Battery Drainage? - F-Series & SuperDuty Diesel Forums

patshea098 · 09-19-2011, 01:15 PM

ok everyone, this is weird to me. Obviously something is draining my power from my batteries. If i forget to unplug my batteries after driving (like if the truck is going to sit for more than 5 hours) then the batteries get drained enough to where i cant start my truck.

How can i figure out what exactly is draining it? I kinda think its my amplifier because its old and pretty ****ty but im not sure at all.

DaveBen · 09-19-2011, 01:31 PM

I would suspect your batteries. They quit holding a charge when they are at the end of their life. I would get them tested, INDIVIDUALLY, to see if you need new ones. Then you can start to look for other causes for the battery drain.

Dave

DaveBen · 09-19-2011, 01:32 PM

By the way, get them LOAD TESTED and not with just a volt meter.

Dave

BIG JOE · 09-19-2011, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBen

By the way, get them LOAD TESTED and not with just a volt meter.

Dave

And if one Battery checks Bad, or Weak ? Replace them BOTH.

1 good New batt + 1 good (?) Old batt = Still possible No starts & all kinds of electrical/electronic Gremlins... Soon to come.

Joe

patshea098 · 09-19-2011, 04:02 PM

i should add that these batteries are no less then 2 months ago....this is the third pair of batteries ive had beacuse of this problem....so it IS NOT the batteries

now more suggestions

haha

BIG JOE · 09-19-2011, 06:39 PM

How 'bout the Alternater. Bad diod, bad regulator (internal).. or that AMP. Starter, Starter solinoid, Batt Cables & clamps all good ? Clean ?

What kinda Batts ? What Group, amps, CCamps. Rccamps ??

Stroked68 · 09-19-2011, 07:36 PM

What about the AIH? My AIH solenoid stuck "On" and would run the AIH heater element causing my batts to drain in about 10min or so. I just deleted the AIH and disconnected the solenoid. Fixed the prob. Could be the alt too.

iracemine · 09-20-2011, 07:15 AM

there was a really good write up on this drainage thing on here. You might have to do some hard searching, but it explained how to put the volt meter in line and start unplugging things and as soon as the volts stopped flowing that was your source for the problem.

Deerjager · 09-20-2011, 12:35 PM

Have you checked your battery cables and all the connections? Is the sheathing on the cables still in good shape?

patshea098 · 09-20-2011, 01:02 PM

I have interstate megatrons.
alternator is fine because when i drive the batteries charge and will stay recharged as i drive constantly its only if the truck sits for like overnight do they drain

where is the AIH solenoid and disconnect? i Might try that....any way to tell if its stuck "on"?

and all connections are nice and clean!

09-19-2011, 01:15 PM	#1
patshea098 SDD Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Braselton Georgia Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Battery Drainage? ok everyone, this is weird to me. Obviously something is draining my power from my batteries. If i forget to unplug my batteries after driving (like if the truck is going to sit for more than 5 hours) then the batteries get drained enough to where i cant start my truck. How can i figure out what exactly is draining it? I kinda think its my amplifier because its old and pretty ****ty but im not sure at all. __________________ 2000 XLT F350 Crew Cab Long Bed 12" Lift, 40" M-16/20" XD Monsters, DI transmission and 6 position chip, much more.... 498HP/987TQ

09-19-2011, 01:31 PM	#2
DaveBen SDD Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ukiah, California Posts: 7,869 Thanks: 127 Thanked 506 Times in 489 Posts	I would suspect your batteries. They quit holding a charge when they are at the end of their life. I would get them tested, INDIVIDUALLY, to see if you need new ones. Then you can start to look for other causes for the battery drain. Dave __________________ 2004 F-350 Regular cab with 6.0, Torqshift, 4X4, and just about all of the rest of the options. I added Guages, Satellite Radio, Air Horns, and a coolant filter. Bilstein shocks. Battery Desulphater that really works. Installed Jimmi Jammers. Pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/dbennett48 Completely Stock. I had a Detroit Diesel 8V92TA in a KW dump truck in 1980. That sucker would put out 425 hp but would never out pull a CAT.

