Moderate battery drain, Any common places to start looking?

[BetMinesFaster]

Hey guys, my new GN has a Moderate battery drain, 3 or 4 days and its to weak to start the car, The seller was honest about the problem when I purchased the car, anybody know of any common places to look for trouble before I jump into electrical diagnostics? Just thought I would throw this out there in case this may be common?

 

[salvageV6]

The proper diagnostic procedure would be as follows.

1. Load test the battery.

2. Load test the alternator.

3. Remove the positive battery cable and insert an inline AMMETER with at least a 10A scale on it and check the current draw with everything off. Remove the underhood bulb and make sure the trunk and doors are closed and the key off. Check the draw at that point and report back.

IF you find a moderate draw over 50ma say with everything off you can pull fuses one at a time until you find the one that eliminates a current draw.

Work your way down from the 10A scale to 1A to 500ma to 200ma if the meter is analog and the needle doesn't move at the previous scale, check the digital meter as well they usually have one or two positions to use.

You start off on the high scales so as not to peg or overload the meter.

 

[TurboDave]

Trunk light staying on? very common.
under hood light staying on?

 

[BriHorse]

electric fan kicking on at shut off when it's not hot? they can start up on their own after it is parked. It is the big plug attached to the driver's fender closest to windshield.

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

...glove box light, vanity mirror light, aftermarket stereo installed incorrectly, diode in alternator...

 

[BetMinesFaster]

I belive I found my battery drain!!!!

Found this under the dashboard!!! Nice stuff huh! Lol

 

[blown okie]

HOLY CRAP!!! my sympathies are with you.

 

[lynch crew]

The proper diagnostic procedure would be as follows.

1. Load test the battery.

2. Load test the alternator.

3. Remove the positive battery cable and insert an inline AMMETER with at least a 10A scale on it and check the current draw with everything off. Remove the underhood bulb and make sure the trunk and doors are closed and the key off. Check the draw at that point and report back.

IF you find a moderate draw over 50ma say with everything off you can pull fuses one at a time until you find the one that eliminates a current draw.

Work your way down from the 10A scale to 1A to 500ma to 200ma if the meter is analog and the needle doesn't move at the previous scale, check the digital meter as well they usually have one or two positions to use.

You start off on the high scales so as not to peg or overload the meter.

Good info.It really is not a good idea to check a draw on the positive side though.It is much safer on the neg side.

 

[BetMinesFaster]

Haha, I know!!!!

Belive it or not all that wire was for 8 aftermarket gauges!!! Took 20 minutes to cut it all out, looks perfect now and the draw is gone!!! Funny stuff, Whata hack job this was!!!

 

[ELLISDALLASWE4]

Is the Radio Display light on with the key off ... if so that is the problem .. and it is in the radio.

 

[Red C5]

Wow, what a mess. Glad you got it fixed!

 

[83ttypecooled]

Hi,
Looks like the last owner was a slob. I would never let that mess exist under my dash. Good job, most likely some of that was your draw.

 

[BetMinesFaster]

Hi,
Looks like the last owner was a slob. I would never let that mess exist under my dash. Good job, most likely some of that was your draw.

That draw was really fast, overnight, I clipped out all of that mess, thankfully they did not get into the factory wiring at all, just alot of fuse taps and scotch locks, once I cut it out you could not even tell it was ever there!

 

[ELLISDALLASWE4]

Get someone with an amp meter to help you . Charge the battery then remove the neg battery cable then set the meter to 10 AMPS then put the meter between the neg cable and the neg battery post. have someone watch meter and look for a small drop as you pull and replace fuses. note the interior lights will pull just short of 2 amps (1600-1700milliamps) start with the CLK fuse if meter drops, then leave it out, then shut the car door and meter should go to "0 " IF so then you have found the circuit. Then test each thing on the circuit.

 

[BetMinesFaster]

This problem was repaired last august!!!!! It was nasty aftermarket gauge wiring!