ATTENTION: The testing methods shown in this video can be performed using either battery terminal(sometimes one end of a car battery can be much harder to get to, or one cable has very limited movement), but it's much safer to use the NEG battery terminal since it's connected to the vehicle's chassis/engine ground.
Hello there I bought a Ford Sort Trac and bought a brand new battery but it is still draining. I took it to AZ (you know the Zone) and they tested the battery and Altintor both were in good order. I saw the you said Security system could drain the battery too, where would I find that wiring/fuse (it dose have a Thift light indicator on the dashboard) .? Please get back with me at your earliest convenience thank you 🙏
I worked at a car dealership for 15 years (as an aftermarket electronics installer). It always amazed me how many technicians didn't have the slightest clue of how to diagnose a voltage draw. Before some tech gets heated over this comment, the percentage of ignorance, is about the same among aftermarket electronics installers. I'm not meaning to be insulting. The point being, never stop learning, I've learned things from people that were just beginning, and I've taught things to 30-year vets. Our ego only serves to limit what we allow ourselves to take in. Happy wrenching.
Good comment Personally I get into a wierd mental state which is "I understand enough - why is what I am doing still going wrong" the irritation kicks in and I lose the ability to think clearly.
@@simonmasters3295 I always try and just walk away when that frustration sets in, go talk with another tech about what they're working on for a few minutes or do something completely unrelated. Look at the problem fresh again.
So true. At the nationally famous HamVention I was told by a guy selling all sorts of electronics from a huge booth that if you increase the voltage of an LED then it'll therefore draw more amperage. I said, no it will actually draw less amperage, I've tested dozens of them. We couldn't agree. At another booth they were selling humongous TV antennas for the home. I asked how many more tv channels these would pick up. He said the same number as before. So I asked, "What's the point in buying this expensive monstrosity?". He was now trapped in a corner and couldn't answer. FYI, when you install a huge antenna 50 feet high, you'll get to stations from all over the tri-state area! (Unless, of course, there is no "tri-state area", such as Alaska, Hawaii or the middle of Texas.)
I use a infrared thermometer to check for the hotest fuse in fuse box to locate the short I the circuit..sometimes you can trace the heat on the wires to the voltage drain
Thanks for the very nice comment! Glad you enjoyed the video. Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, use supplied Amazon links to support my channel when making purchases(No added cost to you), and share links to my videos with many others on social networking sites. Thank you, and stay safe! th-cam.com/users/electronicsnmoreplaylists
This video is the best video I’ve ever watched on TH-cam. Perfectly explains each step. Now I feel my life’s nemesis, my wife’s piece of crap 2013 Ford Escape, will lose again.
My wife’s V W battery would go dead overnight. Battery was still under warranty so I replaced it. It went dead overnight. To make a long story short, I called the service department and explained to a lady mechanic over the phone what was happening. She asked me if the car had a Clock built-in. I said yes..She said that’s the problem. I think her and hung up. I didn’t believe it until I unplugged the clock and my test made her stop showing a current loss. It was the factory quartz clock that was killing the battery overnight
I have the same problem I drive a Mercedes-Benz E320 every morning I get up it's like my car will not start or it may start no lights won't come on the doors won't unlock the radio won't come on then the next morning I wake up and try to start it up it won't do anything and I do have a built-in clock
@konstantintrehagyrevopoulo972 Yea, after you test battery and charging system and those test good, and also this is for when battery dies overnight obviously, you run these tests to find out what the actual problem is. Which clearly was not the battery or charging system
@mtthw741 2011 Jetta TDI. Same issue. I don't have a built-in clock, though. Already replaced the alternator. Not sure if I need to waste money on a starter or not. Definitely wasting money on new batteries.
the fact that disconnecting the car battery to do can result in an expensive trip to the dealer speaks much about the sad state of affairs in the car industry ......
Good video the only thing I would add is if you don't want to jump in and out of the vehicle to look at the meter what I do is use my booster cables. I connect one clamp to the post on the battery and the other clamp to the ground clamp of the vehicle. This allows me to run the booster cables inside the vehicle then I can clip the leads of my meter between the two booster cables and have it in a spot where I can read it easily without getting in and out of the vehicle or moving too much it's really handy when working on a vehicle like my F-150 that has the fuse box in the passenger side footwell. Again great video with lots of good information thanks for the tips on how to not lose settings
Just taught this to a friend who has been dealing with a drain on their car for a year. Had to disconnect the battery every night. Finally talked with me about it and they wanted to know where I was over a year ago.
@@captinhoop It can happen to any car the causes can be alarms, stereo circuits, alternator, really anything in newer vehicles it might take longer to find the root cause.
If you don't own a multimeter, or if like mine it only measures current in the microAmp range, try this. Disconnect your positive lead from the battery. Connect a battery charger that has an Ammeter fitted (most decent ones do). Note the charging current. Reconnect the positive cable to the battery and reconnect the battery charger, note the charging current.. My car had such a large parasitic drain that the two current readings differed by 2 Amperes. 2 Amperes was the parasitic drain.
thanks so much! easy to follow and it makes sense! Found my issue immediately, after wasting time at the "dealership" shop and with a private garage. Looked to TH-cam and found your video, and voila problem solved.
hey, in the video he says take the negative and throu it to the side but I see that he alegator cliped to a red wire and that is the one he poked the terminal with. Did I observe right? Please read twice.
Thank you Doug. I use an OBD-ll battery back up port ,has they are supposed to keep the backup memory in the ECM. With all the new crap that are on timers to put them to sleep, it can be a headache to do the tests needed at times. Even opening the door can wake up some circuits. Best way I found was to open the door and fix the switch to fool the car into thinking all the doors are closed and just wait till it goes back to sleep. Liked,Shared. All my best.
don’t reinstall fuses after they have been removed it can wake up a module and restart your drain test. The inductive meters work great but they can be thrown off by permanent magnets in The vicinity. another cool trick is to do a voltage drop over the fuse there’s sheets online that will convert a given voltage drop over a fuse value and size that will tell you how much current is flowing through that circuit. Great video
The fuse voltage drop method works, but much more work is involved. True about the reinstallation of the fuses, luckily any increase in current is usually momentary and the meter reading will go back to the lower reading. I did tests with the AC/DC inductive clamp for other videos, and a powerful neodymium magnet would need to be within 2" of the end of the clamp to really throw off the reading. A wiper motor, etc, would need to be even closer. Thanks for watching!
