Help with chasing battery drain
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
Help with chasing battery drain
I have a parasitic drain, or am in the process of determining if I do, on my 2000 MN6. No codes. New battery, 12.75 V,
hood light disconnected.
Okay, I have my amp meter set up in line with my negative terminal and the ground cable. I currently read 1.206 amps. Following one of Bill Curlee's old posts, from what I understand I have to wait 10 - 15 minutes for the car to go to sleep. Is that correct? Also, he said that every time you pull a fuse, it wakes the car back up, so you have to wait another 10 - 15 minutes. Can I leave the door open? Won't the car go to sleep with the door open? I realize my target is between 20 and 30 ma.
With the battery disconnected and using the jump wires connected to the amp meter, is there still enough current to wake the car up?
Mike
hood light disconnected.
Okay, I have my amp meter set up in line with my negative terminal and the ground cable. I currently read 1.206 amps. Following one of Bill Curlee's old posts, from what I understand I have to wait 10 - 15 minutes for the car to go to sleep. Is that correct? Also, he said that every time you pull a fuse, it wakes the car back up, so you have to wait another 10 - 15 minutes. Can I leave the door open? Won't the car go to sleep with the door open? I realize my target is between 20 and 30 ma.
With the battery disconnected and using the jump wires connected to the amp meter, is there still enough current to wake the car up?
Mike
Last edited by SoAlVette; Mar 12, 2016 at 12:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
I waited 20 minutes, still reads 1.206 amps. I opened the door, the draw did not change, does that mean that my car is not going to sleep? Am I doing something wrong? When I opened the door, my interior lights did not come on.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
When you INSERT the amp meter between the NEG batt terminal and the cable, you SHOULD see a rather large current spike.. Mine usually goes to approx. 8 amps. It then falls off in 2-3 small steps down to minimum draw.
YES,, you can leave the door open and when it goes to sleep, just pulling a fuse shouldn't wake it up. IF you insert it back in the slot, it may depending on what the load is, wake up.
If you measure between BATT terminal and the red wire on the back of the ALT, you should see ZERO amps
YES,, you can leave the door open and when it goes to sleep, just pulling a fuse shouldn't wake it up. IF you insert it back in the slot, it may depending on what the load is, wake up.
If you measure between BATT terminal and the red wire on the back of the ALT, you should see ZERO amps
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
Okay, I'm doing something wrong. I do not get a spike. I am still getting a reading of 1.206 to 1.211, which is too high if it is asleep. I would like to try to isolate the engine fuse box to eliminate one or the other. Tried disconnecting the red wire on the engine fuse box stud(there are 2, a red and a black), still get the same readings.
Does that mean my problem is coming from the engine fuse box?
On the alternator, I disconnected the main red wire(to the battery}, and tested from it to where it was connected on the alternator. The negative battery cable was disconnected. Should the battery have been hooked up?
Does that mean my problem is coming from the engine fuse box?
On the alternator, I disconnected the main red wire(to the battery}, and tested from it to where it was connected on the alternator. The negative battery cable was disconnected. Should the battery have been hooked up?
Last edited by SoAlVette; Mar 12, 2016 at 03:22 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Okay, I'm doing something wrong. I do not get a spike. I am still getting a reading of 1.206 to 1.211, which is too high if it is asleep. I would like to try to isolate the engine fuse box to eliminate one or the other. Tried disconnecting the red wire on the engine fuse box stud(there are 2, a red and a black), still get the same readings.
Does that mean my problem is coming from the engine fuse box?
On the alternator, I disconnected the main red wire(to the battery}, and tested from it to where it was connected on the alternator. The negative battery cable was disconnected. Should the battery have been hooked up?
Does that mean my problem is coming from the engine fuse box?
On the alternator, I disconnected the main red wire(to the battery}, and tested from it to where it was connected on the alternator. The negative battery cable was disconnected. Should the battery have been hooked up?
YES,, When you read alternator AMPS, the battery MUST be connected. How can it read amps with out power..
Bill
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Heres what mine looks like YEA YEA,,,,, I know,,,,, mine has three wires.
The NON OEM wire on mine is the fused power feed to my heated seats that I installed.
Yours SHOULD only have the TWO RED wires:
The NON OEM wire on mine is the fused power feed to my heated seats that I installed.
Yours SHOULD only have the TWO RED wires:
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Mar 12, 2016 at 03:45 PM.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
Here is what mine looks like, I have the CAGS skip as well. It is on red, one black.
Also, I just connected the battery and tested the alternator again, this is what I got. Is this my problem?
Also, I just connected the battery and tested the alternator again, this is what I got. Is this my problem?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
You should have ZERO amps on that alternator reading! WELL,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Theres your issue!
With the alternator disconnected, what is the battery current draw reading???
I bet it goes to sleep and in the normal range!!
With the alternator disconnected, what is the battery current draw reading???
I bet it goes to sleep and in the normal range!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
I've read some posts on here where members have had trouble buying aftermarket alternators for the C5's. Is it better to have this one rebuilt, or is there a specific make/model alternator that will not give me any issues?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
Well, I tried getting a reading of amp draw with the alternator disconnected, and i am still getting 1.209. Now I really don't understand. If the alternator is drawing 1.112, with it disconnected the draw at the battery should have gone down, but it did not. thoughts?
Last edited by SoAlVette; Mar 12, 2016 at 08:39 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
Looking at my picture in post 9 showing my engine fuse box, is the red wire the one feeding the inside fuse box, or the black wire. Still would like to isolate the boxes since the alternator may not be the only point of my drain
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 739
From: Miami FL
One goes from the stud to the battery. The other one is the one that goes inside
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 415
Likes: 19
From: Mobile Alabama
So, if I disconnected the one that goes to the battery and was still getting draw on the battery, then it was neither of the fuse boxes, and takes me back to the alternator, if it was the line going to the inside box, could still be the engine box. If I disconnect both wires, that disconnects both fuse boxes, correct?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 739
From: Miami FL
It might be a good idea to reconnect everything and do this all over again.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 739
From: Miami FL
Yes, but to do that is enough to disconnect just the cable between the battery and the stud, like we discussed above.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,275
Likes: 739
From: Miami FL
