Why is the Battery Going Dead? This One Will Surprise You!!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.พ. 2023
- Alternators are supposed to charge the battery, not drain them.. Right?!?
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@WrenchingWithKenny @snafuperformance2136 @traditionovertrend2704 #keepwrenching #wesselmotorworks #wrenchingwithkenny #mechanic #automechanic #autorepair #automotiverepair - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
A few years ago I see the neighbor kids car is parked out on the corner of my yard. He comes out and tells me he was having electrical problems with his car and the gas station told him he needed a new battery and alternator. Sunroof is open all night because car died in front of my house. I tell him to open the hood and there is a huge chunk of corrosion on the battery terminal=long story I cleaned the terminal with baking soda and as soon as I connected it the sunroof closed. Car was AOK and the gas station was trying to screw him. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. He now was my best friend !
Knowledge is power, and a good heart and kindness is priceless!
4 amp draw would indicate that the field is still activated when the engine is off. I found that this is easy to check by touching a screwdriver to the alternator pulley [engine off of course] if the screwdriver tries to stick to the pulley it is magnetized by the current going thru the rotor thus indicating the regulator is stuck on therefore condemning the alternator
DING-DING-DING!!!! THIS IS THE BEST, EASY TELL!!!!
Huh, learn something new everyday, thanks,. I know shorted diodes will cause a draw.
awesome tidbit.
Thank you! Good information brother!
4 way high for shut off vehicle
Kenny -I am a back yard mic-a-nik. I have had 3 unusual battery draws, that are rare. First, my sisters car battery would drain over night. the problem turned out to be a dirty starter, the filth , dirt and stater brush wear caused a path to ground...cleaned the starter, no more problem. next a audio cassette stuck in the radio, kept trying to eject, but was so quiet, you did not know it. Next a bad diode, in the alternator, was blown closed, draining the battery over night. I hope my comments, may help someone.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Thanks for watching the channel 🔧
@@WrenchingWithKenny You should rewire the Radio to ACC and not Bat. With the key in the off position that drain issue would not occur.
@@majwor3763I would suggest a completely separate switch and fuse and not use the Accessories at all. Most modern entertainment units have a "Parasitic" drain happening to preserve it's memory. Also a constant fuse blowing is also a common occurrence due to excessive load. There are actually kits that have everything you need.
@@gilbertsandoval1888 All the memory stuff gets hooked to BAT...The rest to ACC...I've owned and operated a Automotive Shop for 40+ years for a living and am a Master Automotive Tech. I think I know what I'm talking about.
I can appreciate this channel, no background, kids, pets, long non-pertient stories OR annoying background music, that interferes with the educational content of the subject matter.
I've been a mechanic for over 40 years, It's really nice these days to see someone who actually knows how to troubleshoot. These days so many guys just plug in a scanner and if they can't find a code they give up.
or replace whatever
I am no mechanic but do have some knowledge i am more of a hands on approach but still use my scanner just to verify
The art of critical thinking is lost with most people today.
👍
@@josh6715 There is nothing wrong with using a scanner, but a for the most part a scanner does only one thing, it tells you if a sensor is either in or out of range, If you get a code for a coolant temp sensor, it doesn't mean the sensor is bad it just means the sensor is reading out of range, could be many thing in the cooling system that failing that's causing the sensor to kick a code. I've seen guys change the sensor 3 times complaining the sensor was bad out of the box, but in reality the fan clutch was beginning to fail and was raising the water temp just outside of the sensor range but not enough to kick on the high temp light or make much of a change in the gauge. The coolant sensor also plays a big part in controlling the air/fuel mixture, temp sensor basically is the engines choke in cold weather start ups.
Just recently found your channel. I like how you fix stuff...no nonsense, no theatrics, just repairs.
I read in a comment somewhere that there was a black guy said that he likes to fix s*** I didn't know you could fix that
@@mrhamburger6936
0:35 l
@@mrhamburger6936 loll.....you made my day, thank you sir!!!
Athefumen
I chased a phantom discharge on an old Chrysler New Yorker for a friend of a friend's dad. Stealership had sold them an alternator and a battery prior, which did not fix the discharge issue.
I measured the draw on the battery, and started pulling fuses until it went away. The issue turned out to be a broken cable on the power antenna. When you shut the key off or turn off the radio, the power antenna was supposed to retract -- unless the nylon cable inside the antenna mast was broken, and then the motor kept running because the antenna never hit the limit switch.
Long ago I found an old Chrysler clock hands were stuck and the clock motor was drawing an amp or two killed battery after a few days.
I beat on it sprayed with WD-40 and it fixed it .
1979 a Gas station mechanic kid then .
