something is sucking my battery down!!!!

jaysmooth77 · Feb 22, 2016

Someone please help,i have a 99 f150 4.6 v8 and my guages went crazy one day,my lights
Went dim and then my truck died.so i thought is was alternator,i was wrong but i put a new alternator and new battery
On it anyways.(thank god for warrantys)something is still drianing my battery.i pulled radio to see if the people i bought
Truck from hooked it up correct,it has loose bare connections big time.will that cause a short that would drian battery?? Any body please help.

PEG · Feb 22, 2016

Hi dude,If the battery and alternator were replaced under warranty,did not the installers of said items,check for operation and issues?

How long does it take to "drain",what lights are functioning on the dash,what other indications are there,of problems?

Your bare wires,are more likely to cause fusing and melting issues,than a steady discharge,but it would depend on what they were,and what they contacted with.

telectrix · Feb 22, 2016

you need a d.c. clamp meter, perferably with a resolution down to milliamps. clamp the main battery lead with everything turned off. then by pulling fuses one at a time, you may be able to trace the fault.

jaysmooth77 · Feb 22, 2016

Ok thank you very much

jaysmooth77 · Feb 22, 2016

It was drianing over night and acouple times it happened while i was driving.i pull the radio fuse lastnight and this morning the battery was fully charged.Im not sure if that was the problem or its just taking longer to drian this time.

PEG · Feb 22, 2016

The fuse pulling method,is fine,if the drain is on a protected circuit. Some circuits will not be fused,such as starter,alternator etc,and some will be fused away from the main fuse boxes,or with resets,such as radios,electric windows/seats,heater plugs etc.

Too much reliance on electrics...me and my pal,had a Fordson Major that never had a starter motor...just had to park it up on the same hillock when done...:bow:

ruston · Feb 22, 2016

PEG said:
The fuse pulling method,is fine,if the drain is on a protected circuit. Some circuits will not be fused,such as starter,alternator etc,and some will be fused away from the main fuse boxes,or with resets,such as radios,electric windows/seats,heater plugs etc.

Too much reliance on electrics...me and my pal,had a Fordson Major that never had a starter motor...just had to park it up on the same hillock when done...:bow:

We had an Invicta roller that had a wind up starter motor. Not great for bump starting lol.