 AT 4:31 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You are welcome.

Always glad to help.

Roy
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Sunday, March 17th, 2019 AT 4:35 PM

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