@mitzvah golem Yes, but the voltage drop across the fuse will vary based on load. Each vehicle will have a different amount of load on each circuit. I prefer my method.
You need to trip the hood latch, and clamp any door sensor shut and leave door open if you need to get in car during test, you also need to let any arming system time out so car thinks it is set for the night
Some newer vehicles may run Evap pump during off hours. This will draw some current from the battery but it's totally normal. Also, the clamp-on current meters are not very accurate at the low end. I wouldn't trust it for measuring very low current. It's best to verify it's readings with a meter connected in series with the battery.
Hello Andrew. The particular clamp meter I used was designed for leaking current testing, so it does work well on the low end. Not every method is 100% reliable, but the one shown in this very is extremely useful. Thanks for watching!
@@peteahwanzo1504 Correct, he was referring to the LDP(Leak detection pump) that some newer vehicles have. I'm not aware of any that run with the car parked with the key out of the ignition.
@@electronicsNmore A 2017 Lexus GX460 does just that. Startled me the first time. You walk into the garage hours after the car has been parked and the panic sets in .
How do you guys do this inside the passenger glove box fuses? I am 6'3" and 190bs, I can barely sit in that sport, let alone get my hands in that space and hold the leads close enough together to get an accurate reading!
Just bought a 04 impala SS and it had this problem. I did the multi meter test on it and out of all things, The battery run down relay was causing the parasitic draw. 900 MA draw with the relay in to 30 MA with the relay pulled.
I wish that i know a bit more about car electric ⚡️ This man explains so nice and clear that everyone who has little bit of clue he can do it!!! Unfortunately, that’s not me! My car drains my battery somewhere, im not sure where , im thinking two cables for usb, which previous owner was installed, and now i need to pay 200€ just that someone fix that for me! And im sure is easy job, for those who knows! My electrician guy said is 10h workings hours which i doubt!
You’re supposed to wait ~5-15 minutes after the vehicle is locked, doors closed, and/or smart keys out of vehicle for modules to go to sleep for accurate readings
Great - do be VERY careful you know that there isn't a large current draw. Using thin leads or shorting them can cause them to get very hot, melt or even vaporise! In the same manner that a fuse works. This aside unusual current draw such as failed alternator diodes etc. is a real pain!
Thanks a lot for your excellent video, I had this issue since couple of months ago the car couldn't start strongly and when I checked the battery the voltage it was about 11v, my battery is not that old I bought it 2 years ago. After I watched the video, I checked the battery current when the switch was off and the current was about 3 Amperes, I removed and put back some Relays/fuses and play with wires behind the both fuse boxes suddenly the current goes down to almost 0A then I drive the car for 1hr and the battery Voltage is about 12.5V now and the car is starting with no problem, I don't know what was really happened, hopefully the problem is solved.
Thanks! I did the parasitic drain test and removed a fuse for A/CON. The meter dropped from 2.79 to .030. Left the fuse out for the night and the next afternoon car started right up! Only problem now is I don’t have air conditioning. What can I do to see what’s causing the ac to drain the battery? And, eh yo, I just subscribed 🤙☺️
Doesn't make sense. The A/C is connected to a circuit that gets power when the ignition key is in the ON position. Maybe try pulling the wire connector out of the blower motor or blower resistor while the meter is connected to the battery. One may be causing the problem. There's a work-around if you don't feel like spending a lot of money on mechanics. You can connect a standard 4 pin 30A relay to the A/C fuse circuit(between pins 30 & 87). You cut the wire leaving the fuse box after the fuse to connect the relay. Power will only be allowed to flow into the A/C circuit when the ignition key is in the ON position. Power from any 12V source that becomes active when the key is in the ON position goes to pin 86, and pin 85 to ground.
Yeah, I may have the same problem. It's not the ac itself but the AC compressor is drawing a charge while the vehicle is off. (Its hot to the touch when the rest of the engine is cold). I changed the blower motor resistor but that didnt change anything. Did you find out what the problem was for your car?
If you have a Ford Hybrid the problem may be the main hybrid battery (not your 12 V battery) If that big battery is defective it will drain the 12V one that starts the engine. This happened with Ford Cmax Hybrids. My wifes new CMax 12V would run down overnight. Many trips to the dealer for months. It got so bad that she was afraid to change any settings. They finally fixed it. Gave no reason what the fix was. I later read that a defective main big battery was the cause.
We had an e350 van pulling 3500 mA of current. It was the alternator. Mind you, the alternator would charge fine but it was drawing mega amps overnight through it.
Heres my problem: I was working on something and was putting the battery cables back on. While putting the negative on my ratchet is a long handle flex head. While wrenching I was looking around and the handle hit the positive post. The battery never acted properly since. Had it tested and I killed 2 cells but it worked for awhile.
My car alarm has been going off at random times for the past month. Looked up what it could be, got battery replaced because that was not holding a charge and it was 8 years old anyway. Problem is still there with brand new battery, I purchased OBDEleven and scanned the modules, and it came up with fault code 01134 (H2) alarm, implausible signal. Google search suggests possible fault with fuses/wiring/alarm unit. Got a breakdown assitant to have a look and he suggested there is parasitic drain somewhere and that i take it to a car electrician who would need the car for a few hours to go through every electrical fuse etc. He also told me that these VCDS and ODBEleven devices dont really pinpoint the issues, they only point your in the right direction so that you can investigate and diagnose further. So after watching this video my hunch is that some electrical component is causing parasitic drain. I fully charged my brand new battery (it read 12.7v) and 4 days later the alarm went off. Checked the battery voltage and it was at 11.6v suggesting that something was draining the battery when my car was not in use.