I swapped out the power aerial for an amplified roof mounted shark fin (good quality one) - never looked back
I would recommend investing in a clamp on DC amprobe. It is similar to the ones that electricians use, but it works on DC. Without disconnecting any wires, you can look at current flowing in/out of the battery even before waking up the computers. Clip over the alternator output to see what it is doing. In addition, you can isolate leakage currents by clipping on individual wires coming from fuse panels. I was a two-way radio tech and started using one and now everyone in the shop has one. It is a real time saver.
Are you talking about a regular test like whith a volts read out on it if so allibaba has one like I'm mentioning of for 6 bucks right now an lights near any live wire figured it was good price if interested
Can you recommend a brand of meter?
Paul J, an absolute Thumbs up! Being an old guy in the fixing department of near everything that people can F*&K up. Key thing is" KNOW THE BASICS OF WHAT YOU ARE WORKING ON!" The tools do not make the person, the person that knows how and which of the tools to use to find the issue and gets the fix done High Five. To diagnose things properly you need to know your s(#t.
Most Amp Clamps only can measure AC.
For DC, you need a better one, based on a Hall sensor element.
The Kaiweets seems to be best bang for the buck.There are about 5 models, which look similar! Go for at least the HT206D, or better the HT208D, as it also can do inrush-measuring up to 1000A, e.g. for testing the starter power or glow sticks.
@@12babyapes59Best bang for the bucks that measures DC currents down to milliamperes are definitively the Uni-T UT210E
I’m just impressed how he didn’t waste half of the day searching for the 10mm socket!!!
Edited that out! 😂
You know he had to search!😁
Why 10 mm? I have quite a few.
He immediately... found someone else's who worked on it last.
That would be me at home. Always improvising.🤔 Find things when I'm not looking for it .😏🙄
Harbor Freight sells a 10mm package. Has five or six various lengths and drives of only 10mm. Cotton Picking ingenious! I bought it, and it is still unopened. A great guarantee I won’t lose my present stock of 10’s
I had this problem with a Ford Transit 2.4d. It is actually caused by a type of ''diode'' situated in the end cover of the alternator, it normally allows the current to flow in one direction only but when this diode faulty will allow the current to flow both directions thereby allowing the battery to drain, it really is that simple. 👍
Are you 100% absolutely, positively, undoubtedly triple times SURE about that being a ( misspelled ) . . .germaniun . . . .GERMANIUM diode . . . . . as they were TOTALLY outed by silicon 50 yrs ago.
@@edwardwhatley1603 same difference really, whatever it prevents current flowing backwards which causes the battery to drain rapidly, why the silly reference to the spelling mistake?
@@merlin1346 Edward ran away... 🙄😂
😎👍☘️🍺
@@peterfitzpatrick7032 life is difficult enough without the world of Edwards ✌👍
interesting
sounds feasible
Back in the day, I would remove the Alternator, replace the rectifier bridge, diode triode, bearings, etc, same thing with starters, carburetors, etc. Then reinstall the original OEM component back on the vehicle and it last another 100K. This is why I originally became a mechanic, was all the gauges ,testers, meters used in repairing things like a surgeon. I am currently employed as a buggy whip repairman, and times are tough, boy let me tell you what!
I used to rebuild alternators too,.. and some starters and fuel pumps that you could get kits for and a Buttload of carburetors! But that was back when.......
Back in the day mechanics were trained to repair cars trucks ect. Now they're trained to be fitters. You don't have the time now by the time you removed all the s*it to get to the job the price is racking up.
THAT is a talent and the best is that you knew it was done right.
I'd think you quite busy with repairs as many folks need to get the attention of their EV without resorting to a 2x4 .
To this day when I see something like that on mine I yank it and take it to a local guy who has a DC Motor shop. He tests it and does whatever needed usually by the next day. It was $35+- back in the 80s . Now days it is around $60 but I know everything is good and not almost but not quite worn out as you can get from a big commercial rebuilder for double that price. Same deal with starters, they all stayed the same until sold or scrapped. A good mom n pop rebuilder is a fantastic guy to know , too bad they are fading away 😢
The odds are good that it's the Voltage Regulator that's bad. Not the Alternator itself. Typically they're integral to the alternator but they can be replaced separately without replacing the entire alternator. I'd also put money on boiling that battery from overcharge if not fixed. There's a good chance that the 145mA you were measuring is the input current to the regulator which also supplies the Exciter current for the Alternator's rotor via the slip rings. BTW: Never leave the battery connected when putting a wrench to the alternator output terminals. In fact it's a good practice to always disconnect Battery Ground before doing ANY electrical work!
Wakodahatchee Chris
☝️ Bingo!!
Could be that carbon build up is contributing to the 140 miliamp draw and glad that someone mentiond 'slip rings' Alternators do not have 'segments' on the comutator like dynamo's and motors so do not have dead spots.
