Battery dead again

[Tulsa76bronco]

I am really wondering how my battery keeps draining. Had this problem before I put in a painless harness and thought that would take care of it. Still have the problem. Using a FI tech EFI, MSD 6A ignition, seat heater, stereo with woofer direct to battery all these were part of my old system before new wires. I added a dual USB ports with volt meter in it along with a cigarette lighter type power.

Any ideas why my battery is draining

Went to O'reilly had them check alternator, did add the new 3G one wire when I redid wires, said it was working properly.
Also had them check my red top optima battery which at that time I had just charged all the way up with trickle charger, they said it was fine also.

 

[sanndmann3]

start by pulling all the fuses and confirm with a meter that there is no current draw. then plug in fuses one by one while checking with a meter...bhopefully that helps narrow it down quickly.

 

[gnpenning]

With the Bronco I prefer to disconnect the battery ground cable and hook a test light series. If the test lights up you have a draw. Remove fuses looking for the light to go out. If all the fuses are out and it's still on then start undoing components like starter relay, alt, winch, etc. This will give you a starting place to look.

You can also use a dash light bulb. Cheaper test lights work better.

 

[Steve83]

Disconnect the battery to see how long it takes to discharge. Or take it to a Ford dealership to have it tested with their MidTronics HF tester:


https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/830812 (for phone apps)

But it seems like you have a LONG list of things permanently drawing off the battery. Have you ever measured the parasitic draw? What condition are the terminals in?


https://www.supermotors.net/registry/2742/69178-4

Optimas are NOT particularly good batteries, and red-tops aren't even recommended or warranteed for vehicles with electrical modifications. I suggest you start shopping for a MotorCraft TestedTough Max BXT-65-850 (or the highest CCA available in MC TTM Gr.65).


https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/975094

 

[DirtDonk]

Had this problem before I put in a painless harness and thought that would take care of it.

Well then it's a good bet that it's a component, rather than a wire.
But it could still be a wire connected to the wrong place at the wrong time.

Using a FI tech EFI, MSD 6A ignition, seat heater, stereo with woofer direct to battery

All of which could be draining, but we need to know first how long it takes to drain the battery.
And you can disconnect things one at a time to see if the drain stops.

all these were part of my old system before new wires. I added a dual USB ports with volt meter in it along with a cigarette lighter type power.

Each of which is pretty benign, but added together we still need to know how long.

Any ideas why my battery is draining

Nope. Not yet.
Need more input. Says Johnny-5...

did add the new 3G one wire when I redid wires, said it was working properly.

True 1-wire? Or just an internally regulated alternator? If a standard 3g with a Green w/red wire connected, you can test the wire to make sure it does not have 12v with the key OFF.
If it does, then the alternator is draining your battery.

Also had them check my red top optima battery which at that time I had just charged all the way up with trickle charger, they said it was fine also.

Since it was just charged and they probably did a load test(?) then it "might" be good. Or it might not...
Have you disconnected the battery and let it sit in the vehicle for the time that it usually takes to discharge?
If it still discharges, in the same, or almost the same amount of time, then the battery is bad no matter what the test said.
And unfortunately, even the stores don't always test correctly, as we've found out over the years.

You don't say how long it takes to discharge. Is it overnight? A couple of hours? Or a month? Which one makes a big difference on where to search.

Paul

 

[Tulsa76bronco]

Ok that's lot to check so one thing at a time I guess I will get it all charged to full then let it go as normal and see how long it takes to go dead. In the mean time I will start doing the test with my light or to fuses. I do need to get another battery for my 77 so maybe I will take the red top out. Are the yellow tops better? My tray is set up for optima

 

[Tulsa76bronco]

Oh forgot last time I drove it was 10/18 but not sure how long it took to drain since didn't drive in that time went to use it yesterday and dead so 11 days or less

 

[DirtDonk]

Ok. You need to ascertain that little bit of date. If it takes almost the full 11 days, it's likely not the alternator. But it could still be the battery. Although that lowers the probability a bit, it does not get rid of it as a culprit.