A lot of cars have retained assessory power. It will trigger upon putting power to the positive battery cable, let about 5 minutes to pass while connected, the retained power should time out by now and battery drain should drop. I thought sure I had something staying on because there were a few decent sparks when connecting battery, here it was the retained assessory power being on, it lets you use the radio, put windows up and down, it times out after maybe 5 minutes.
I found the fuse drawing current, it is the one that feeds the Low Current Board which is inside the SJB, guess what, that board is attached to a lot of other components and it gets harder when there is little information regarding that circuitry lol, sometimes you don't get it easy as a fused light or component.
Glad it was helpful! You're welcome Darryl. Be sure to rate thumbs up, consider subscribing if you like a wide range of helpful and informative videos, and look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you. Taking one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites would be greatly appreciated. Thanks th-cam.com/users/electronicsnmoreplaylists
Excellent, clear and concise, my 2019 Ram 1500 has a parasitic drain and I am certain that this video tutorial will help me figure it out! Love that eastern accent too!!
My battery went died once today.... Checked everything and nothing was on and doors were closed... Died again... So I finally get to my destination after work (got a jump start) and I'm looking around scared to shut off the car... And I think you myself what could be on if nothing seems on... Then I just happen to look up and think we'll that lights blown out and.... The button to the blown out buln in the sunglass holder built into the roof was popped out an on.. No bulb so couldn't tell it was on... Apparently it still draws power even if the bulb is dead. Now we know.. 🤔 If you gotta power issue and a blown bulb. Check that the buttons pressed into the off position. And it apparently takes more power than charging a cell phone to cause I can leave my phone in the car for hours and it won't die as it charges. But that blown light was on fire 30 minutes and killed the battery enough to cause a crank and click click no start...
I was able to find the problem using your video, so thank you for that! However, I bought a new fuse for that socket then retested and the draw on the battery remained. I took out the new fuse and again saw the draw go away. Any tips on why a new fuse didn’t stop the battery draw from happening?
The fuse wasnt causing the problem, it only identified which circuit the draw is on. Now you have to figure out what component on the identified circuit is shorted or drawing inappropriately and how to fix it.
I explain this is better detail in the comment I left a few months ago. If you can find it, I believe it will provide the information you need to answer your question, as well as provide guidance on the steps needed to resolve the drain. You're already more than half way done. =)
RADIATOR!!! yep that one is of the hidden culprits too especially with aluminum radiators because of galvanic corrosion and electrolysis. quick fix is a radiator cap with zinc anode. DAMN lost my beer buzz had to concentrate. worth it though to add to this post
Glad it was helpful Bob! You're welcome. Be sure to look over my video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites. Thanks th-cam.com/users/electronicsnmoreplaylists
You're welcome! Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others. Thanks th-cam.com/users/electronicsnmoreplaylists
Very good video. Is it allso possible to measure on the possible pool to measure parasetic drain with a clamp meter, because my tang can't go between the batterie and the cable?
How do we account for those cars that don't fully shut down for a a while? I've read that Audi TTs take a while to 'go to sleep' How can I figure out what is causing it to 'stay awake' and therefore drain the battery overnight?
The lead didn't need to stay on the terminal when pulling the clamp of the terminal. It much safer pulling the ground off, you have no worries of the clamp arching on another part of the car.
My Belva amp is drawing A LITTLE power when key is off, THE REMOTE WIRE From Pioneer Stereo IS CONNECTED RIGHT. When the key is off, the little green light on the amp and the remote bass control knob both shut down. I got 3 cars with amp/sub kits I installed, I seen one site that said that drain is common with some low budget crap. It's not sucking major juice, just a little when it should not be using any power at all when it's shut down.
Great idea. Now you can do followup #2 and show your rig to transfer power supply from second battery of DC supply to allow you to test the in car battery with the Topdon tester out of vehicle.
Great to hear Rexy! Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, use supplied Amazon links to support my channel when making purchases(No added cost to you), and share links to my videos with many others on social networking sites. Thank you th-cam.com/users/electronicsnmoreplaylists
Under normal circumstances should a battery go dead if the car is not driven daily? My brother-in-law has a nearly new battery that is already giving problems. He is disabled and only uses his car maybe a few times a month. I think parasitic draw must be the problem, but was wondering if his not driving the car very much could cause it. I am fairly certain there is nothing wrong with the battery which was put on a matter of months ago. The old battery was definitely bad and would not take a charge when we put the new one on it.
Modern vehicles have higher parasitic draw. Using the vehicle only 3 times per month can be an issue. I suggest he buys a small solar battery maintainer and leave it on his dash.
😅 great 👍 👌 👏 🙌 😀 😄 👍 video tutorial. I'm subscribing. Learning about parasitic draining. I've got an alarm system. Believe it's completely dead. I was wondering if there was a separate fuse for that alarm system, or is the fuse part of the radio system. I want to completely remove that alarm system. It was nice at first, but I constantly had a drained battery as the alarm system was always on. Any advice about this? I'm removing the batteries from the remote control.
If you accept to loose the radio voltage you can measure the voltage drop more simple w/ampermetre in serie w/the pozitiv cable and pozitiv battery or on the minus cable. The test on the link is do not loose the voltage on the car during the test.
Years ago Autozone tested my battery and alternator. They concluded both were bad. Sounded fishy. So I went to a mechanic friend. Only the battery was bad. That was 15 years ago. Haven't been back to Autozone since.
@Light Ning Back in 1996, Sears told me my wife's alternator was bad on her '94 Ford Probe. (They apparently didn't notice that we had a gauge showing the alternator was charging fine). Still have the Probe and I'm still waiting for the alternator to fail ;-). Later Sears was caught selling mis-labeled batteries!!!