Sometimes in real life situations you have to in order to test like he did
@@ronellis2898 True, but that doesn't negate disconnecting the battery prior to putting a wrench on the Alternator terminal. He could have then inserted the Ammeter in series with that conductor and then reconnected the battery.
Here's some Basic Auto Electric SOP:
(1) When replacing the battery always disconnect the Ground conductor first! *IMPORTANT!*
(2) Any connections that require a screwdriver or wrench to disconnect a terminal should be done with the battery disconnected. It's extremely easy to graze ground with your tool. Remember that many auto batteries have a current capacity in excess of 500 Amps! It will easily weld your wrench to chassis ground instantly! Followed by a white hot wrench and fire.
(3)* Never check battery electrolyte with an open flame! *
Wakodahatchee Chris.
@cdrive5757
I saw an article years ago where a guy built a welder out of a self exciting alternator, an old battery, and a junk lawnmower. Not your commercial quality welder, but worked well enough to use on small jobs far from any grid or road access. I suppose you could even stick an inverter on it for remote line voltage.
Seeing this makes me appreciate my Squarebody more and more.
Good stuff, keep it coming. EVERY car that I get with any kind of electrical problem I first check alternator diodes on a scope. It takes 60 seconds and eliminates this issue that can cause MANY issues with computers.
Great diagnosis Kenny. Hopefully this all works out for the customer. Keep us informed. Thank you...Pete
You are like a car detective, observing everything that may have a factor in the problem. Really great video, thank you.
Had a late 80’s Honda with no charge ,dead battery. Put in new battery to start car and confirm no charge.Car was California built , for some reason the alternator was not available in Canada, wondered what could be different but had to use local rebuilder. I dont know reasons for sure but he replaced what he said it needed and re-used rest of components. Turned out , after battery going dead 2 more times we discovered the draw , guess tech working on it at the time didnt think about draw because no charge and dead battery led him down that oath . Any way, we ended up putting 2 techs and myself on it to narrow down the issue, turned out the old rectifier plate with the diode trio had one bad diode. It was discovered the same method you did , disconnection of alternator 12 volt source live , draw went away. Rebuilder wasnt on board with our findings cause he didn’t want us to know he didn’t replace the diodes.
I had an 84 Buick Regal, if you started it and drove 2 miles the battery would be flat dead, intermittently. New battery, alternator and checked all connections, still did it maybe once a week. After months of dealing with it I unplugged the accessories problem went away, then started plugging in p/w and each accessory one at a time, the rear window defroster had a short with the switch off. If that was a customer job they would have been livid by the time the problem was sorted out, just never know when it comes to draws. With new cars the blue tooth will keep trying to connect and will drain overnight even if you don't use it, internment problems are the worst, you can't possible make money on them and usually loose a customer.
Props to you for your patient and methodical approach. Very thorough troubleshooting. I'm usually zero to profanity in about 1.2 seconds.
Going from the battery out, there's really only three places where the it's directly connected: starter, alt, and distribution block. Disconnecting the alt (most likely problem spot) would be my first step; if that doesn't do it, disconnect the starter. If that doesn't change the current draw, start pulling fuses. 9 times out of 10, this will show you where the problem is in 10 minutes or less. If none of the above solve it, you've mostly likely got a short somewhere (usually an after-market install or a wire with insulation worn through and rubbing against grounded metal.) There's no reason to turn the engine over if disconnecting the alt gets rid of the draw - you've diagnosed it already, just replace it. ☺
And yeah, 135mA is pretty high. That's better than 3 amp-hours a day/20+A per week. Again, pulling fuses is most likely to localize it - although I've seen salt deposits on a starter create a ground path from the + terminal. Never know what you'll see in this business.
We used to have a bunch of those focuses in the family. They have a few pattern failure quirks, but I don't think they're bad cars. One of the quirks is the passenger side motor mount failing. The engine is very shaky, and the design relies heavily on the dampening action of that mount to quiet it down. When it fails, the engine buzzes like a bumble bee. It's hard to tell from the video, but it sounds to me like it's bad. You're going to be in the area with the alternator replacement. It might be a valued upsell for the customer.
Taking the mount loose eases getting alternator out...
Your whole family focuses😅 that's hilarious
A lot of people don't know that a battery will self discharge at around an amp per day, this is one of the basic facts we were taught at TAFE (technical and further education) in my class as an auto electrician. Also if the battery has been discharged for too long it needs to be put on a long slow charge and if possible checked with a hydrometer after charging. The alternator will not charge the battery to the correct state from dead flat.
"an amp per day" doesn't make sense. Perhaps you meant an amp drawn continuously?
Fake news..my silveraldo sat from beginning of Nov- to - mid January this year with no starting.driving in between, just sat..last week, it fired up just like i started it the day before..that over 80days sitting..i guess i lost 80AMP's, lol.
