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sugerbear
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« on: January 04, 2010, 06:23:07 PM » |
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i have an 05 chevy k1500. recently something has started draining my battery overnight. tried a new battery. not it. checked the charging system battery was 12.7, started voltage was 14.3 truck starts fine all day then drains overnight. am i right to charge the battery up, put an ammeter on it and start pulling fuses until i find the offending circuit? just waiting for weather to warm up enough that the brass monkey can go out with me   turned off all the "frills" headlight delay, courtesy lights, horn honk on lock/unlock, etc truck started just fine this morning. i'll turn each one back on and see which one is the culprit. thanks for the input and i'll update later |
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« Last Edit: January 09, 2010, 05:35:27 PM by sugerbear »
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mikehallbackhoe
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« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2010, 06:43:58 PM » |
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you are right, sounds like something is draining the battery. have you recently added something to the truck?
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R J
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Posts: 13380
DS-0009 ...... # 173
Des Moines, IA
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« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2010, 08:42:44 PM » |
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Pull the tail/brake light fuse 1st.
If that is your drain, take the tail lights out and polish all the contacts and run a new/good ground wire........
The way i check them is pull the positive cable and run a glow light between the battery post and the cable. As the drain slacks up, the glow light will go down. or out There will always be some draw, clock, radio memory an etc.
Post back and let us know what it was after ya find it and fix it.
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44 Harley ServiCar   |
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Warlock
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« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2010, 08:49:35 PM » |
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i have an 05 chevy k1500. recently something has started draining my battery overnight. tried a new battery. not it. checked the charging system battery was 12.7, started voltage was 14.3 truck starts fine all day then drains overnight. am i right to charge the battery up, put an ammeter on it and start pulling fuses until i find the offending circuit? just waiting for weather to warm up enough that the brass monkey can go out with me Also check your ground wires good. Make sure they are grounded good on the engine block and also the frame. David |
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 I don't want to hear the labor pains, I just want to see the baby |
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junior
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« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2010, 01:24:23 AM » |
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if its a chevy, the alt should have 1 wire that feeds the batt, remove it from the alt using a test light remove the neg term and put the testlight in between the neg cable and neg post touch the alt cable to the stud of the alt it the testlight lights up you have a bad diode in the alt. whitch is backfeeding and drainning your batt
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Patrick
Member
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
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« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2010, 04:15:45 AM » |
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Yep, what you want to do is correct.. This is one place where you can still use a test light and look for voltage.. Has something happened or been done recently, like a jump start ??
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sugerbear
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« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2010, 06:53:42 AM » |
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yes, the truck set for about 4 months. battery went dead then. jumped it and drove it for several months.
nothing has been added or removed.
thanks i'll start with these suggestions and let you know.
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PatrickDoss
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« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2010, 08:01:44 PM » |
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Be aware that when you first reconnect the battery through the meter, the draw will be a lot higher than after it's had a chance to sit for, say, 30 minutes. There are a lot of modules that need to power up and then time out.
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Robert
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« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2010, 04:53:37 PM » |
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Sounds like a draw but check the battery also, I have seen batteries that will hold a charge in for awhile and then drop dead. Sometimes its a sulfated cell especially if you let the battery drop dead while it was sitting. You need a regular battery tester to make sure. But you are on the right track
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“Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don’t have time for all that.”
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Patrick
Member
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
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« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2010, 07:38:14 AM » |
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Yep, I also agree with Robert that it could be the battery if no current draw is found.. Batteries today can be a real problem when they have gone flat and have been recharged.. Another thought is, do you have any electronic corrosion protection ?? They are famous for failing and will then draw a battery in matter of hours..
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sugerbear
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« Reply #10 on: January 09, 2010, 05:36:17 PM » |
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bump
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junior
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« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2010, 12:00:33 PM » |
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so a bump fixed it?
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fudgie
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Posts: 10613
Better to be judged by 12, then carried by 6.
Huntington Indiana
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« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2010, 12:24:38 PM » |
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so a bump fixed it?
Maybe he dropped the battery.  |
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 Now you're in the world of the wolves... And we welcome all you sheep... VRCC-#7196 VRCCDS-#0175 DTR PGR |
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Patrick
Member
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
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« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2010, 02:48:56 PM » |
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Bump heh,, Sometimes bumps are great things.. They re-align all the electrons and get them flowing in the right direction,, they can be stubborn like that sometimes.. I know I need a bump every now and again,, JoAnn bumps me with a pot to get me flowing in the right direction at times..
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sugerbear
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« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2010, 07:10:59 PM » |
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just updated on my first post, reread it. ya my wife "bumps" me too, she makes sure the bruises don't show though.  |
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Patrick
Member
Posts: 15433
VRCC 4474
Largo Florida
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« Reply #15 on: January 11, 2010, 07:25:43 AM » |
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If I were a betting man, I think my money would be on the courtesy lites..
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