My Belva amp is drawing A LITTLE power when key is off, THE REMOTE WIRE From Pioneer Stereo IS CONNECTED RIGHT. When the key is off, the little green light on the amp and the remote bass control knob both shut down. I got 3 cars with amp/sub kits I installed, I seen one site that said that drain is common with some low budget crap. It's not draining major power, . just a little when it should not be using any power at all when it's shut down. when I first put tester on it starts at 0.05 then drops to 0.01 after like 3-4 seconds. It does that every time I do the test.
Thanks 👍 gonna give this a try in the morning I'm pretty sure my problem is one of my security door buttons because when I Lock my doors with auto button the alarm goes off 02 pathfinder. But I can lock it with the key at the truck by turning it twice no alarm but back glass is open
How about this method - take a voltage reading on the battery ..... leave car for 12 hours .... take another reading ..... then the current draw = 12 hour voltage drop * F, where F is a factor that I'd like to know. I'm seeing about a .1 volt drop per day. After 5 days the battery has gone from 12.5 v to 12.0 v.
I have a question 2016 ford explorer just put in a new battery and it started everything works but it still says service charging system and power steering is very hard.
You're welcome Luis! Be sure to look over my video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites. Thank you th-cam.com/users/electronicsnmoreplaylists
Fantastic Video and Explanation. BTW where can one buy the Alligator Test leads you are showing here. One end is large and one small? I cannot seem to find these anywhere. They are all both small on one end.
How long would you suggest to wait to start doing the testing on a 2010 Tahoe. With the all the "shutdown" processes it seems to have before everything completely shuts off to get an accurate read?
I have a question. does a battery pack need the circuit board, IF on each "charging" each cell is removed and individually charged, to the same compacity. Then allowed to rest. And the position in the pack is rotated for each use?
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ATTENTION: The testing methods shown in this video can be performed using either battery terminal(sometimes one end of a car battery can be much harder to get to, or one cable has very limited movement), but it's much safer to use the NEG battery terminal since it's connected to the vehicle's chassis/engine ground.
electronicsNmore ah you noticed...
How much time is normal for a battery to drain in a parked vehicle
Hello there I bought a Ford Sort Trac and bought a brand new battery but it is still draining. I took it to AZ (you know the Zone) and they tested the battery and Altintor both were in good order. I saw the you said Security system could drain the battery too, where would I find that wiring/fuse (it dose have a Thift light indicator on the dashboard) .? Please get back with me at your earliest convenience thank you 🙏
hello, do you do a product review? We have a product, I can send u a sample
@@SmilingDevil 3rd 3rd 4th 4th
I worked at a car dealership for 15 years (as an aftermarket electronics installer). It always amazed me how many technicians didn't have the slightest clue of how to diagnose a voltage draw.
Before some tech gets heated over this comment, the percentage of ignorance, is about the same among aftermarket electronics installers.
I'm not meaning to be insulting. The point being, never stop learning, I've learned things from people that were just beginning, and I've taught things to 30-year vets. Our ego only serves to limit what we allow ourselves to take in.
Happy wrenching.
Good comment
Personally I get into a wierd mental state which is "I understand enough - why is what I am doing still going wrong" the irritation kicks in and I lose the ability to think clearly.
@@simonmasters3295 I always try and just walk away when that frustration sets in, go talk with another tech about what they're working on for a few minutes or do something completely unrelated. Look at the problem fresh again.
So true. At the nationally famous HamVention I was told by a guy selling all sorts of electronics from a huge booth that if you increase the voltage of an LED then it'll therefore draw more amperage. I said, no it will actually draw less amperage, I've tested dozens of them. We couldn't agree.
At another booth they were selling humongous TV antennas for the home. I asked how many more tv channels these would pick up. He said the same number as before. So I asked, "What's the point in buying this expensive monstrosity?". He was now trapped in a corner and couldn't answer.
FYI, when you install a huge antenna 50 feet high, you'll get to stations from all over the tri-state area! (Unless, of course, there is no "tri-state area", such as Alaska, Hawaii or the middle of Texas.)
Well said..Ego n stubborn attitudes kill learn continuity.😅
Thanks your awesome wish I could pick your brain
I use a infrared thermometer to check for the hotest fuse in fuse box to locate the short I the circuit..sometimes you can trace the heat on the wires to the voltage drain
While the vehicle is off correct?
Darn we think alike makes sense we are looking for a hotter fuse then any of the others
That is a great idea! Thank you so much for posting it.
I was thinking of buying one anyway. Got a recommendation? Thanks.
Only two decades later.... I FINALLY found someone who can not only explain it, but 'explain', what and why this is important... KUDOS!
Thanks for the very nice comment! Glad you enjoyed the video. Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, use supplied Amazon links to support my channel when making purchases(No added cost to you), and share links to my videos with many others on social networking sites. Thank you, and stay safe!
th-cam.com/users/electronicsnmoreplaylists
This video is the best video I’ve ever watched on TH-cam. Perfectly explains each step. Now I feel my life’s nemesis, my wife’s piece of crap 2013 Ford Escape, will lose again.
Done this during my career working on cars. Very well explained for anyone too fully understand. Imho
Imho, you should have used TO
That is a topnotch complete summary and delivery of testing for a parasitic draw.
Thanks
Great video that'll help a lot of people! Thank you for the video and always a thumbs up!
I hope it does. Thank you very much for watching!
HEY I KNOW YOU Great to see
Ladies and Gentlemen it's Project Farm!
Hey,PF,whatcha doin here??