Not sure if it's 1 amp. Milliamps 20+ I recall.
I could be wrong.
Some New batteries differ than old school leaf acid also .
I had my CAT excavator sit for 4 months started up perfect had 12.5 volts before cranking.
Kenny I like your honest approach to your work. Refreshing!
years ago ran across a weird battery drain problem on a pick up. the back window had gotten knocked out, and it rained before the guy had a chance to fix it. anyhow, window is fixed but now he has the problem that keeps killing the battery. we tracked it down to a power lead that was under the carpet that apparently had a very small hole in it, probably from getting probed by the stereo installer, and noticed this huge copper plated spot about 15 inches across, on the metal floor under the carpet mat. the mat was still pretty damp, smelled like a wet dog, anyhow, the wire was right over the copper plated spot and we also noticed it was rather crunchy when we bent it, so we cut the wire at the hole and the copper wire had pretty much completely oxidized as it was copper plating the floorboard. We replaced the wire and that fixed it.
Would really like to see the amp draw with the new alternator. I agree that the alternator is the cause of the 4 amp draw. It would be interesting to see if the 135 milliamp draw changed when the alternator was replaced.
yeah I want to see it too......please @WrenchingWithKenny
I agree some of these Videos are Very good but they leave the Full ANSWER Out.
Very good find and video! Piece of advice from a BMW and Agricultural mechanic. On cars with lots of fancy control units, never disconnect the battery and then hook up the meter. Make a jumper from the battery to your battery cable (so it can easily be removed), hook up the multi meter in parallel, but to the battery terminal directly (so it remains as connection when the jumper is removed). Turn the key on until all controls have gone through their wake up cycle. Turn the key off, LOCK THE CAR with the fob, disconnect the jumper and then see.
Reason: if you disconnect the battery and then put your multi meter, some cars will have a spike draw that will trip the meters 10amp fuse or even kill your meter. Also, there are many other places a parasitic draw can occur in modern vehicles and the car MUST go through the natural cycle of "booting up, booting down" and going to sleep with the anti theft in place. I had quite a few vehicles where a controller wouldn't fall asleep, because the CANBUS was impacted and kept it awake. A short in a radio or even light control switch can do that, but might not show up, if the booting cycle was not completed. Finicky things.
Finding a bad alternator is an easy fix good job!
That's why I have a DC clamp meter for such things. That way you don't have to disconnect anything at all.
@@wiedapp wow, must be an expensive clamp to be accurate below 5amp
@@oBseSsIoNPC Not really, was about 100 bucks. And that is accurate enough. And I'm talking about my personal one.
At work things are a bit different, there I have two of them. One can measure up to 400A AC or DC, the other one can measure down to 0.1mA AC or DC. That is way beyond anything what you need in a car in terms of accuracy. The 'big' one is for everyday use, but when the currents get really small, I pull the small one out of the drawer. Both are provided and regularly calibrated by my employer. The 'big' one you can't get anymore new, was around 350 bucks, the little one around 250. And that was one of the cheapest from a reputable manufacturer we could get. If I went with our usual brands, the little one would have cost about three to five times that.
But just so we are on the same page: I don't work on cars, besides my own and that of my immediate family and neighbors and I only do minor repairs.
I mainly work as an electrician at an industrial company, mainly doing fault finding and repairs. There we work with 0-10V and 0-20 or 4-20mA signals to control appliances from 0-100% or get readouts from 0-100%. But the current draw of each component is still a main checkpoint for fault finding. Clamp meters do make my work easy, as I can find faulty components faster and without a need to disturb the wiring and without powering something down. Because: Sometimes faults go away with a power cycle and then I don't win anything by saying I can't find the fault.
In addition the search is faster, BECAUSE I don't have to open up the wiring to put a meter in between. When I work on something, I want to get the job done and move on to the next. Only if something goes bad repeatedly I dig deeper, because I want to know why and it gets on my nerves. That makes my life easier later on. Sometimes I even can come up with a solution to reduce the occurrence of said faults.
@@wiedapp definitely! Those are great points and I do agree, an amp clamp does really well and is simpler than the previously described method.
You just showed up in my recommended feeds Kenny. I really like your old-school diagnostic approach, and your countenance reminds me of Eric O. From South Main Auto; easy going and methodical. 🙂
I once saw a charging system that was weak but worked too hard on a late 80's Chevy. There was a whine in the alternators operation.
The starter cable had been replaced, and the non GM lug on the end of it had turned toward the engine block and it's corner was touching as a result of how it became tight on the starter solenoid.
The GM cable has a different shape originally.
Once the starter was rebuilt the cable end needed to be bent to provide clearance.
Like you say, some wires are live wires and they're in a tight spot but hard to see.
