Battery draw of 1.5 amps, how to trace it...

[la350]

I'm a new 6.5 owner with a battery drain problem. After a week or so the batteries are weak enough that I have needed a jump. One battery is a year old Orbital 1000 cca and the other, a Delco 1000 cca about 3 weeks old. I replaced the one battery as I had problems starting the car as soon as I bought it as it had the Orbital and a 550 cca Walmart battery in it. When charging, the charger stays at 5 amps and never drops no matter how long I have it hooked up to the two batteries.

Today, after getting a jump, I drove home, disconnected one negative lead and found a 1.5 amp draw. I pulled all the fuses one by one out of the interior fuse panel and then those on the drivers side engine compartment panel. Nothing changed the draw. I then disconnected the CB radio and brake controller and no change either. Any suggestions on how to continue the pursuit of this?

I also ran a few codes as the engine light was on for a day or so. I got a 236 (turbo vac) and 380 glow plug relay. Could it be the glow plug relay? Starter? HELP!!

Lance

[rameye]

It could be the glow relay if its stuck closed a bit...disconnect one of the heavy lugs on the side...take it out of the loop and check the draw.

Also disconnect the alternator...if the diodes go bad it can bleed the battery dead....disconnect and check draw....

Same goes for the starter solenoid....

Be patient...you'll find it...dont let the batteries go dead..keep a charger on them to keep up with the draw down.

good luck

[JohnC]

Pulling one ground lead off of a 2 battery system only adds to the confusion. Was the current flow from the body of the vehicle to the negative terminal of the battery, or from the negative terminal of the battery to the chassis? Which battery did you do the test on?


It sounds like one battery may be draining the other. It is recommended under most circumstances to replace both batteries at the same time. At least you want 2 batteries of similar chemistry. I guess if you want to do some testing, I'd charge both batteries, separately, and then load test each one, also separtately. I suspect you'll find one has a weak or dead cell.

[la350]

I pulled the Orbital out and replaced it with a new Delco. Seems to have stopped the drain down problem.

Thanks for all the advice,

Lance