Project Farms is such a great guy, just the fact he checks out lots of others channels and give his support
My wife’s V W battery would go dead overnight. Battery was still under warranty so I replaced it. It went dead overnight. To make a long story short, I called the service department and explained to a lady mechanic over the phone what was happening. She asked me if the car had a Clock built-in. I said yes..She said that’s the problem. I think her and hung up. I didn’t believe it until I unplugged the clock and my test made her stop showing a current loss. It was the factory quartz clock that was killing the battery overnight
I have the same problem I drive a Mercedes-Benz E320 every morning I get up it's like my car will not start or it may start no lights won't come on the doors won't unlock the radio won't come on then the next morning I wake up and try to start it up it won't do anything and I do have a built-in clock
We have a 2013 Passat that we can’t figure out why this keeps happening. Every couple of days it’s dead
@konstantintrehagyrevopoulo972
Yea, after you test battery and charging system and those test good, and also this is for when battery dies overnight obviously, you run these tests to find out what the actual problem is. Which clearly was not the battery or charging system
How did you unplug the clock
@mtthw741 2011 Jetta TDI. Same issue. I don't have a built-in clock, though. Already replaced the alternator. Not sure if I need to waste money on a starter or not. Definitely wasting money on new batteries.
This works because at 10amp setting which uses a shunt allowing for current flow...Thanks for this simple comprehensive video
the fact that disconnecting the car battery to do can result in an expensive trip to the dealer speaks much about the sad state of affairs in the car industry ......
Really no reason for it, there should be a memory backup system using a capacitor. Thanks for watching!
WITH SO MANY USELSEE VIDEOS OUT THERE THESE DAYS,,,,,,,,,,IT'S GREAT TO RUN ACROSS ONE THAT REALLY HELPS . THANKS.
Good video the only thing I would add is if you don't want to jump in and out of the vehicle to look at the meter what I do is use my booster cables. I connect one clamp to the post on the battery and the other clamp to the ground clamp of the vehicle. This allows me to run the booster cables inside the vehicle then I can clip the leads of my meter between the two booster cables and have it in a spot where I can read it easily without getting in and out of the vehicle or moving too much it's really handy when working on a vehicle like my F-150 that has the fuse box in the passenger side footwell. Again great video with lots of good information thanks for the tips on how to not lose settings
Great idea. Thanks for sharing it, and God bless you!
I borrow someone's phone and FaceTime the meter
Just taught this to a friend who has been dealing with a drain on their car for a year. Had to disconnect the battery every night. Finally talked with me about it and they wanted to know where I was over a year ago.
Many people don't know these things, some are lucky to have friends that know, or they can visit YT. :-)
I know you made this comment 1 year ago but do you remember what car it was causing the problems?
@@captinhoop I know it was a early 2000s Suburban. Don't recall if he ever figured out where the drain was from.
@@captinhoop It can happen to any car the causes can be alarms, stereo circuits, alternator, really anything in newer vehicles it might take longer to find the root cause.
If you don't own a multimeter, or if like mine it only measures current in the microAmp range, try this. Disconnect your positive lead from the battery. Connect a battery charger that has an Ammeter fitted (most decent ones do). Note the charging current. Reconnect the positive cable to the battery and reconnect the battery charger, note the charging current.. My car had such a large parasitic drain that the two current readings differed by 2 Amperes. 2 Amperes was the parasitic drain.
Thanks for sharing. Good one
thanks so much! easy to follow and it makes sense! Found my issue immediately, after wasting time at the "dealership" shop and with a private garage. Looked to TH-cam and found your video, and voila problem solved.
hey, in the video he says take the negative and throu it to the side but I see that he alegator cliped to a red wire and that is the one he poked the terminal with. Did I observe right? Please read twice.
Thank you for this easy to understand and well explained video, I have a new battery and it's draining if don't drive it every day, won't start.
Did you find a solution?
@@Lobsterman5481 I've been lazy, just disconnect my battery at the weekend 😂😂
@@mickchaganis6607 LOL tell me about it.
I have the same problem. I barely use my car since covid and working from home.
Thank you Doug. I use an OBD-ll battery back up port ,has they are supposed to keep the backup memory in the ECM. With all the new crap that are on timers to put them to sleep, it can be a headache to do the tests needed at times. Even opening the door can wake up some circuits. Best way I found was to open the door and fix the switch to fool the car into thinking all the doors are closed and just wait till it goes back to sleep. Liked,Shared. All my best.
I prefer those. The power is directly to the computer, which is perfect when swapping out car batteries. Thanks for watching Bobby!
@@electronicsNmore m:
Thank you for this video and detailed explanation that even someone like me, 0 experience, could understand!
You're welcome. Glad it was helpful!
m MN
Great video. Probably be better approach to do this test on the negative post versus the positive post.
There you go! You did this vid much better than the older vid!
Thanks for sharing. That post clamp probe clamp jumper wire is a clever technique, too!
Thank you sir. Used this method and found the drain on my battery- a trailer hitch adapter.
Glad it helped
Good way to get that dmm connected.First thing to do is use your amp clamp to check what it's drawing saves on meter fuses
don’t reinstall fuses after they have been removed it can wake up a module and restart your drain test. The inductive meters work great but they can be thrown off by permanent magnets in The vicinity. another cool trick is to do a voltage drop over the fuse there’s sheets online that will convert a given voltage drop over a fuse value and size that will tell you how much current is flowing through that circuit. Great video
The fuse voltage drop method works, but much more work is involved. True about the reinstallation of the fuses, luckily any increase in current is usually momentary and the meter reading will go back to the lower reading. I did tests with the AC/DC inductive clamp for other videos, and a powerful neodymium magnet would need to be within 2" of the end of the clamp to really throw off the reading. A wiper motor, etc, would need to be even closer. Thanks for watching!
Mini fuse has chart of drop across every fuse they make.
@mitzvah golem Yes, but the voltage drop across the fuse will vary based on load. Each vehicle will have a different amount of load on each circuit. I prefer my method.
@@electronicsNmore maybe research this method. Standard used in NGK Wells Auto tech school and high end shops.
mitzvah golem yep only problem is its hard on j case fuses and you need a decent meter
You need to trip the hood latch, and clamp any door sensor shut and leave door open if you need to get in car during test, you also need to let any arming system time out so car thinks it is set for the night
He explained these steps in video before this one.
have a 2008 ford escape dont need to trip the hood latch , just the doors.