The alternators sound quieted and the charging system was giving better readings after repair.
7:35 Is the DVM saying Ouch!
It is a Blue Point which is a Snap-On product. It's a very fancy multimeter. And expensive. If I was still working I would put in an order for one. From what I read it's better than a Fluke. And it's says "Ouch" on boot up.
Fluke isn’t cheap so what makes that Multimeter better? Other than saying ouch of course
I like the fluke meters, but thats what I learned on. Snap-On makes solid stuff, but they each have their own pros and cons. Fluke is my go-to for sure.
I had a Parasitic current draw once on an old Dodge Dakota on the in dash Tachometer. The draw was enough to make the battery dead after about 3 days in the winter months. I ended up putting a relay in its fuse circuit to kill the power if the truck didn't have accessory power. This was a simpler solution than trying to find a good replacement the same age in the junk yards.
GREAT Job sir you keep it so "simple and logic" and i like to see it done this way! As a shop owner myself many many moons ago, i know the older school alternators is a 3 phase AC Current ( and still is a AC System)and if for some reason some unskilled person has boosted the vehicle and hooked booster cables backwards,or has boosted another vehicle with theirs wrong,/backwards connection.. i have seen just one diode ( could be the positive or negative one) in the alternator go shorted and it will "draw" current and charge fine, but the Amperage Output was not as "stamped" on the alternator housing,so for example if it was a 90 amp alternator housing.but because of the one shorted diode, it was only putting out 60 amp max after being tested for output! I have only saw one or two alternators that this has happened too. it was a shorted diode. so really its easier to install a new/rebuilt on the newer vehicles nowadays, I love you videos sir!!! please continue to post your findings and expertise!!! 100-100 ty Sir
I’ve been searching for a draw on my Tahoe for a few weeks now… It’s an 03 with original alternator and I’m now almost positive that’s what the draw is, it’s a big draw kills a new battery in less than 2 days. It’s 3am now but in the morning I’m gonna test it. Thank you Kenny!
Very good diagnosis Kenny. Job well done!
Kenny, you can get relatively cheap DC milliamp clamp meters these days. Uni-T (just because I actually have a couple of them and know they work) make a couple of under $100 that go down to the milliamp. For chasing branch leakage they are my GOTO tool. Save you a lot of time in diagnosis.
Which model uni-t do you recommend?
@@12babyapes59 there is one that goes upto 60 amps and one that goes to 100, the one that only does 60 amps has better low end resolution, so for low level leakage and branch analysis that's probably the pick for that task.
@@Funkylogic thanks, I been looking for a new avenue , for a parasitic drain I been battling for couple of years on a older BMW.
With modern vehicles, if you are going to allow it to sit unused for long periods of time, you should always attach a low current maintainer charger to the battery to keep it in good shape for when you want to use it.
If it is sitting outside you can get one of those solar powered battery charger/maintainer and set it up to keep the battery charged up.
You can also get one of those inline battery cable switches and install it on the ground cable and turn it off when not in use. Does mean that all of your radio presets will be gone and the car computer memory will be cleared and the computer will have to relearn how you drive.
Start removing fuses and see if the draw decreases. If it does, that will tell you what circuit or circuits are causing the draw.
Or just disconnect the negative terminal of the battery
@@mchaves7663
That will work but if you have a vehicle that will sit for long periods every year while not in use the switch is more convenient. And if you put it in an out of the way place a thief will have a harder time figuring out why it will not start. A disconnected battery cable is obvious.
@@oldtimefarmboy617 Thieves? What Thieves? Where I live, most times my car is open parked in front of the house
@@mchaves7663
When I was growing up we did the same thing. But that was decades ago and more than a few miles away. Specially in cities, an unlocked car is seen as you giving other permission to take it and use it for their benefit.
Of course I believe you are being facetious since there is no one with a lick of sense who does not know that car theft is a problem in many places and many more people will steal any car they can get into easily and start up. Just like vehicles with higher ground clearances are a prime target for people who steal catalytic converters.
This guy's a hacky-moto type, and wouldn't understand any of that. Some guys like yo-yo's
I love the low profile sockets! They can be lifesavers when a ratcheting wrench won't fit.
Koken Z series are the shortest highest quality. Game changer for me!
Another great video Kenny thanks.
Excellent diagnostic skills. I had an issue similar to this and it ended up being a bad bonding chassis ground. For this excellent video I am subscribing. I should have sent you my 2005 honda odyssey with a stubborn misfire and other issues which I just gave up and sold it as a mechanic's special.
I had this same problem with my focus! Good video thanks!