09-19-2011, 01:32 PM	#3
DaveBen SDD Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ukiah, California Posts: 7,869 Thanks: 127 Thanked 506 Times in 489 Posts	By the way, get them LOAD TESTED and not with just a volt meter. Dave __________________ 2004 F-350 Regular cab with 6.0, Torqshift, 4X4, and just about all of the rest of the options. I added Guages, Satellite Radio, Air Horns, and a coolant filter. Bilstein shocks. Battery Desulphater that really works. Installed Jimmi Jammers. Pictures here: http://community.webshots.com/user/dbennett48 Completely Stock. I had a Detroit Diesel 8V92TA in a KW dump truck in 1980. That sucker would put out 425 hp but would never out pull a CAT.

09-19-2011, 04:02 PM	#5
patshea098 SDD Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Braselton Georgia Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	i should add that these batteries are no less then 2 months ago....this is the third pair of batteries ive had beacuse of this problem....so it IS NOT the batteries now more suggestions haha __________________ 2000 XLT F350 Crew Cab Long Bed 12" Lift, 40" M-16/20" XD Monsters, DI transmission and 6 position chip, much more.... 498HP/987TQ

09-19-2011, 07:36 PM	#7
Stroked68 This is FORD Country Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Eudora, KS Posts: 945 Thanks: 11 Thanked 64 Times in 63 Posts View Photos By: Stroked68	What about the AIH? My AIH solenoid stuck "On" and would run the AIH heater element causing my batts to drain in about 10min or so. I just deleted the AIH and disconnected the solenoid. Fixed the prob. Could be the alt too. __________________ 1999 Ford F250 Superduty 4x4 sb ext cab 7.3L DIY Intake-MBRP 4" turbo back smokers kit with dual 6" Miter stacks-Autometer UltraLite Triple pillar gauge KMC HPX SS Crossover Line-Shimmed FPR 74-75psi AIH delete-ZooDad Mod-08 rear diff cover-Harpoon mod-Hutch mod-Recon LED smoked cab lights Bed liner on bottom 1/4 of truck-Fumoto drain valve 275k and counting!

09-19-2011, 06:39 PM	#6
BIG JOE SDD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: CenCal Posts: 4,377 Thanks: 101 Thanked 392 Times in 381 Posts	How 'bout the Alternater. Bad diod, bad regulator (internal).. or that AMP. Starter, Starter solinoid, Batt Cables & clamps all good ? Clean ? What kinda Batts ? What Group, amps, CCamps. Rccamps ??

09-20-2011, 07:15 AM	#8
iracemine black and tan Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cheese Curtain Posts: 914 Thanks: 46 Thanked 44 Times in 40 Posts	there was a really good write up on this drainage thing on here. You might have to do some hard searching, but it explained how to put the volt meter in line and start unplugging things and as soon as the volts stopped flowing that was your source for the problem. __________________ coolant filter (dieselsite), CCV Mod (home made), 4" MBRP turbo back (dieselsite), turbo temp monitor (ISSPROdieselsite), DIY triple gauge kit (ITPdeisel), "fuel filler mod" (home made), stock 7.3 99.5' 2WD W/ more power than I need. Be green... drink kegged beer! www.micromatic.com you'll thank me

09-20-2011, 12:35 PM	#9
Deerjager Meister Gewehr Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Forest City, NC Posts: 190 Thanks: 4 Thanked 20 Times in 20 Posts View Photos By: Deerjager	Have you checked your battery cables and all the connections? Is the sheathing on the cables still in good shape? __________________ 2001 F-250 XLT CC SB 4X4, Auto & 3.73 gears 71K miles, AFE filter, Tuner, stock rims, changed head & turn lights over to '03, Rancho Shocks, MANIK brush guard, Added power driver seat and 3 bar light under tailgate, Muffler deleted, ZooDad Mod. LED lighting in camper shell. "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."-Thomas Jefferson Liberalism is an insult to one's common sense! I was anti-Obama before anti-Obama was cool ! μολων λαβέ NRA Life Member

09-20-2011, 01:02 PM	#10
patshea098 SDD Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Braselton Georgia Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I have interstate megatrons. alternator is fine because when i drive the batteries charge and will stay recharged as i drive constantly its only if the truck sits for like overnight do they drain where is the AIH solenoid and disconnect? i Might try that....any way to tell if its stuck "on"? and all connections are nice and clean! __________________ 2000 XLT F350 Crew Cab Long Bed 12" Lift, 40" M-16/20" XD Monsters, DI transmission and 6 position chip, much more.... 498HP/987TQ

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