@@balbutie ford focus has a hood switch
Very detailed and very well demonstrated. Thank you for the content.
Some newer vehicles may run Evap pump during off hours. This will draw some current from the battery but it's totally normal.
Also, the clamp-on current meters are not very accurate at the low end. I wouldn't trust it for measuring very low current. It's best to verify it's readings with a meter connected in series with the battery.
Hello Andrew. The particular clamp meter I used was designed for leaking current testing, so it does work well on the low end. Not every method is 100% reliable, but the one shown in this very is extremely useful. Thanks for watching!
@@electronicsNmore I think he was just pointing out that you need to know the behaviour of the vehicle you are working on
@@peteahwanzo1504 Correct, he was referring to the LDP(Leak detection pump) that some newer vehicles have. I'm not aware of any that run with the car parked with the key out of the ignition.
@@electronicsNmore I'm not aware of any of the top of my head either, but that does not mean they do not exist.
@@electronicsNmore A 2017 Lexus GX460 does just that. Startled me the first time. You walk into the garage hours after the car has been parked and the panic sets in .
How do you guys do this inside the passenger glove box fuses? I am 6'3" and 190bs, I can barely sit in that sport, let alone get my hands in that space and hold the leads close enough together to get an accurate reading!
Very good explaining, if someone can’t follow those instructions, they shouldn’t even Elbe drive a vehicle let alone work on one 👍
Just bought a 04 impala SS and it had this problem. I did the multi meter test on it and out of all things, The battery run down relay was causing the parasitic draw. 900 MA draw with the relay in to 30 MA with the relay pulled.
Warning, do not do this on a DeLorean with a Mr Fusion unless you have spare fuses for your multimeter.
🤣
@@krystal5887 I knew I should have RTFM...
It will also skew the Flux capacitor.
that engine bay is sooo clean
I wish that i know a bit more about car electric ⚡️ This man explains so nice and clear that everyone who has little bit of clue he can do it!!! Unfortunately, that’s not me! My car drains my battery somewhere, im
not sure where , im thinking two cables for usb, which previous owner was installed, and now i need to pay 200€ just that someone fix that for me! And im
sure is easy job, for those who knows! My electrician guy said is 10h workings hours which i doubt!
A simple and brilliant video. Ford UK have no idea how this process works - so had to show them. I'll never buy a Ford again.
You’re supposed to wait ~5-15 minutes after the vehicle is locked, doors closed, and/or smart keys out of vehicle for modules to go to sleep for accurate readings
Yes, if you saw a high reading show up, to verify that it's a parasitic drain, you'd check it again after 10-15 minutes.
Who's got 5 to 15 minutes
@@microtechmachineshop if your car battery keeps dying, you've got that amount of time every day you need to jump it! :D
Great - do be VERY careful you know that there isn't a large current draw. Using thin leads or shorting them can cause them to get very hot, melt or even vaporise! In the same manner that a fuse works. This aside unusual current draw such as failed alternator diodes etc. is a real pain!
Thanks a lot for your excellent video,
I had this issue since couple of months ago the car couldn't start strongly and when I checked the battery the voltage it was about 11v, my battery is not that old I bought it 2 years ago.
After I watched the video, I checked the battery current when the switch was off and the current was about 3 Amperes, I removed and put back some Relays/fuses and play with wires behind the both fuse boxes suddenly the current goes down to almost 0A then I drive the car for 1hr and the battery Voltage is about 12.5V now and the car is starting with no problem, I don't know what was really happened, hopefully the problem is solved.
Learning is life long.
So I’m assuming you can’t just look at each fuse to see if it’s burned out and then replace the fuse? Or this different I’m confused lol
Thanks! I did the parasitic drain test and removed a fuse for A/CON. The meter dropped from 2.79 to .030.
Left the fuse out for the night and the next afternoon car started right up!
Only problem now is I don’t have air conditioning.
What can I do to see what’s causing the ac to drain the battery?
And, eh yo, I just subscribed 🤙☺️
Doesn't make sense. The A/C is connected to a circuit that gets power when the ignition key is in the ON position. Maybe try pulling the wire connector out of the blower motor or blower resistor while the meter is connected to the battery. One may be causing the problem. There's a work-around if you don't feel like spending a lot of money on mechanics. You can connect a standard 4 pin 30A relay to the A/C fuse circuit(between pins 30 & 87). You cut the wire leaving the fuse box after the fuse to connect the relay. Power will only be allowed to flow into the A/C circuit when the ignition key is in the ON position. Power from any 12V source that becomes active when the key is in the ON position goes to pin 86, and pin 85 to ground.
Yeah, I may have the same problem. It's not the ac itself but the AC compressor is drawing a charge while the vehicle is off. (Its hot to the touch when the rest of the engine is cold). I changed the blower motor resistor but that didnt change anything. Did you find out what the problem was for your car?
@@TulsinDerbeck install a on/off switch in the inside
If you have a Ford Hybrid the problem may be the main hybrid battery (not your 12 V battery) If that big battery is defective it will drain the 12V one that starts the engine. This happened with Ford Cmax Hybrids. My wifes new CMax 12V would run down overnight. Many trips to the dealer for months. It got so bad that she was afraid to change any settings. They finally fixed it. Gave no reason what the fix was. I later read that a defective main big battery was the cause.
We had an e350 van pulling 3500 mA of current. It was the alternator. Mind you, the alternator would charge fine but it was drawing mega amps overnight through it.
Faulty diodes.
@@electronicsNmore is that right? I replaced it with a new $115 motorcraft one and all my problems went away thank god.
Heres my problem: I was working on something and was putting the battery cables back on. While putting the negative on my ratchet is a long handle flex head. While wrenching I was looking around and the handle hit the positive post. The battery never acted properly since. Had it tested and I killed 2 cells but it worked for awhile.
Good tip, straight the meter pin above the post, and lift.