Back in the 60's with mechanical alternators, the contacts would weld. When they went with electronic regulators in the 70's, the GM variety were inside the alternator housing and heat would destroy them, causing this. Occasionally a diode in the trio, would cause this too. Things have improved a lot since then, but now they have included external switching that shuts the alternator off when climbing steep hills with the AC on, so one more hassle. A couple manufacturers are working on codes for the electrical / body module control, to tell when this stuff goes bad
At 72 years old and a fair car mechanic, HVAC by trade. I would expect at 4+ amps the alt was at least getting warm? From eating the current. Would have been a good troubleshooting by looking for heat the next time, like you said 4 amps is a lot. Great stuff, keep it up. All said with great respect, you are a great teck
.
thermal camera is your friend . 69 here down to a couple of jobs a month
4+ amps @ about 12 volts is at least 48 watts.
On a cold engine you should be able to feel a warm housing etc. A thermal camera should also be able to pick it up easily.
Access seems to be the biggest issue with these tight packed engine bays.
Enjoy your videos. Never to old to learn.
Yes Columbo! like approach....sometimes you really have to step back and think about it (applicable to all problems/siutations) before moving forward! Thank you Sir!
2003 Ford focus had drain on batt and dash cluster no work and no turn single...reflow sotter in dash cluster pins .now everything working..thanks fore the channel.
New to your channel. Great video. No nonsense!
I have a 93 Escort. Had it since 1995.
I kinda remembered that back in the day some Fords were having ignition switch problems. I have been through 2 ignition switches in mine since 1995.
Love your channel. Liked subbed notified.
Best of luck
You taught me something new. And the comments left by others also open my eyes to more info that i can use later in life.
Never would I have thought it was the alternator!!!
A better way to check for closed circuit current draw is to take a 1 ohm ceramic resistor and solder alligator clips on both ends. Instead of hooking your meter in series on the negative battery post, place the resistor in series. Then connect your meter on either side of the resistor. Set the meter to the volt scale and the voltage drop across the resistor will equal the amp draw due to ohms law. You’ll never have to worry about blowing the fuse in your meter again.
Oh! SO WRONG!! Whilst I cannot fault your logic, please tell me you've heard of DC clamp meters!? It should be common practice when trouble shooting car electrics to NOT change ANYTHING. That means NO disconnecting battery terminals etc to measure current since any change can introduce SO many new variables. With a clamp meter this is simply not required. You can clamp onto any accessible wire up to and above 00 guage and it's instant. You can check multiple connections in under a minute!
Excellent diagnostic never knew and alternator would do that have a great day
Wow. Just learned a lot! Thank you.
Instead of removing the wire from the alternator, I would have just used a clamp meter to check the amperage. Checking the voltage drop would send you in the right direction as well. Good video, enjoyed it!
Thank you for your videos.
Awesome job . I would loved to have done a Ripple test on it seems it was charging at 14.5 + volts . 👍🏻
great video....use a laser temp reader and point it at the cold car to help find shorts fast...engine block 71 F, alternator 91 F--then the short is likely in the alternator, temp the relays in the fuse box, all read 58 F, but the one for the fan motor reads 108 F- fan module reading 93 F, seat motors, wiper motor, radio, etc..
Great video....
I have seen lots of cars not charge, but the battery light or AMP light would not come on to warn you....
Learn something new today. Thx!
Thanks for the info having the same problem with my 3.7 F150 2012.
great video thanks for sharing!!!
Love your analys when you open the trunk :-) (3:50) "just typical stuff in ther!" and on the right you see a big box of Smirnoff :-) very typical to have in the car if it breaks down in the middle of the road a cold vinterday.
When I had issues like that with old alternators, it was because of buildup of the brushes wearing down over the years spreading around the insides of the alternator.. Usually I've always had alternators with replacement brushes and regulator.. Usually a cleaning and replacement fixed my draw..
Wow, that's a great guess, I've never seen that. At 4A draw you could have used an inductive ammeter, or even a compass to measure alternator current without removing the cable.
True . But I'm thinking of the driveway guy when I do that . That's the reason I did it this way .
So many newer technicians don’t know the really old school compass trick. Basic physics, current flow equals magnetic field. I used to show my newer technicians a lot of old school tricks ( I’m retired now ). Makes them think and gives them options. 😊😊
Great job
This man is very good with a camera and a car. If you keep making videos you are going to get hoards of people that find this channel
Hordes is a lot of people, hoards is a large personal stash
Just did them same scenario on a 2002 Taurus. I have been trying to find parasitic draw. I observed a charging alternator, isolated any potential interior components etc. Luckily I stumbled on your video. Just yesterday, new reman, fully charged battery..we shall see.. Previously, I installed a full disconnect switch to isolated all interior components. ( ahead of the accessory fuse box). Issue still occurred. Hopefully the alternator is the issue. Thank you for sharing this information.
