BATTERY DRAINS OVER NIGHT

[MassHoe04]

Old school get a test light remove battery cable-hook end of test light to cable touch the other end to battery were you took off cable.Pull each fuse one at a time until test light goes out.Problem circuit will show it self very quick then you have to track down what in that circuit is drawing your battery down not hard to do.

That is the kind of simple that borders on genius! Definitely a technique to keep in mind for future use, if ever looking for a drain on the battery.

I know some basic electrical, but testing and diagnostics is not my strong point.
Now the really stupid question...
Which side of the battery with the tester? Or does it matter?

 

[Fless]

OP hasn't been on here in three weeks; wonder if he found anything yet. Hit 'n run!

Use the voltage drop method without pulling any fuses, at least for starters. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

 

[corvette744]

OP hasn't been on here in three weeks; wonder if he found anything yet. Hit 'n run!

Use the voltage drop method without pulling any fuses, at least for starters. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

Agree with fless but the test light method i have done it that way for 35 years hasnt failed me yet.When you pull the fuse and test light goes out you found your circut.Sometimes takes less than 5 minutes-does not matter on which cable either to answer the question.Everyone should own a test light not many people have a multimeter.50 percent of the time i have looked it was from add on products customer put on.Have also seen alternators drain batt.

 

[jwide66]

I would like to know how to understand more on how to rig up the test light procedure. If Fless or Corvette could elaborate more on it...Thanks

 

[OR VietVet]

I would like to know how to understand more on how to rig up the test light procedure. If Fless or Corvette could elaborate more on it...Thanks

Welcome to the forum.

He is talking about what is laid out in detail in post #10, of this thread. He is talking about the negative battery cable disconnect. You are completing a circuit with the test light connected between the battery and the cable end. When you pull the right fuse or relay, that light will go out and the draw/completed circuit, that lit up the test light, is no longer a completed circuit and the light is out. Remember, some circuits/fuses/relays, have more than one system/circuit on that fuse or relay and sometimes there is "keep alive memory" that is alive when the key is off and vehicle is sitting and is drawing a very small amount of battery power. That drawn amount is allowed. We are talking a measured amount of draw measured in milliamps. Then you can get a DVOM out to measure the draw amount and see if that circuit that is drawing power, is actually an ok circuit draw. You may come across a few circuits like that. The key is to find the circuit that is drawing TOO much current. What can really piss you off is an intermittent draw that is too much and will not show when you are testing. Intermittent problems are the worst.

 

[Fless]

I would like to know how to understand more on how to rig up the test light procedure. If Fless or Corvette could elaborate more on it...Thanks

I didn't see this until just now. If you want to 'tag' someone start with the "@" key and start typing the username, like this: @jwide66. The tagged user will get an alert.

I don't use the test light method; I use the one that I posted in the #4 post in this thread. Either put an ammeter in line with the negative cable or I use a very sensitive clamp meter that reads down to DC mA.