Just measure if there's any current flow across each individual fuse. Note the fuse pins are accessible while in place
No, you measure voltage drop across the fuse.
@@electronicsNmore how much voltage is acceptable across the fuse? thank you.
My car alarm has been going off at random times for the past month. Looked up what it could be, got battery replaced because that was not holding a charge and it was 8 years old anyway. Problem is still there with brand new battery,
I purchased OBDEleven and scanned the modules, and it came up with fault code 01134 (H2) alarm, implausible signal. Google search suggests possible fault with fuses/wiring/alarm unit. Got a breakdown assitant to have a look and he suggested there is parasitic drain somewhere and that i take it to a car electrician who would need the car for a few hours to go through every electrical fuse etc. He also told me that these VCDS and ODBEleven devices dont really pinpoint the issues, they only point your in the right direction so that you can investigate and diagnose further.
So after watching this video my hunch is that some electrical component is causing parasitic drain. I fully charged my brand new battery (it read 12.7v) and 4 days later the alarm went off. Checked the battery voltage and it was at 11.6v suggesting that something was draining the battery when my car was not in use.
great, what did you set the multi meter on?
A lot of cars have retained assessory power. It will trigger upon putting power to the positive battery cable, let about 5 minutes to pass while connected, the retained power should time out by now and battery drain should drop. I thought sure I had something staying on because there were a few decent sparks when connecting battery, here it was the retained assessory power being on, it lets you use the radio, put windows up and down, it times out after maybe 5 minutes.
So what did you do to fix it?
I found the fuse drawing current, it is the one that feeds the Low Current Board which is inside the SJB, guess what, that board is attached to a lot of other components and it gets harder when there is little information regarding that circuitry lol, sometimes you don't get it easy as a fused light or component.
Once you identify the circuit, you do have some work to do.
Excellent video, great job, thank you for sharing!
Glad you liked the video!
Using the clamp is cool Great Tips, Good Stuff 👍 Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! You're welcome Darryl. Be sure to rate thumbs up, consider subscribing if you like a wide range of helpful and informative videos, and look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you. Taking one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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Best parasitic diagnosis video out there. Especially the jump wire for the memory 👍
Glad you enjoyed the video! Be sure to check out my extensive video playlists for many other videos of interest to you and share. Thank you
Excellent, clear and concise, my 2019 Ram 1500 has a parasitic drain and I am certain that this video tutorial will help me figure it out! Love that eastern accent too!!
My battery went died once today.... Checked everything and nothing was on and doors were closed... Died again... So I finally get to my destination after work (got a jump start) and I'm looking around scared to shut off the car... And I think you myself what could be on if nothing seems on...
Then I just happen to look up and think we'll that lights blown out and.... The button to the blown out buln in the sunglass holder built into the roof was popped out an on.. No bulb so couldn't tell it was on... Apparently it still draws power even if the bulb is dead.
Now we know.. 🤔
If you gotta power issue and a blown bulb. Check that the buttons pressed into the off position.
And it apparently takes more power than charging a cell phone to cause I can leave my phone in the car for hours and it won't die as it charges. But that blown light was on fire 30 minutes and killed the battery enough to cause a crank and click click no start...
Very helpful! It seems so obvious, once someone shows you how to do it. :D
Yes! Google and content like this on YT can restore the sanity of beginners and experienced practionners alike!
I was able to find the problem using your video, so thank you for that! However, I bought a new fuse for that socket then retested and the draw on the battery remained. I took out the new fuse and again saw the draw go away. Any tips on why a new fuse didn’t stop the battery draw from happening?
The fuse tells you which component is drawing your battery. It won't fix anything unless it's blown.
The fuse wasnt causing the problem, it only identified which circuit the draw is on. Now you have to figure out what component on the identified circuit is shorted or drawing inappropriately and how to fix it.
I explain this is better detail in the comment I left a few months ago. If you can find it, I believe it will provide the information you need to answer your question, as well as provide guidance on the steps needed to resolve the drain. You're already more than half way done. =)
RADIATOR!!!
yep that one is of the hidden culprits too especially with aluminum radiators because of galvanic corrosion and electrolysis. quick fix is a radiator cap with zinc anode. DAMN lost my beer buzz had to concentrate. worth it though to add to this post
My other video, which involves what you're saying. :-)
th-cam.com/video/x-gceYx_3RE/w-d-xo.html
@@electronicsNmore watched and approved i Like, OLE!
Can you disable an alarm system on a car? I assume that if it had a fuse, then you would have already identified the alarm as the culprit?
Very useful information, thank you. But take off your watch with the metal band before working on a battery.
Normally if you have a faulty alternator diode the battery charging warning light on the dash will glow dimly in the dark.
This was very clear and very useful thank you
Glad it was helpful Bob! You're welcome. Be sure to look over my video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites. Thanks
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I tried it on my Tesla and the meter exploded!
Nice. LOL
Teslas are pieces of shit 🤣
😂
Good lol
I tried and my tesla exploded!
Try running g a ground wire from the Alternator to the ground on the battery.Fixed my problem on 2005 Mustang
Killer ! Thank you En'M!!
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thanks for your informative video. what are the other 2 methods to check parasitic draw?
What is ECM and how can you tell which fuse is for the stereo?
Now fuses are all we will be pulling out? We dont mess with any of the relays?
No. The relays receive power from the fuses.
Always pull out if you don't want a unexcepted kid to deal with for 18 years or longer..
Very good video. Is it allso possible to measure on the possible pool to measure parasetic drain with a clamp meter, because my tang can't go between the batterie and the cable?
How do we account for those cars that don't fully shut down for a a while? I've read that Audi TTs take a while to 'go to sleep'
How can I figure out what is causing it to 'stay awake' and therefore drain the battery overnight?
Wait longer, and leave the hood open(making sure you prevent any hood light from turning on).
Add really high power sleeping pills to the gas tank and drive till it or you go to sleep bet it will go asleep faster than you.
I love your precision...
