I'm a retired mechanic , with a draw on my battery , just wanted to say you filmed an excellent video , to the point , easy to understand , Great job .
My only training is 40+ years of repairing my cars. That said, I've never had a parasitic draw. I recently did but didn't know of it. After blaming the battery, I found this video. Yep, I had a draw and this video gave me top ideas and lessons.
Hye ,wanna ask,last night I found out,my passenger window can't up n down,so I start inspect,when I open the door cover, found out the wire harness got effect by rain water,now should I change the wire that came from door side,no current supply for the motor,live wire,zero
Had a coworker that relaced the battery, alternator and cables. After a week of sitting idle the battery would be dead. He got so mad he sold it to me for $500. This was in the early 80s and the car was in excellent shape. I got the car home and parked it in the driveway. That night I looked outside from the upstairs window and thought I saw a little glow from the car. It was the glove compartment light. Removed the bulb and drove the car to work for 4 years with no problems. Your videos are very helpful. Thank You.
I applaud you for sharing what you know with the youtube community. @404 your meter was actually measuring 250 mA (0.25A), not 25 mA. You are correct that ~50 mA is a typical and acceptable parasitic draw. If you had waited a minute or 2 after connecting the leads in series, that 250mA would likely have dropped to the expected 50mA draw. Additionally, you were completely correct when you say it takes a while (some vehicles are quicker than others) for the current draw to reach steady state and stabilize. Most vehicles take
@njuham 250mA is not nearly high enough current to damage test leads. Fyi, if current was exceeding the capacity of a lead, it would melt the insulation in mere seconds.
You gotta be kidding me on the timing of this video!. We have a 99 Grand with the very same problem. Just found out this morning. You guys ROCK!!! Much love, brothers...
@@DEInTheGarage so 250mA is not normal, right? I got almost 500mA:www.mitsubishi-forums.com/threads/parasitic-draw-spotted-control-unit-relay-fuse.261023/
This may be one of the most useful videos I've ever seen on RUclips. That it's using the exact same Jeep I'm working on is an even better coincidence. Thanks!
Thank you for explaining in detail how to hook up the multimeter in series with the battery. I've watched many parasitic-drain videos and none of them showed how to hook the meter up to the battery to start collecting numbers. This is the most important step in diagnosing parasitic drain and if someone is making a video for instruction you would think they would do what you did...but the brain locks up for some people and not everybody makes a good teacher. You're a great teacher.
One of the major causes of parasitic draw is a faulty relay, that is one of the first thing I'd check, the cause the draw by being 'frozen' in the closed position when they should be in the open position when they car is turned off.
@@createspaceone Look on the body of the relay you are checking, there should be a diagram on the plastic cover of the relay showing the relay at rest and which poles are open or closed, check terminals with your multimeter, you will be able to check the continuity against the diagram on the relay, if there is no diagram on the relay the manufacturer should have a diagram for the relay on their website.
This is the best video i have seen for along time in its presentation. it explains everything in layman language and assumes the person watching has a limited knowledge of the subject. No terms are used that leaves the viewer asking "what the hell does that mean". You also explains how to use the multi meter .clearly. You should go into teaching as you keep the lesson at the student level without going over their heads. Well done.
Best video on this topic. I am in the category of buying a car when I did not know fully what the prior owner installed. Found a draw that was making my battery go to 4.5v overnight. Found aux cable for radio behind the radio in a aux box. Removed that 3 weeks ago and now still having draw. Remote starter needs to be investigated. Radio fuse was the amp drop but could have other components on it. Just this week it is drawing again. Even has kill switch I/O on underside of dash. I have to trace this circuit as you say. I hope to get this fixed and do biz with you guys. Thanks.
U need 2 latch your doors to. Opening , closing , and leaving your doors, hood and truck open will continue to draw current and give you a misread. So open your doors and push the door latch to the closed position and THEN leave your car to set for an hour. If your not sure there closed check your dash for any lights or warnings.
FANTASTIC, Never used a meter before in my life. Just bought one and found fault already. Very well explained, easy to follow. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Definately subscribed
I work for a company called American battery corporation in Colorado springs ,Colorado been using the midtronics pd40 for a while but it's acting up in this video was extremely helpful thank you brother thank you very much.
Well. Watched your vid, grabbed my meter and connected to the battery. My old 1981 2.8 injection only has 7 fuses. Got to the 7th and there it is. The 57 milliamp draw stopped when I pulled it. It was the new radio I fitted, don't need the clock so I pulled the power from it while I was there. Off to order an isolator switch now as the cars just for shows etc. Great teacher 👍👍
Thank you, finally a video that is step by step, understandable explained and a meter I can buy cheap. I'm going to try and find my Jeep's parasitic draw myself before I take it to the shop.
Thank You D and E for the informative video. I appreciate it when good people explain technical problems in a way “commoners” ( like myself ) can easily understand. Have A Good Day! And I appreciate the comedy relief inside the video. 😁👍🏼😎
Excellent video man! I’m terrible with electrical especially testing and you made it very straight forward and easy to understand in this video. Thanks!