First time watching and liked your style!! I have a 2014 Chrysler 200 with a parasitic draw from somewhere that no one can find. Will try your method!!! Thanks!!!😃
The voltage regulator is out that is inside the alternator
I have seen that happen on a lot of GM products in the past
But yours seems a little too new to be blowing that out
I believe you are correct in replacing the alternator
Most vehicles made after 2000 have passive security systems in them that require the programmed key to start it. This system draws anywhere from .04 - .05 on the meter constantly even with the vehicle off. Another thing that can draw current with the vehicle off is a bad relay that is stuck. Todays vehicles must be started and ran about twice a week for several minutes or the battery will naturally discharge. A bad alternator will also not properly charge the vehicle. A good alternator should bring the meter upwards to around 14.55 while the engine runs. A significant discharge overnight after a good charging of the battery can also indicate bad relays or alternator.
I used to fix my own cars, not any sort of serious mechanic, but I remember changing diodes in an alternator that was having similar problems. They might not be replaceable in the newer cars. A book from the library (early 70s - they didn't have google) explained how to check the diodes). Remember referring to that book a lot, trying to remember the name of it. "Motor manual"? I also bought Chilton or Haynes manuals for most of my cars back then. New cars are way more complicated but some repairs are still manageable. My primary driver is a 1978 GMC pickup because I can still repair most anything on it.
I believe that is a real Alternator.
It alternates between charging the battery and discharging the battery.
Thanks for this. Unless specifically called out in the shop manual as a test, it would have taken me a long time to find the cause. Joe
One odd thing i came across in Marina as a mechanic.
One boat an outboard came in on trailer would crank no start.
Old Man hooked up battery charger backwards charged battery backwards.
Positive now was Negative.
I had a analog meter and needle swag wrong way when checking voltage.
It turns out if a battery is dead you can charge it backwards.
Ignition and Charge diodes were damaged .
Guy would not believe me until i showed him meter reading.
Lol
Crazy but true! Thanks for watching & keep wrenching 🔧
One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the need, especially in newer vehicles of the last 10 years or so, is the requirement to reset the BMS (Battery Monitoring System) any time a battery is disconnected or replaced.
Brilliant! -from Jamaica
Nice job! You can remove the positive battery cable when you remove the alternator cable to eliminate the possibility of shorting it out.
The ground cable doooo
You mean negative battery cable ... LOL
Good Video Kenny. I strongly recommend you invest in a goodneck clamp mount for your camera, so you can do record hands free. Have a good one.
Thank you
very good stuff 'how to test coil on ford truck thank you
Damn good job Kenny
Charging alternator,bad bridge diode draining out? Stay tuned for final of drainage of battery! Very rare of that drainage!good step by step analysis,Master Tech "Kenny"!
I've seen brand new alternators have bad diodes, right on the money Kenny! I really enjoy your videos!
That is exactly what I thought it was going to be, it's getting ground from somewhere to have a 4.5 amp draw on it. He did a good job of chasing it down to fix the right part. Diagnosed work is just as much part of the repair as replacing the parts. Sometimes it's more of a pain than replacing parts too.
Good to know I got a similar issue on another vehicle I thought possibly bad radeo but I got to see know if how many amps or volts good start I can turn a wrench hate electrical.
I have that set. Some random guy came by my shop selling tools out of his white van. He had those stubby sockets.... had to have them 😄🤘
GOOD fine there Dude, Keep it up !
Thanks for a very insightful video. You are a good problem solver
Very informative. I'm having a bit of the same problem on my 13 dart. Just put a new battery in about a month ago. Went dead, so on the charger now. 2 Amp trickle charge for two days. Just wanna keep juice in it for now.
Very interesting. If a diode has failed, the charging current could be affected, if you had a way to measure 100A or more. Good video.
My neighbor had a Subaru and I jump started it for a couple of months and it always started right up with my jumper pack. Then I asked him when is the last time he had checked the water in the battery and he said he never checks it because it’s maintenance free. I showed him that it’s not maintenance free and there was no water in the battery. I filled each cell and jumped him and that fixed it forever. It was so nice not having to run around just to start his car. ⚡️
That was very nice of you. Thanks for sharing & keep wrenching 🔧
There's a way to test the diodes in an alternator - when they fail, they basically short battery to ground - but usually not by this much! Some alternators have a swappable regulator module which fixes the issue - but the whole thing should be swapped if its been in service for 100k miles or more.
Little Spark? That's a big 'un. They make 5 amp fuses. Good diagnostic video. Short and sweet, which is more important than showing how one alternator comes out of one car.
As for the Low Profile sockets, I'm a big fan of my long-handle 1/4" drive ratchet that uses the shorter sockets, but I can see there would be useful applications for this, especially since you can wrench on them.
