Moral()rc

Running the tests right now that we're suggested.
Intial stuff is:

Before start: 12.20
Running charge: 13.90
Engine off lights on, clamps: 12.12
Engine off lights on, posts: 12.07

Ill get back with the test here in a couple hours with the last results.

​Took a picture just so I can get this settled


It says .02 now but it usually says .03

2 years from interstate batt

nujeepguy

if your reading is 30 milliamp then your batt must be bad?

Moral()rc

Went back and measured it again after it sat for a bit. With the lights on it was at 11.89

CurrySoSpicy

I'm confused, a 20mA load is not going to drain the battery. Excited to see what the problem is. There is almost no bread trail of clues to follow. If I had to go with the evidence, it honestly doesn't seem like you have a parasitic draw.

moparado

During the 2nd headlight load test, are the headlights extremely dim?
The best battery load test is to remove the battery and take it to AZ to get a true battery load test.

One more quick battery exercise to maybe get a ball park idea of the internal impedance inside the battery.
All batteries have some while a bad battery will have a lot.
With a fresh charged battery, 'engine off', turn on the headlights.
Then measure the voltage across the battery.
If the battery voltage drops considerably, i'd suspect a bad battery.

Looks like a HF multi-meter?
Do you have or can borrow another multi-meter as a double check?

For a more accurate amperage draw measurement try this.
Remove the red test lead before changing the meter scale-important.
Set the meter dial to 200m on the DCA scale then move the red test lead to the V(Ohm)mA jack below the 10ADC jack and plug it in.
It should still be 20 to 30 ma.
This will give a more accurate current draw measurement.

Caution: If your multi-meter is lying for some reason and the amperage draw is much higher than 200ma it could either blow an internal fuse in the meter or fry it. Thats why i suggested using another meter as a check.

Other things.
Also, if your Jeep has one, disconnect the OEM under hood trouble light connector.

Might want to also disconnect the remote printed circuit board connector inside the dome light housing if your Jeep is remote capable.
It has power applied to it 24/7.

fb97xj1

I always make it a point to check the battery electrolyte levels when voltages are down, or suspect a bad battery in general. Run too low for too long and the battery will go bad. If the caps are removable, pop them off and check each cell. Top them off (slowly) if need be, and do not overfill or the battery will boil over. Use distilled water only, no tap. The water will take on a concave appearance when full. Dont get any electrolyte currently in the battery in your eyes and avoid prolonged skin contact. It may be water going in, but the charging process turns that water acidic.

Never used this myself, but still interesting.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/battery_runs_down.htm

Moral()rc

Headlights looked the same during the second test. Took the battery to interstate batt and had them test it. Guy said it was at 80% but it looked good. I let it run after getting home and tested the battery and got a 12.60.


Unless you mean something different that just testing on the posts and clamps that's what I did for the above test. I tested once again after it sat for 2 hours and got the same reading.

Had a friend come over and used their meter to run the first test and then used both for the second one. Got this result.




This was the first thing I disconnected, thing has been broken for a while anyways.

Really appreciate all the help with this guy's. I love this vehicle and it's driving me mad that I can't figure this out, seems like nothings wrong.

BlueRidgeMark

That's not going to drain your battery overnight. Hmmm.....

Measurement method correct? Check.
Meter settings correct? Check.
Voltage readings seem to make sense? Check.

So, what could be draining the battery when the hood is closed and nobody is taking measurements? Is the battery making a partial contact with the hood itself? Is the cable itself making a connection somewhere when it's connected, that is removed when its disconnected? Long shot, but nothing here makes sense. More likely is that the battery has an internal drain. Battery testers may not find a "slow leak".

Well, there is one other possibility that comes to mind. Troll. It's been done before. We had someone here just a month or so ago who posted a set of electrical symptoms that were completely impossible. Then someone mentioned the troll possibility, and that was the last we heard of him.

I guess we'll see.....

Moral()rc

I'll check for any places that the battery could be touching/a wire touching but I'm pretty sure it's not happening right now.

As to the idea that it could be an internal drain in the battery: is there any way to test for this or is it something that can only be fixed by putting in a new battery and seeing if that fixes the problem?

As for the troll thing, promise I'm not a troll, this issue is as 100% true. Of course, if I was one I would say that anyways so honor system I guess.

moparado

After the battery testing including the Interstate load test and verifying the current draw is 17.6 ma, i think you determined your battery appears ok as is the current draw you double measured.
On to further trouble shooting now.

Yeah, 17.6 ma is not going drain a good battery overnight and once more that current draw is normal.
I've had dome lights left on by partially closed doors for a day or two and was still able to start the vehicle.

Only thing now that makes any sense is what BlueRidgeMark suggested:
Other than having a better multi-meter with a peak hold function, you might try leaving the hood open overnight with a freshly charged battery.

Once again, does your Jeep have the OEM under hood trouble light?
Did you disconnect its connector as i mentioned earlier?

Can you post a picture of the + battery clamp area?

I think the testing pretty much covered battery self-discharge. Besides, you mentioned earlier that disconnecting the battery clamp over night allows the engine to start in the morning.
If the battery were self discharging overnight, i would expect its open circuit voltage to drop.

Also you tested for any high abnormal battery internal impedance issues by turning on the headlights and measuring the battery voltage.
If that issue existed, the battery voltage would of dropped a lot more than measured.

Think of this as an equivalent circuit with an internal resistor in series with the battery cells all inside the battery itself.
The higher the current draw from the battery the higher the voltage drop across that internal resistor robbing voltage across the outside battery posts.
One of the reasons battery voltages drop significantly when cranking the starter motor over.

Moral()rc

I'm going to try to take a look at the connection and see if anything could be touching later today and I'll get a picture of my connections up when I check that.





Just for clarification, you are talking about the light that comes on when the hood is raised, correct?

If that is what you are talking about I disconnected that light at the start of these issues as I mentioned earlier. The cord and connector are still in place but the light itself has been taken off for a while now.

RRXJeeper71

I had same issue
It was my dome light
I removed mine

BlueRidgeMark

Ooops. Yep. I forgot he mentioned that.

Moral()rc

Just the front or the back as well?

moparado

A dome light left on is gonna draw a hell of a lot more than 17ma.
That is unless a door switch or something mysteriously malfunctions over night.
Something is obviously going on over night.

Where's the pic of your + battery terminals?

Is the hood touching the + battery post/terminals?

List all the aftermarket accessories in the Jeep including alarms, head units, sub woofers, fogs, etc.

I could be wrong but i think you already said you disconnected the alternator.
True?

Last resort, did you try swapping out the battery with a known good one?

I'm starting to think, not quite there yet that BlueRidgeMark just might be right with the troll thing.