Is every electrical component fused? Cause I have small draw about 90 milliamps and I pulled each one and no chances. After about 1-2 weeks my battery is too weak
Unplugging fuses and plugging them back in can wake up the car again. The best way to pinpoint it with just a DVOM is to do a voltage drop across each fuse, with the meter reading mV. Power Probe has a chart that shows what mV reading equates to what mA draw, depending on the fuse type and size. Your voltage drop at each fuse should be 0mV. If you have a voltage drop across the fuse, it’s because the circuit is still active. Once you’ve pinpointed the fuse that’s the culprit, you then have to figure out what that fuse powers. Let’s say there are 3 components that are powered by the fuse that has a voltage drop reading across the poles. Don’t take that fuse out, but put your meter in series to read out the mA draw at the battery, and disconnect the given components one at a time until the draw goes away. When it does, you know what was causing your issue.
Tips: Parasitic draw problems can be very diverse, so it is hard to say which testing method is better than another. It really depends on the symptoms and the complexity of the vehicle and its electrical design. 1) Start with the battery charged, this is good advice if you have time. To fully charge a battery could take up to 12 hours or more, and batteries exposed to parasitic draw tend to arrive at the shop practically dead. I think what is important is that the battery is not dead. Perhaps 75% SOC may be more realistic to start testing. 2) The vehicle must go asleep and make sure to put into a state where the customer leaves it during the draw, like locking the doors for example. If it is parked in a garage maybe the customer does not lock the doors. Keep all test leads and hands away from any electric cooling fans. If there is a hood switch for a light or module this will have to be disabled off. Same with a trunk light and or switch if you want to troubleshoot fuse panels in the trunk. 3) Like in the video, if you remove the BAT NEG lug you will reset the system. Parasitic draw in newer vehicles may require a special sequence of operation to show itself. If you interrupt power the problem could go away until the customer recreates it. That is, recreates a special sequence of operation. So, if you want to introduce an Ammeter or a shunt you have to do it without interrupting power. Parasitic draw current profiles may be complex, meaning periodic ON/OFF or something more complex. So the current meter reading may be dynamic in nature or perhaps periodic. 4) I use a clamp meter first, if I can fit the jaws around around one of the battery cables, like the B&K 316, which has a resolution down to 1mA DC, and also measures DC Volts. If you use a clamp meter you can easily go key on. I would have to say that the clamp meter is more useful in this case than a DMM with a 10Amp current range. There is a danger when going key on, obviously the vehicle will wake up and draw a lot of current, and might even turn on a large load like a cooling fan or pump motor. These higher currents could overcurrent an inserted DMM amperage limit, which may blow a fuse. What if the battery is in the trunk? Well if you have a wiring diagram the main power feeds usually come to underhood fuse boxes before going to other interior fuse panels. Usually like two. If you can get to these wires you can use a clamp meter to measure the current. 5) The real issue with complex parasitic draw failures is they can take a long time to diagnose. Maybe even over an hour, after the vehicle has gone to sleep, depending on the vehicle and what has failed. If you know what you are doing and using a clamp meter you can use a DC power supply to put the vehicle on "life support" while you are troubleshooting. Just like using a voltage regulated power supply during Flash Reprogramming which also can take a long time, meaning don't rely on the battery to supply power during the testing. If power is interrupted or inadequate the problem may reset. For parasitic draw I would recommend an old style 15VDC 20Amp voltage regulated linear, current limited, bench power supply. The output is very low noise as compared to a switching power supply. Match battery voltage, connect, and then increase the voltage so that the battery is taking a very small draw (charge). Now you can keep a constant voltage while you are doing the testing and slow charge the battery. If you have to go key on to key off to diagnose the parasitic draw problem remember a load may be actuated. The battery can usually supply the starting surge for a motor and then the supply will take over.
@@terminator7137 I'll tell you what helped me and saved me alot of time and headache. Google. I basically searched many forums .. with certain search words .. for example.. "2012 Honda accord parasitic draw forums" ... And u will be surprised.. but ur car .. or boat.. or whatever it is you posses... Might have a common problem that is well known to the internet community lol... So i found many forums and one guy mentioned all the trouble he went thru and by going to the dealership they finally told him what it was.. a common Bluetooth handsfree module that just commonly went bad in Hondas as well as Acuras... So guess what. I unplugged it and my parasitic draw went away. Sometimes a little internet search can save alot of time and headache. Oh i also took this pretty dead 2 year old battery to Advanced Auto and got a free Gold battery replacement at no charge.
I have a 2011 Honda Odyssey exl , and I've replaced the alternator 4 times and the last 2 are denso alternators. I checked fuses and codes all good. The check charge system message is blinking & battery icon is on. What eventually happens is within a couple days is goes dead so it seems like alternator isn't charging battery. No one knows what to do. Anyone have any ideas I can check into?
We joke, but a guy I work with has a Audi V10 and it actually has an electric water pump which means he has a water pump circuit. haha. It is electric on his so that it can run for a few minutes after the engine is shut down to prevent heat soak. You should see this V10 crammed into the engine bay of a Audi S6.... there is zero room for air flow and as a result it has major cooling issues. Gotta love German over engineering...
Excellent explanation, i don't think anybody else has a video about this kind of problems, but many cars have it, i think as you said it, most of the time is by incorrectly installing extra after market thing to the car such as stereo, lights .
Dont forget to check the lighted mirror on the passenger / driver sunshade. Their on/off switch is cheap plastic which the sun bakes and then the light stays on constantly
I’ve been chasing a parasitic draw in my TJ for over a year now. No local mechanics want to bother with it. Battery tests good. I’ve used this method. Removed every fuse in the engine bay and behind the glove box, every relay under the hood and under the dash, in the steering column, disconnected every after market item, the radio, the starter, the alternator, the computer, replaced the battery cables all the way back, and I still have a 1.6 amp parasitic draw. I’m stumped.