Great tips, thank you
Great video, and this was an easy diag considering the amount of amp draw. That high amp draw kinda narrows it down to only a few components..MY WARNING...know what your amp meter limit is. Not all meters have fused amp protection and could get zapped bridging the negative cable and post if the draw exceeds the meters limits. My suggestion to most DIYers is after disconnecting the battery cable, give it 30 minutes to let the car go to sleep before attaching your amp meter.
Nice diagnostics
very good. and very interesting troubleshooting lesson.
one thing I would like to add: On my truck, with key off, doors open and hood open will create a load to the battery. There are lights in the cabin and on the door as well as a delay to the running lights even when key is removed. So, if you are doing this test, you might assume there is a parasitic draw somewhere or see a very high amp draw, but you have to notice what is running at the time. One way to prevent confusion is to close all doors, remove the hood light (if you have one), and either manually turn off the running lights or wait the period of time when they power off after delay. On some vehicles with the fancy key fobs, the vehicle will react to proximity also....and "stir" some systems in preparation that you are entering the vehicle (like cabin lights, running lights, and even some vehicles will chirp...so pay attention to key fob proximity too...
I learned an easy method to determine what system is causing parasitic drains also: being removing fuses...start with engine compartment fuses...one by one...then move to cabin located fuses. Eventually, you will find the system that is causing the parasitic drain. Then it just becomes a matter of locating within that specific system where the excessive draw is occuring.
and then also this: removing battery power from the vehicle will almost always reset the ECU/PCM/BCM computers. So don't be surprised that when you hook cables back up to the battery that the vehicle goes through a relearn mode again...Sometimes, this also affects the entertainment system...tpms (tire pressure sensors), clocks etc. So don't be surprised to see those systems giving a warning....it's a normal condition. Eventually those systems will relearn ...some will not however. Like clocks and radio turning you set and in some cases blue tooth links must be reestablished.
Thank you for your detailed information. I appreciate you. Keep wrenching
I have had several, but not many, alternators that had failing or failed diodes (rectifiers) in them that pulled enough amperage out of the battery to cause batteries to go dead mostly overnight, I normally used a Sun VAT-40 (old school) to quickly check charging system with nearly all cars that came into my stall. Part of the test is to simply look at the voltage meter. If the needle went above a certain thresh-hold there was a bad diode or more. Quick and easy to check for that.
In that scenario you could use a infrared thermometer or thermal imaging camera and look around the vehicle. The alternator would have been showing very warm as the current flowed through it.
@@larryreno8293 the next time I see an alternator with bad diodes I will check that out. It is like using a digital infrared thermometer to check exhaust port heat when looking for a dead cylinder. Clever.
Good info thanks is it possible a new alternator having a faulty one
@@brucebourget2nd286 depending on who rebuilt the alternator it is not only possible, but more likely than bolt the newly replaced alternator has a problem.
Even units rebuilt by reportable ships can have. Problem. In my case on a 1973 Mach 1 with a side terminal alternator with new brush holder (which secures the stator and field lead connectors) did not retain the field connector properly. I found it soon enough and all worked out. But I did not get flip with the guy who rebuilt it. He took care of the problem. I thanked him for his help. The rest of the rebuild was done perfectly. I will enter a link for a TH-cam video on this matter once back at my laptop (iPhone sucks for some stuff).
th-cam.com/video/-ur-4TSZoRU/w-d-xo.html
here is a case in point re: even a recently rebuiltg alternator having problems:
th-cam.com/video/-ur-4TSZoRU/w-d-xo.html
Great video
Thats seems weird be waiting to see the results with a new alternator. Cheers
I had a parasitic draw problem with a 2006 Saturn Vue last year. I suspected the alternator, but it was showing a good charge. Similar unexpected high amp draw with all off and given time finish any thinking the want to do. This draw was enough to flatten the battery if I let it set a few days. I set up to do an amp read of individual circuits. First fuse was for the AC. Pulled it and the amps dropped. Replaced fuse and no more draw. Turned out to be the AC relay. I did have another similar issue with a 2007 HHR with the "smart charge" system that through some voodoo magic compares the charge to the demand and the computer regulates the charge overriding the internal regulator in the alternator. Replaced alternator and that corrected the issue, but every so often on acceleration the bell will go off and display battery one, then go out. Probably some odd difference in the new alternator that flags if the rpm changes, or perhaps it just does not like the way I drive as it behaves for the wife. Just appears they over engineered the systems. :) Great vid!
If she rarely drives the car would get a battery tender and wire and external terminal plug. Then it would be easy for her to plug it in. Great video!! I'm looking for some of those sockets tonight!
Kenny , I use less than 50 milli amps as a rule of thumb , you could also do a ripple test on that alt to see if you have a bad diode, voltage to partial ground???
I have those stubby sockets with the 17 mm ends ....they are a life saver !
Awsome job, I was always told anything above 500 mill amps is to much!
Let us know the long term results.