The lead didn't need to stay on the terminal when pulling the clamp of the terminal. It much safer pulling the ground off, you have no worries of the clamp arching on another part of the car.
My Chevy K3500 had that problem. I pulled the clock fuse and it solved the problem. Who needs a clock, anyway?
At least you figured it out. :-)
This is super helpful, thank you so much
My Belva amp is drawing A LITTLE power when key is off, THE REMOTE WIRE From Pioneer Stereo IS CONNECTED RIGHT. When the key is off, the little green light on the amp and the remote bass control knob both shut down. I got 3 cars with amp/sub kits I installed, I seen one site that said that drain is common with some low budget crap. It's not sucking major juice, just a little when it should not be using any power at all when it's shut down.
Great idea. Now you can do followup #2 and show your rig to transfer power supply from second battery of DC supply to allow you to test the in car battery with the Topdon tester out of vehicle.
100% correct! I've done that. I used a small 12V SLA battery connected to the vehicle then removed the battery.
Really simple to understand thank you
Great to hear Rexy! Be sure to look over my extensive video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, use supplied Amazon links to support my channel when making purchases(No added cost to you), and share links to my videos with many others on social networking sites. Thank you
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Very interesting will this work on Routan or Town and Country 2011?
The method shown in this video should work fine on all vehicles. Thanks for watching!
Under normal circumstances should a battery go dead if the car is not driven daily? My brother-in-law has a nearly new battery that is already giving problems. He is disabled and only uses his car maybe a few times a month. I think parasitic draw must be the problem, but was wondering if his not driving the car very much could cause it. I am fairly certain there is nothing wrong with the battery which was put on a matter of months ago. The old battery was definitely bad and would not take a charge when we put the new one on it.
Modern vehicles have higher parasitic draw. Using the vehicle only 3 times per month can be an issue. I suggest he buys a small solar battery maintainer and leave it on his dash.
Awesome vid and tricks. Will help me indeed 👌. Tks for sharing
Great explanation very good thanks!
Thx for clear demo on post/ connector management.
😅 great 👍 👌 👏 🙌 😀 😄 👍 video tutorial. I'm subscribing.
Learning about parasitic draining.
I've got an alarm system. Believe it's completely dead. I was wondering if there was a separate fuse for that alarm system, or is the fuse part of the radio system. I want to completely remove that alarm system. It was nice at first, but I constantly had a drained battery as the alarm system was always on. Any advice about this? I'm removing the batteries from the remote control.
Great work. Very clear
If you accept to loose the radio voltage you can measure the voltage drop more simple w/ampermetre in serie w/the pozitiv cable and pozitiv battery or on the minus cable. The test on the link is do not loose the voltage on the car during the test.
Years ago Autozone tested my battery and alternator. They concluded both were bad. Sounded fishy. So I went to a mechanic friend. Only the battery was bad. That was 15 years ago. Haven't been back to Autozone since.
Usually the testing they do is reliable, but they can screw up like anyone else. :-) Thanks for watching! Please share.
@Light Ning Back in 1996, Sears told me my wife's alternator was bad on her '94 Ford Probe. (They apparently didn't notice that we had a gauge showing the alternator was charging fine). Still have the Probe and I'm still waiting for the alternator to fail ;-). Later Sears was caught selling mis-labeled batteries!!!
My Belva amp is drawing A LITTLE power when key is off, THE REMOTE WIRE From Pioneer Stereo IS CONNECTED RIGHT. When the key is off, the little green light on the amp and the remote bass control knob both shut down. I got 3 cars with amp/sub kits I installed, I seen one site that said that drain is common with some low budget crap. It's not draining major power, . just a little when it should not be using any power at all when it's shut down. when I first put tester on it starts at 0.05 then drops to 0.01 after like 3-4 seconds. It does that every time I do the test.
Very clean, thank you.
Thanks 👍 gonna give this a try in the morning I'm pretty sure my problem is one of my security door buttons because when I Lock my doors with auto button the alarm goes off 02 pathfinder. But I can lock it with the key at the truck by turning it twice no alarm but back glass is open
Excellent demonstration
Thank you!
What inputs do you plug the wires into for the multimeter?
Red to 10A port. Black to common.
How about this method - take a voltage reading on the battery ..... leave car for 12 hours .... take another reading ..... then the current draw = 12 hour voltage drop * F, where F is a factor that I'd like to know. I'm seeing about a .1 volt drop per day. After 5 days the battery has gone from 12.5 v to 12.0 v.
I have a question 2016 ford explorer just put in a new battery and it started everything works but it still says service charging system and power steering is very hard.
Amazing video!! Thanks for your help.
You're welcome Luis! Be sure to look over my video playlists below for many other videos of interest to you, and most importantly take one minute to share a link to my channel with others on social networking sites. Thank you
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I already watched Scotty killer do this but I liked your video too
I would recommend the diode alternator test first ,easy to do !
How? Any good videos or explanation on this.
@@mptrader1620 yes it's available very simply Good
@@markt9438 Do you have a particular one you can point me to?
@@mptrader1620 there are at least three that I saw on TH-cam just type in check alternator parasite
@@markt9438 Thanks
Fantastic Video and Explanation. BTW where can one buy the Alligator Test leads you are showing here. One end is large and one small? I cannot seem to find these anywhere. They are all both small on one end.
He custom made them
Thanks for your explanation. 🙏
Nice video buddy, I'd done forgot about this one.
Thank you!
How long would you suggest to wait to start doing the testing on a 2010 Tahoe. With the all the "shutdown" processes it seems to have before everything completely shuts off to get an accurate read?
Hi . Thanks for uploading handy diy videos . Do u think the procedure would be same for bmw x5 too? Or is it different
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it. The method should work fine. Thanks for watching!
Did you find out why your X5 was draining? I’m have this problem with my Range Rover
I have a question. does a battery pack need the circuit board, IF on each "charging" each cell is removed and individually charged, to the same compacity. Then allowed to rest. And the position in the pack is rotated for each use?