Someone else in the comments of this video suggested that a bad alternator could produce parasitic draw which would not be detectible through this method. Maybe completely disconnect you alternator to see if that does the trick
Check the harnesses at the bcm. Maybe shorted at pins. Disconnect all power switch harnesses one at a time. Rear glass and latch sensor harnesses as well.
Wow The best video I've seen on parasitic draw and I wasn't even looking for it. I have a truck I was trying to use a multimeter on and I knew it had a drain. But now I know it's from the after market double din and led lights he put in.
Your video was better than any other video I have watched. I like the way you showed the multimeter and showed exactly what you were setting the dial to.
Likewise with the rest of the comments… EXCELLENT VIDEO. I do have a question; however, I have gone through this process but when I test for the draw I am reading 0.00 . Do I not have one?
Thank YOU! For the first time someone actually explained this properly! Might be 33degrees out but going out to try this on my Mercury Mountaineer that's been draining my battery
Sometimes pulling a fuse on certain ckts will wake modules up and give you a false reading, just voltage drop each fuse while in still in ,set your other meter to mv and it should read absolute zero or you have something on in that ckt
Thanks for showing this. Wow, my Mom's 2010 Grand Marquis is drawing 3.42 amps! Her car sat for 3 weeks because she had fallen and broken three ribs. When she was well enough to drive, it was dead. I put a new battery in it. Two days later, it was dead. So, I knew something was draining it down. I just checked it like the video says for a draw - it's reading 3.42 amps - and now I have to do the elimination check.
Great explanation. I've got a car battery that I've charged up to normal (12.6V) and after several days, the volts drop to under 12V, so I need to figure this out... but since I dont drive that car regularly, maybe I should just disconnect the battery until I need to drive it.
This is such a great video Doug. It's gonna help alot of people. Awesome job with the giveaway 👍. BTW I'm so glad you said to disconnect the hood light 🤣 that one gets me every time! Haha
This process is great for older vehicles but just seeing all the electronics and gadgets filling the new vehicles I'd probably invest in a tester or just bring it to someone who has the expensive diagnostic equipment designed for this issue. I miss the old days when vehicles were simple to work on but then the new stuff is much more efficient and many things last longer generally.... ;-)
Sadly the owner of my van is trying to do what he couldnt find a mechanic to do, because i am not good with wiring. Currently. Changed some connections and fuel pump replacement required a new connection changinging wiring. (The problem was not the brand new fuel pump i had a problem seating and useing a plastic mallet, broke the plug in cover area. I bought the cheaper replacement this time around. It went in much easier this time? Anyway. I like your finding way. Im going to start here. I'll get a better multimeter while im out n about tomorrow. Hoofin for a year now. Done stressing on it. Gonna fix it. I broke it.
Instead of pulling out fuses, it is easier to measure the voltage across a plugged in fuse. The fuse is a very low Ohm resistor and will create a very slight voltage drop in the mV region if current is flowing through it. This voltage drop can be measured with a good multimeter.
I don’t understand how the hood light or dome lights could work if the negative battery terminal is disconnected. I guess I’ll disconnect it and see if they still work, but maybe they can still draw power unless turned off? I guess that’s why I’m not a mechanic or an electrician. Lol thanks for the great info. It’s a good place to start.
Thank you! Gotta pontoon boat, shop put a new marine stereo in dash. Have had 2 dead batteries after not using a few weeks. This will help me figure it out.!!😊
Interesting... to drain the battery, the Positive side would have to energize the glycol... Water pump USUALLY has no circuit (clip attached). It stays in the Grounded side of the circuit... but your story sounds Cool
Wow Doug, fantastic video, I watched half a dozen videos on this subject and none compared to yours, going to subscribe and see what other videos you have. But now im going to go check for my battery draw, if I have a problem, maybe I can comment back to you. Thank you very much!!!!!
@@DEInTheGarage common cause of overnight battery drain bad alternator diode. Diode is supposed to block current glow, when it starts to fail current can flow back into the alternator coils causing significant amp draw...
If the alternator diodes are bad , it's known as ripple voltage . On very old vehicles the red light for the alternator would glow with key off . On newer vehicles , you can test with your meter . I just did a 2002 Taurus
Helps to do a quick Google search on your car Most the time if you start with the common draw makers you'll figure it out quicker then pulling fuses and that really helps if don't have helper
I have a 2012 journey with a parasitic draw, and it seems as though a lot of people have had the same issue and a lot of mechanics have not been able to diagnose said problem. I'm going to go step by step to try to figure out the problem however, if you were to make a video or shed some light on this particular vehicle that just may be incredibly helpful
You said the 0.25 was 25 milliamps. Since a milliamp is a thousandth of an amp, you were looking at 250 milliamps, not 25. 25 milliamps would be displayed as .025.
@@mostdavestdave69 Maybe, but a milliamp is a milliamp regardless of the capacity of the meter. The meter has a 10 amp fuse in it, and displays in amps to the left of the decimal point. So the max the meter can handle and display is 10.00 amps. Thus 0.25 amps is one quarter of an amp, which also equals 250 milliamps. He said 25 milliamps, but he meant 250 milliamps.