I don't think Steve was referring to the Red Top vs other Optimas, as much as he was Optimas in general.
I think you would be safe enough with either, but they had a run of a bad time for the last few years with many early failures. But the word is slowly coming out that they're getting better because we have not had many failure reports lately. Or any that I remember for that matter.
I would use either however. Not sure that one is better than the other for your use.

Their Yellow Tops are considered the Deep-Cycle version of the Red Top. Not as many cold-cranking amps, but slightly more reserve capacity and more resistance to dying from discharging.
And that's one of the issues they were having anyway. Lots of EB's have draining issues and the batteries just were not liking it. To their credit, NO battery likes being discharged. Just that these were dying permanently a little too easily in some cases.

Since your tray is set up for Optimas, either the Red, the Yellow or the Blue (marine) would work. The marine is available in both "starting" (Red Top) and "deep-cycle" (Yellow Top) chemistries, with the additional marine style threaded terminals.
If you utilize any form of side terminal connectors on yours though, I'm pretty sure you can only get that in a Red Top.

Paul

 

[Tulsa76bronco]

One of these

GN are you talking about one of these

 

[Tulsa76bronco]

Thanks Paul I do use the side terminals so I guess it is the red top. I'm trying to figure out how to do what gn was referring to
BTW all charged now start the date as 10/30, although if I drive it this weekend that might affect my date will try not to

 

[Slowleak]

Thanks Paul I do use the side terminals so I guess it is the red top. I'm trying to figure out how to do what gn was referring to
BTW all charged now start the date as 10/30, although if I drive it this weekend that might affect my date will try not to

That test light you have will work. Unhook the negative battery cable. Clip the test light to the negative cable end and touch the probe to the negative battery post. If you have a current leak the light will light up.

 

[gnpenning]

That test light you have will work. Unhook the negative battery cable. Clip the test light to the negative cable end and touch the probe to the negative battery post. If you have a current leak the light will light up.

This. Then pull fuses till the light goes out. If it's still on, especially in your case disconnect one component at a time till the light goes out. Which circuit when disconnected causes the light to go out that should be your problem circuit. there is always the possibility you could have problems with more than one circuit.

It's not as hard as it sounds. If you have a extra battery terminal it makes it easier to keep your test light attached.

 

[MonsterBIlly]

i had a similar issue bro, it ended up being a bad connection on the ignition switch. sounds stupid bit it was a small power wire tgay was grounding. i was havung yhe issue for 2 minths before i found it. i just happened to dyumbke across it when the light hit it just right. i dae a dmall ouff of smoke. really small biy just enough to find the issue.
just saying, cgeck the connections on the back of the ign switch

 

[Steve83]

That light is the wrong tool. Use a digital multimeter set to its highest range for DC Amps (preferably 15, but 10 should do). If it shows any number other than 0, the parasitic draw is too high. If it shows 0, switch to a lower range (and you may have to move one of the leads to another meter port) until it shows mA. Allowable is 50mA (0.050A), but typical is 15mA.

 

[sprdv1]

Electrical gremlins sure do suck.. That's for sure

Anyone local to help you out? Gordon Bailie is around the Tulsa area, maybe he would lend a hand for a fellow enthusiast...

 

[Yeller]

I was having the same issue, sit for 3 weeks or so and no start. Wound up being a USB outlet. its something small and may take some time to find. But the advice your getting is good. and yes a mulitmeter is the correct tool, if you have enough of a draw to turn on a light it would be much more noticeable and you could probably find it by touching the components for heat warmer then ambient.

 

[gnpenning]

If you don't have a MM try the test light. If you don't find it then go to the MM

 

[Tulsa76bronco]

Ok I'm down to 11.7 volts today on day 6 eb will still crank over and start. I have not driven it so it has dropped at least a full volt since full charge today I will start trying to find out what it is. My buddy said to keep the FI tech remote disconnected as it drains battery but I haven't wanted to pull it yet wanted to see how many days till dead

 

[Tulsa76bronco]

Ok finally dead battery again or at least enough that won't start took 10 days. Volts at 10.9 now I'm potting the garter back on it then will try some of the above things

 

[sprdv1]

Good luck....