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parasitic drain, whats normal

Old Aug 22, 2011 | 09:20 PM
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wildcat's Avatar
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Default parasitic drain, whats normal

i just checked my drain with everything turned off and meter read .24 amps. is this enough to run down a battery in 3-4 days?
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Old Aug 22, 2011 | 09:29 PM
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Originally Posted by wildcat
i just checked my drain with everything turned off and meter read .24 amps. is this enough to run down a battery in 3-4 days?
Yes, your looking for less that 50 mAmps = 0.050 Amps

A quarter amp could be a bulb. check your visor vanity lamps, if you have them and glove box lamp if you have one...

any thing pluged into the cigar lighter or accessory port?

To pinpoint a draw, open your door and hold the door switch. then pull fuses one at a time till it goes away. then you'll know what circuit it's on.

radios and alternators can also short internally and cause this.

Good luck!
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Old Aug 23, 2011 | 08:33 AM
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Relays stuck closed also are a common culprit.

You were told the correct way to find the offending circuit. It's very time consuming, potentially, but often is the only foolproof way to figure out where the excess drain is coming from. If you have an assistant, one of you to pull and replace fuses and the other to watch the meter, it will go faster. Try to use a digital voltimeter if you either have one or access to one. It is much easier to read especially for small increments.
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Old Aug 24, 2011 | 09:36 AM
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thanks yall! looks like my bride will be helping me with some electrical work soon. i will do like you explained. i did take the radio off a hot slot and put it on a keyed hot. haven't checked it since though.
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Old Aug 26, 2011 | 07:49 PM
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it was my radio. i plugged it in a keyed hot. now my prasitic drain is .04 amps. thanks yall!
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Old Aug 27, 2011 | 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by wildcat
it was my radio. i plugged it in a keyed hot. now my prasitic drain is .04 amps. thanks yall!
It's always satisfying to solve a problem!
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