Great video..can someone tell me why I’m not getting any reads from my battery doing that procedure!?I have a major drain coming from my front seats control module and I want to make sure if is both seats or just one
Cheers mate , would this would be the same testing the draw a 12 volt motorcycle with 3 phase stator , battery go’s flat with a new regulator / rectifier & new stator all testing to spec.
Hey Buck, great video as usual! I like my 2000 Grand under hood light but I don't plug it in unless I need it. Man buy a set of hood struts! I used a piece of wood like yours for years. It does get old!! Thanks dude! Keep'm Com'n
Fair point. Lately I have been considering replacing the mercury light with a brighter traditional LED and then putting the whole thing on a switch.. Can;t decide if it would be worth the work or not
Great instruction. I;m confussed though . On the meter , set to 10a, it reads 0,25 , and you say its 25ma. But if it's set to 10amp wouldnt 0,25 be 250ma not 25ma ?
I’m having trouble getting it if I put the multi meter an 10A DC i get a reading of 0.18 if I put it on mA DC i get a reading of 1.85 i don get it He said mega Amps i disconnected all the fuses and the same reading and the battery is still draining
.25 A definitely equals 250 mA Doesn't read the meter properly. I also would advise against using your key to trip the door latch. There are many tools you could use without causing unnecessary wear on your key, or risk breaking your key.
I just purchased a brand new meter -Hooked it up as per you instructions ,left the door open to see what I get,but their is no power to it .No power to anything.??? 2005 pt Cruzer
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I'm a retired mechanic , with a draw on my battery , just wanted to say you filmed an excellent video , to the point , easy to understand ,
Great job .
My only training is 40+ years of repairing my cars. That said, I've never had a parasitic draw. I recently did but didn't know of it. After blaming the battery, I found this video. Yep, I had a draw and this video gave me top ideas and lessons.
Faulty water pump circuits are the #1 cause of a drop in blinker fluid pressure.
Hye ,wanna ask,last night I found out,my passenger window can't up n down,so I start inspect,when I open the door cover, found out the wire harness got effect by rain water,now should I change the wire that came from door side,no current supply for the motor,live wire,zero
@@brandonharvey7939 I learn something every day. thanks
Had a coworker that relaced the battery, alternator and cables. After a week of sitting idle the battery would be dead. He got so mad he sold it to me for $500. This was in the early 80s and the car was in excellent shape. I got the car home and parked it in the driveway. That night I looked outside from the upstairs window and thought I saw a little glow from the car. It was the glove compartment light. Removed the bulb and drove the car to work for 4 years with no problems. Your videos are very helpful. Thank You.
😂
I would have gave the car back if he would refund my money. Not good to take advantage of the elderly.
@@shaunedwards4893 Where did you get the idea he was elderly?
@shaunedwards4893 that's not taking advantage of anyone.
@@overthehill1958You said it was in the early 80s. As in time period. I think he read it as the guy being in his 80s lol
I applaud you for sharing what you know with the youtube community. @404 your meter was actually measuring 250 mA (0.25A), not 25 mA. You are correct that ~50 mA is a typical and acceptable parasitic draw. If you had waited a minute or 2 after connecting the leads in series, that 250mA would likely have dropped to the expected 50mA draw. Additionally, you were completely correct when you say it takes a while (some vehicles are quicker than others) for the current draw to reach steady state and stabilize. Most vehicles take
Whole reason I was watching this video to make sure I was reading milliamps right and he shows me wrong lol.
50ma draw is to high.
Thank you. I saw that and thought I was crazy for a minute when he kept saying 25 milliamps LOL
Thanks for this. When you say keeping the leads in place for a minute or two wouldn't that damage the leads?
@njuham 250mA is not nearly high enough current to damage test leads. Fyi, if current was exceeding the capacity of a lead, it would melt the insulation in mere seconds.
As soon as you said glove box I looked over and saw a light on for no reason! God is good, thank you bro.
Amen, all the time!
I wish God would fix my aunt's SL2's parasitic draw. 🙄
Amen all the time here as well .
You gotta be kidding me on the timing of this video!. We have a 99 Grand with the very same problem. Just found out this morning. You guys ROCK!!! Much love, brothers...
What can I say... we sensed a fellow Jeeper needed this info. Hope it works out for you buddy! Good luck!
Great video, working through this issue on a friend’s car.
0.25 is actually 250mA (not 25mA) :-(
Yea, I misspoke, but thank you for catching me. Good luck with your issue
@@DEInTheGarage so 250mA is not normal, right? I got almost 500mA:www.mitsubishi-forums.com/threads/parasitic-draw-spotted-control-unit-relay-fuse.261023/
@@bluegables 250mAh is what he meant, so 259mAh-500mAh is acceptable.
@@brianmaloney9949 no it’s not, 50mA is acceptable, 250mA is not.
@@KobyTCBZ no, .50 ma is actually .500 ma. you’re missing what they are saying.
I've watched several of these parasitic draw videos and this one was the easiest to understand by far. Thank you!
This may be one of the most useful videos I've ever seen on RUclips. That it's using the exact same Jeep I'm working on is an even better coincidence. Thanks!
You HAVE NO IDEA HOW THANKFUL AND HAPPY AM THAT CAME ACROSS YOU AND YOUR CHANNEL!!!! THAAAANK YOU!!
