Mjklopp
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• Irvine, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 12/13/2003 |
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• 10 posts |
• 1
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 Posted:2/1/2007 22:17 |
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Howdy All,
Woke up to a dead battery the other day. Gave it a quick jump, drove it around town and thought I was good to go. As I jumped started again the next morning, I fugured my 5+ year old battery was history so off to CostCo for a new Yellow Top Optima. 3 days later, I'm pulling out the jumper cables again. A quick stop at Kragen Auto and their portable tester says my alternator is fine. This weekend, I'm planning to use my multi-meter and will check the power draw off the battery while the engne and key is off. ** What amperage draw should I expect to see?** Is this a good next step or can anyone suggest a better course of action to find out what is going on?
Thanks,
Mike |
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housedad
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• mt royal, NJ, USA |
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• Registered on 10/8/2005 |
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• 88 posts |
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Posted:2/4/2007 12:13 |
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i know it sounds kinda dumb, but check your terminals, at the batteries and the other end of the cables for tightness. check the cables for continuity. My nephew was stuck on the side of the highway last week for 3 hours because of a loose battey terminal.
Aside from that, i don't know. |
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Mjklopp
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• Irvine, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 12/13/2003 |
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• 10 posts |
• 1
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Posted:2/5/2007 00:00 |
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Thanks for the reply Housedad. I did some snooping around the fuse box this morning. I unpluged my underhood light, pulled the interior dome fuse and checked my amp draw on the battery uning a multimeter on the + side of the battery. 4.3 amps. Way too high. I started pulling and replacing one fuse at a time to see where the draw might be. I came to the break switch fuse and once pulled, the draw went down to .20 Plugged it back in and right back up to 4.+ but then things went crazy. I was getting spikes up to 6.5 and then down, back up then down. After pulling that fuse a couple times, it stayed around 2.0 and I could not duplicate the spikes again. Starting to think a relay was stuck or had something in it and the pulling of the fuse a few times shook it back into working. After plugging back in the under hood light and the interior dome fuse, I reset the door locks and alarm with the key fob and the draw settled at .35 That should be the power to run the alarm, clock memory and any other memory related item. I'll check it in a couple days to see if the power draw stays consistant. No real answer found but since I cannot duplicate the issue, I'll have to wait and see. Maybe my gremln got full and moved on. |
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Mjklopp
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• Irvine, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 12/13/2003 |
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• 10 posts |
• 1
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 Posted:2/15/2007 22:00 |
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Dead battery again. I guess it's time to visit the shop.  |
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dnevins
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• Subscriber since 12/29/2009 |
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• San Diego, CA, USA |
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• Registered on 12/28/2009 |
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• 340 posts |
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Mike, for you and for anyone who finds this chasing the same problem: Ford's battery drain test procedure says no factory-equipped vehicle should draw more than 50 mA (0.050 A) with everything off. Let the truck sit at least 40 minutes first so the modules go to sleep. Hook the ammeter in-line between the negative battery post and its cable. A test lamp or voltmeter reading isn't accurate. So yes, measuring the draw and pulling fuses one at a time is exactly the right next step.
By that yardstick 4.3 A is way over. Even the 0.35 A you settled at is about seven times the limit if it still reads that after the 40 minute wait. A reading taken right after you work the fob or the locks can run high just because the modules are still awake.
The brake switch fuse is the big clue. It points me at the speed control deactivation switch, which sits on the brake master cylinder. Ford's recall notice for that switch says its circuit is always energized. It lists a draining or dead battery, rear brake lamps not working, and a blown fuse as symptoms of a failing switch. Ford's recall list includes 2000-2003 Excursions built before 11/4/02, and the remedy is a fused jumper harness at no charge. If your truck is in that range, run the VIN for open recalls. Ford's recall says that switch can overheat and smoke, and in the worst case start an underhood fire, so I wouldn't let a draw on that circuit ride.
Dana
https://partslogic.com |
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