I am so glad you found this helpful! Good luck!
Thank you for explaining in detail how to hook up the multimeter in series with the battery.
I've watched many parasitic-drain videos and none of them showed how to hook the meter up to the battery to start collecting numbers. This is the most important step in diagnosing parasitic drain and if someone is making a video for instruction you would think they would do what you did...but the brain locks up for some people and not everybody makes a good teacher.
You're a great teacher.
One of the major causes of parasitic draw is a faulty relay, that is one of the first thing I'd check, the cause the draw by being 'frozen' in the closed position when they should be in the open position when they car is turned off.
how do you fix that? relay tester? i only tested for clicking with multimeter.
@@createspaceone Look on the body of the relay you are checking, there should be a diagram on the plastic cover of the relay showing the relay at rest and which poles are open or closed, check terminals with your multimeter,
you will be able to check the continuity against the diagram on the relay, if there is no diagram on the relay the manufacturer should have a diagram for the relay on their website.
This is the best video i have seen for along time in its presentation. it explains everything in layman language and assumes the person watching has a limited knowledge of the subject. No terms are used that leaves the viewer asking "what the hell does that mean". You also explains how to use the multi meter .clearly. You should go into teaching as you keep the lesson at the student level without going over their heads. Well done.
One of the factual, informative videos I have ever seen on any subject on RUclips... Great Job ❗
Best video on this topic. I am in the category of buying a car when I did not know fully what the prior owner installed. Found a draw that was making my battery go to 4.5v overnight. Found aux cable for radio behind the radio in a aux box. Removed that 3 weeks ago and now still having draw. Remote starter needs to be investigated. Radio fuse was the amp drop but could have other components on it. Just this week it is drawing again. Even has kill switch I/O on underside of dash. I have to trace this circuit as you say. I hope to get this fixed and do biz with you guys. Thanks.
In
Great video! Perfect presentation, really clear instructions and well narrated! Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
U need 2 latch your doors to. Opening , closing , and leaving your doors, hood and truck open will continue to draw current and give you a misread. So open your doors and push the door latch to the closed position and THEN leave your car to set for an hour. If your not sure there closed check your dash for any lights or warnings.
Yep. That is a fair point
FANTASTIC, Never used a meter before in my life. Just bought one and found fault already. Very well explained, easy to follow. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Definately subscribed
I work for a company called American battery corporation in Colorado springs ,Colorado been using the midtronics pd40 for a while but it's acting up in this video was extremely helpful thank you brother thank you very much.
Well. Watched your vid, grabbed my meter and connected to the battery.
My old 1981 2.8 injection only has 7 fuses.
Got to the 7th and there it is. The 57 milliamp draw stopped when I pulled it.
It was the new radio I fitted, don't need the clock so I pulled the power from it while I was there.
Off to order an isolator switch now as the cars just for shows etc.
Great teacher 👍👍
Thank you, finally a video that is step by step, understandable explained and a meter I can buy cheap. I'm going to try and find my Jeep's parasitic draw myself before I take it to the shop.
Your video is great and easy to understand. Good job. Very helpful.
Thank You D and E for the informative video. I appreciate it when good people explain technical problems in a way “commoners” ( like myself ) can easily understand. Have A Good Day! And I appreciate the comedy relief inside the video. 😁👍🏼😎
Excellent video man! I’m terrible with electrical especially testing and you made it very straight forward and easy to understand in this video. Thanks!
Is every electrical component fused? Cause I have small draw about 90 milliamps and I pulled each one and no chances. After about 1-2 weeks my battery is too weak
How to fix the problem curcuit p
Unplugging fuses and plugging them back in can wake up the car again. The best way to pinpoint it with just a DVOM is to do a voltage drop across each fuse, with the meter reading mV. Power Probe has a chart that shows what mV reading equates to what mA draw, depending on the fuse type and size. Your voltage drop at each fuse should be 0mV. If you have a voltage drop across the fuse, it’s because the circuit is still active. Once you’ve pinpointed the fuse that’s the culprit, you then have to figure out what that fuse powers. Let’s say there are 3 components that are powered by the fuse that has a voltage drop reading across the poles. Don’t take that fuse out, but put your meter in series to read out the mA draw at the battery, and disconnect the given components one at a time until the draw goes away. When it does, you know what was causing your issue.
Good information. Can you do a video ?
Well said dude
Tips:
Parasitic draw problems can be very diverse, so it is hard to say which testing method is better than another. It really depends on the symptoms and the complexity of the vehicle and its electrical design.
1) Start with the battery charged, this is good advice if you have time. To fully charge a battery could take up to 12 hours or more, and batteries exposed to parasitic draw tend to arrive at the shop practically dead. I think what is important is that the battery is not dead. Perhaps 75% SOC may be more realistic to start testing.
2) The vehicle must go asleep and make sure to put into a state where the customer leaves it during the draw, like locking the doors for example. If it is parked in a garage maybe the customer does not lock the doors.
Keep all test leads and hands away from any electric cooling fans. If there is a hood switch for a light or module this will have to be disabled off. Same with a trunk light and or switch if you want to troubleshoot fuse panels in the trunk.
3) Like in the video, if you remove the BAT NEG lug you will reset the system. Parasitic draw in newer vehicles may require a special sequence of operation to show itself. If you interrupt power the problem could go away until the customer recreates it. That is, recreates a special sequence of operation.
So, if you want to introduce an Ammeter or a shunt you have to do it without interrupting power. Parasitic draw current profiles may be complex, meaning periodic ON/OFF or something more complex. So the current meter reading may be dynamic in nature or perhaps periodic.
4) I use a clamp meter first, if I can fit the jaws around around one of the battery cables, like the B&K 316, which has a resolution down to 1mA DC, and also measures DC Volts. If you use a clamp meter you can easily go key on. I would have to say that the clamp meter is more useful in this case than a DMM with a 10Amp current range.
There is a danger when going key on, obviously the vehicle will wake up and draw a lot of current, and might even turn on a large load like a cooling fan or pump motor. These higher currents could overcurrent an inserted DMM amperage limit, which may blow a fuse.
What if the battery is in the trunk? Well if you have a wiring diagram the main power feeds usually come to underhood fuse boxes before going to other interior fuse panels. Usually like two. If you can get to these wires you can use a clamp meter to measure the current.
5) The real issue with complex parasitic draw failures is they can take a long time to diagnose. Maybe even over an hour, after the vehicle has gone to sleep, depending on the vehicle and what has failed.
If you know what you are doing and using a clamp meter you can use a DC power supply to put the vehicle on "life support" while you are troubleshooting. Just like using a voltage regulated power supply during Flash Reprogramming which also can take a long time, meaning don't rely on the battery to supply power during the testing. If power is interrupted or inadequate the problem may reset.
For parasitic draw I would recommend an old style 15VDC 20Amp voltage regulated linear, current limited, bench power supply. The output is very low noise as compared to a switching power supply.
Match battery voltage, connect, and then increase the voltage so that the battery is taking a very small draw (charge). Now you can keep a constant voltage while you are doing the testing and slow charge the battery. If you have to go key on to key off to diagnose the parasitic draw problem remember a load may be actuated. The battery can usually supply the starting surge for a motor and then the supply will take over.
Thanks man, now that you made us realize how complex it is, makes me not wanna do it. Probably will take it to an electric auto shop 😂
@@terminator7137 I'll tell you what helped me and saved me alot of time and headache. Google. I basically searched many forums .. with certain search words .. for example.. "2012 Honda accord parasitic draw forums" ... And u will be surprised.. but ur car .. or boat.. or whatever it is you posses... Might have a common problem that is well known to the internet community lol... So i found many forums and one guy mentioned all the trouble he went thru and by going to the dealership they finally told him what it was.. a common Bluetooth handsfree module that just commonly went bad in Hondas as well as Acuras... So guess what. I unplugged it and my parasitic draw went away. Sometimes a little internet search can save alot of time and headache. Oh i also took this pretty dead 2 year old battery to Advanced Auto and got a free Gold battery replacement at no charge.
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wow!!what an elaborate explanation to the procedure and safety aspect of TEST. Appreciate your sharing the knowledge. Thankyou sir..🎉.🎉
I have a 2011 Honda Odyssey exl , and I've replaced the alternator 4 times and the last 2 are denso alternators. I checked fuses and codes all good. The check charge system message is blinking & battery icon is on. What eventually happens is within a couple days is goes dead so it seems like alternator isn't charging battery.
No one knows what to do. Anyone have any ideas I can check into?
I've stumbled through this procedure add hock,, You described what it took me a dozen screw ups to eventually find the problem. Great explanation.
Those damn water pump circuits, they are always a problem.
Love the videos, keep them coming
We joke, but a guy I work with has a Audi V10 and it actually has an electric water pump which means he has a water pump circuit. haha. It is electric on his so that it can run for a few minutes after the engine is shut down to prevent heat soak. You should see this V10 crammed into the engine bay of a Audi S6.... there is zero room for air flow and as a result it has major cooling issues. Gotta love German over engineering...
Excellent explanation, i don't think anybody else has a video about this kind of problems, but many cars have it, i think as you said it, most of the time is by incorrectly installing extra after market thing to the car such as stereo, lights .
That was outstanding Brothers weather information especially for somebody that's got an old beat up vehicle like I have
This process is a must for old vehicles. Those electrical gremlins get worse over time, I have found
you can add a fuse holder in line with your lead and install a 7 amp fuse to protect your meter from getting more than 10 amps!
I won that thing. 😎
Thanks again Doug and Eric 😘
Dont forget to check the lighted mirror on the passenger / driver sunshade. Their on/off switch is cheap plastic which the sun bakes and then the light stays on constantly
I think you just solved my problem, theres a remote start i dont have the fob for thats probably causing my draw thankyou awesome video
Excellent video man, explained in a simple, straight forward manner. Step by Step. That's how you do a how-to!
I’ve been chasing a parasitic draw in my TJ for over a year now. No local mechanics want to bother with it. Battery tests good. I’ve used this method. Removed every fuse in the engine bay and behind the glove box, every relay under the hood and under the dash, in the steering column, disconnected every after market item, the radio, the starter, the alternator, the computer, replaced the battery cables all the way back, and I still have a 1.6 amp parasitic draw. I’m stumped.
Someone else in the comments of this video suggested that a bad alternator could produce parasitic draw which would not be detectible through this method. Maybe completely disconnect you alternator to see if that does the trick
@@DEInTheGarage As stated, the alternator is one of the peripherals that I fully disconnected without effect.
Did u unhook the hood light while testing
Check the harnesses at the bcm. Maybe shorted at pins. Disconnect all power switch harnesses one at a time. Rear glass and latch sensor harnesses as well.
Wow
The best video I've seen on parasitic draw and I wasn't even looking for it. I have a truck I was trying to use a multimeter on and I knew it had a drain. But now I know it's from the after market double din and led lights he put in.
Great video. We've found a common source of parasitic draw is shorts due to corrosion in connectors.
Excellent video. Helped me solve the draw on my battery for a 70 skylark. Bad door switch.
Good video dude, so many are out there giving incorrect or incomplete advise, you did great, clearly not your first rodeo.
i have seen numerous videos on this subject, your video has to be the best explained video so far, good work.
Your video was better than any other video I have watched. I like the way you showed the multimeter and showed exactly what you were setting the dial to.
Very helpful video, now I can attack my problem without making mistakes. Thanks a lot!
Just bought a 08 Cadillac and I’m noticing even with my new battery I still have trouble starting the car. This video is a gem ! Thank you!
Likewise with the rest of the comments… EXCELLENT VIDEO. I do have a question; however, I have gone through this process but when I test for the draw I am reading 0.00 . Do I not have one?
Thumbs up for having the same MM as I have.
Just a little tip, I used tape around the cables to the borner and battery pin
Best video by far on parasitic draw. Good pacing and explained well. Thanks!
Thank YOU! For the first time someone actually explained this properly! Might be 33degrees out but going out to try this on my Mercury Mountaineer that's been draining my battery
Good luck!
Same here! About to go see if I can fix this shit!
Sometimes pulling a fuse on certain ckts will wake modules up and give you a false reading, just voltage drop each fuse while in still in ,set your other meter to mv and it should read absolute zero or you have something on in that ckt
This troubleshooting for parasitic-draw, is a great tool thank you 🙏🏻
It will work for other automobile models as well correct ? ❣️ thank you
Best video on the subject. Though I don't have a jeep but a misfit 05 Mustang with 2 different batteries now that drain quite often.
Thanks for showing this. Wow, my Mom's 2010 Grand Marquis is drawing 3.42 amps! Her car sat for 3 weeks because she had fallen and broken three ribs. When she was well enough to drive, it was dead. I put a new battery in it. Two days later, it was dead. So, I knew something was draining it down. I just checked it like the video says for a draw - it's reading 3.42 amps - and now I have to do the elimination check.
What did it end up being ? Glove box light .
Very well done, working on a golf cart with same issue
Just to mention - around 4:00 time mark the current draw measured is not 25 mA, but 250 mA, which is way more than it should be.
EXCEPTIONAL VIDEO! Beautiful explanation
Best explanation I've seen. To the point, thank you.
Great explanation. I've got a car battery that I've charged up to normal (12.6V) and after several days, the volts drop to under 12V, so I need to figure this out... but since I dont drive that car regularly, maybe I should just disconnect the battery until I need to drive it.
Thanks for the video, very clear and understandable follow though explanations. Kind regards.
Gr8 explanation , simple and easy to understand. Thanks for posting : )
simplest way to do this test! very good mate thanks!
You did agreat job with this presentation, hats off to you!
This is such a great video Doug. It's gonna help alot of people. Awesome job with the giveaway 👍. BTW I'm so glad you said to disconnect the hood light 🤣 that one gets me every time! Haha
It has gotten me more times than I would like to admit....
This process is great for older vehicles but just seeing all the electronics and gadgets filling the new vehicles I'd probably invest in a tester or just bring it to someone who has the expensive diagnostic equipment designed for this issue. I miss the old days when vehicles were simple to work on but then the new stuff is much more efficient and many things last longer generally.... ;-)
Sadly the owner of my van is trying to do what he couldnt find a mechanic to do, because i am not good with wiring. Currently.
Changed some connections and fuel pump replacement required a new connection changinging wiring. (The problem was not the brand new fuel pump i had a problem seating and useing a plastic mallet, broke the plug in cover area. I bought the cheaper replacement this time around. It went in much easier this time?
Anyway. I like your finding way. Im going to start here.
I'll get a better multimeter while im out n about tomorrow.
Hoofin for a year now. Done stressing on it. Gonna fix it. I broke it.
Excellent video. Parasitic draw clearly explained.
Thanks a lot for the video, heading out to my driveway now with some idea of what to do.
thanks so much this made it easier to understand and set the meter up correctly
Instead of pulling out fuses, it is easier to measure the voltage across a plugged in fuse. The fuse is a very low Ohm resistor and will create a very slight voltage drop in the mV region if current is flowing through it. This voltage drop can be measured with a good multimeter.
Great video, exactly what I wanted and clearly explained, Thanks.
Very good methodology of fault finding
Nice job! Would say too that alligator leads are great for this type of diagnosis.
I don’t understand how the hood light or dome lights could work if the negative battery terminal is disconnected. I guess I’ll disconnect it and see if they still work, but maybe they can still draw power unless turned off? I guess that’s why I’m not a mechanic or an electrician. Lol thanks for the great info. It’s a good place to start.
Thank you! Gotta pontoon boat, shop put a new marine stereo in dash. Have had 2 dead batteries after not using a few weeks. This will help me figure it out.!!😊
Yes it was the water pump circuit, glycol was messing with the electrons making them hydroactive at night and killing the battery. 👍
Interesting... to drain the battery, the Positive side would have to energize the glycol... Water pump USUALLY has no circuit (clip attached). It stays in the Grounded side of the circuit... but your story sounds Cool
Wow Doug, fantastic video, I watched half a dozen videos on this subject and none compared to yours, going to subscribe and see what other videos you have. But now im going to go check for my battery draw, if I have a problem, maybe I can comment back to you. Thank you very much!!!!!
Sure. feel free to reach out via email as well dandeoffroad@gmail.com
I like the detail in your explanation.
Ty so much it was driving me crazy I was skeptical at first but boom it's done thanks again
Thank you! Excellent video!
Also seen issues with the Alternator causing parasitic draw when one or more of the Diodes in the rectifier circuit go bad.
Interesting... never heard of that one, but I will be aware when diagnosing in the future. Thanks!
@@DEInTheGarage common cause of overnight battery drain bad alternator diode. Diode is supposed to block current glow, when it starts to fail current can flow back into the alternator coils causing significant amp draw...
If the alternator diodes are bad , it's known as ripple voltage . On very old vehicles the red light for the alternator would glow with key off . On newer vehicles , you can test with your meter . I just did a 2002 Taurus
You all do realize the meter was *NOT* displaying 25 milliAmps... 0.25 on a 10 Amp scale is *250 milliAmps*
And is that bad?
@@iwishtobetexan6060 “50mA is gold standard for automotive draw”
Lol..... Your 100%
He thought he knew what he was doing
Then the next day the battery was dead and he had no clue why
Good eye
I came to the comment section to make sure others saw it too. If he can't tell the difference then SHIT.
I noticed this too.. Thought everything I learnt was a lie for a moment.
Dude, good video! Got a 2000 Mercury Sable with a parasitic draw. Battery goes dead overnight. Thanks for the advice. Peace out!
Good luck with it bud!
I need to find out why my 2000 toyota corolla won't and draining my battery
Great video, thanks for keeping it simple and informative
Very informative thank you for the lesson!
Nice job....guick, clear and understandable. Thanks 😊
thank you very much this saved me a good amount of money garages in my area a very expensive.
Helps to do a quick Google search on your car
Most the time if you start with the common draw makers you'll figure it out quicker then pulling fuses and that really helps if don't have helper
Like most everyone says thank you for your video
Thank you for this video. Awesome and convenient that i have the same exact multimeter!
Good info and understanding
I have a 2012 journey with a parasitic draw, and it seems as though a lot of people have had the same issue and a lot of mechanics have not been able to diagnose said problem.
I'm going to go step by step to try to figure out the problem however, if you were to make a video or shed some light on this particular vehicle that just may be incredibly helpful
You said the 0.25 was 25 milliamps. Since a milliamp is a thousandth of an amp, you were looking at 250 milliamps, not 25. 25 milliamps would be displayed as .025.
I agree! My car shows .2 also! Is this my problem!?
@@mikekauffman5012 shouldn't be
If I'm not mistaken, that's because he has his multimeter set to 10 amps.
@@mostdavestdave69 Maybe, but a milliamp is a milliamp regardless of the capacity of the meter. The meter has a 10 amp fuse in it, and displays in amps to the left of the decimal point. So the max the meter can handle and display is 10.00 amps. Thus 0.25 amps is one quarter of an amp, which also equals 250 milliamps. He said 25 milliamps, but he meant 250 milliamps.
@@castinn you're right
Great video..can someone tell me why I’m not getting any reads from my battery doing that procedure!?I have a major drain coming from my front seats control module and I want to make sure if is both seats or just one
Great video... I'm chasing this issue in an 04 WJ and its making me crazy.
Cheers mate , would this would be the same testing the draw a 12 volt motorcycle with 3 phase stator , battery go’s flat with a new regulator / rectifier & new stator all testing to spec.
Hey Buck, great video as usual! I like my 2000 Grand under hood light but I don't plug it in unless I need it. Man buy a set of hood struts! I used a piece of wood like yours for years. It does get old!! Thanks dude! Keep'm Com'n
Fair point. Lately I have been considering replacing the mercury light with a brighter traditional LED and then putting the whole thing on a switch.. Can;t decide if it would be worth the work or not
Good video. Clear and accurate explanation
Great instruction. I;m confussed though . On the meter , set to 10a, it reads 0,25 , and you say its 25ma. But if it's set to 10amp wouldnt 0,25 be 250ma not 25ma ?
I was about to ask same question it is 250mA
You are correct. I was confused when he said that, too. I thought he just misspoke but he repeated it several times.
I’m having trouble getting it if I put the multi meter an 10A DC i get a reading of 0.18 if I put it on
mA DC i get a reading of 1.85 i don get it
He said mega Amps i disconnected all the fuses and the same reading and the battery is still draining
.25 A definitely equals 250 mA
Doesn't read the meter properly. I also would advise against using your key to trip the door latch. There are many tools you could use without causing unnecessary wear on your key, or risk breaking your key.
Yes you are correct 0.25 would be 250 milliamps
I just purchased a brand new meter -Hooked it up as per you instructions ,left the door open to see what I get,but their is no power to it .No power to anything.??? 2005 pt Cruzer
Watching your video...now I get it. Thanks.
Thank you.
Hopefully I can find the problem on my dad 1978 Ford F100 Ranger and see where the parasitic draw is coming from