Truck Drawing power but then trickling back down to normal

[Prestonguillory14]

Truck is drawing power at 3 amps but then trickling back down to normal a minute later around .57 no clue what to do about it. We’ve pulled all the fuses and still nothing

 

[crash68]

I've read it can take up to five minutes for a vehicle to go "fully asleep"
How old is the battery? Have you had it load tested?

 

[Prestonguillory14]

I've read it can take up to five minutes for a vehicle to go "fully asleep"
How old is the battery? Have you had it load tested?

No, we haven’t had it tested but we think it is 3 years old

 

[crash68]

we think it is 3 years old

Three years might be a little early to go bad but not unheard of. Might be worth replacing the battery to hopefully eliminate that as a problem

 

[chopperman1]

It can take several hours for all systems to go to sleep after power is supplied. Inline ammeters are no longer the recommended way of testing parasitic draw due to this. Recommended way is using an Amp Hound or something similar after the vehicle has sat over night. Draw should be less than 50ma. Here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Cal-Van-Tools-72-Amp-Hound/dp/B01N0LR29B

 

[caulk04]

It takes a long time for mine to finally settle down, but it will. Confirmed with multi meter.

If something is waking yours up, you'll likely see the gauges light up.

 

[RamDiver]

It can take several hours for all systems to go to sleep after power is supplied. Inline ammeters are no longer the recommended way of testing parasitic draw due to this. Recommended way is using an Amp Hound or something similar after the vehicle has sat over night. Draw should be less than 50ma. Here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Cal-Van-Tools-72-Amp-Hound/dp/B01N0LR29B

So will this tester with the included test leads attach to individual fuses and act as an Amprobe to measure current flow?

There's not much clearance around the fuses in my Warloock TIPM, you're able to attach to fuses OK with your Rebel?

That looks like a great idea although, I'd be much more motivated if the device were actually made in the USA. According to several reviewers, it's made in China, too bad.

Reading several of the reviews, many complained that the beep feature that is supposed to indicate a proper attachment to a fuse doesn't function. Does your beep, to indicate a proper connection?

.

 

[turkeybird56]

It takes a long time for mine to finally settle down, but it will. Confirmed with multi meter.

If something is waking yours up, you'll likely see the gauges light up.

YUP, some things stay active, like the RF Hub, which waits to receive a signal, such as unlock truck. On MY 19 DT truck, battery be at 14. ish at shut down. have hood up, close door, hit lock, and watch your meter. Mine will drop to 12.4-5 in 10 minutes more or less. But on mine, my center stack USB hub goes to sleep, then fires back up and stays active for 1 hour. This started after latest module updates done in February.

So yes, there will be a constant draw. But as said above, should be milliamps, which would be the clock function, RF hub, security system, and a few others that are active whether visual or passive when truck is turned off and locked, left alone.

Above is how my truck is, and IMHO.

 

[turkeybird56]

It takes a long time for mine to finally settle down, but it will. Confirmed with multi meter.

If something is waking yours up, you'll likely see the gauges light up.

YUP, sometimes the ignition system gets in a loop. Mine did that after new battery till my IBS was reset and all functions had to boot up and relearn after *** amount of drive cycles.

 

[turkeybird56]

Truck is drawing power at 3 amps but then trickling back down to normal a minute later around .57 no clue what to do about it. We’ve pulled all the fuses and still nothing

.5 amps is high, should be more like 0.050 amps, as in 50 Ma. You may want to keep meter attached, and go back and check every so often for a period of time and see where it gets down to. I would have to go out and check my battery at rest with a multi meter to give U an accurate number. But I do have a 5th Gen vs your 4th Gen.

 

[turkeybird56]

OK, went outside to measure battery and amp draw and recovery. Note the time and the amps/ma draw and recovery. This is on a 2019 VVT DT RAM, no E Torque. Battery was replaced in Feb 2023 with Duralast H7. Also note the slow recovery as systems shut down. I would have did even longer readings but it is 95 F out, fried BOIRD. In case not figured out, the "11" number is the time.

ADDED: Amps showing after opening door on truck, pop hood, close door was a lil over 12.51, before starting truck and doing the pics below. Truck has sat for at least 24 hours.

Hope this helps

DA BOIRD

 

[chopperman1]

So will this tester with the included test leads attach to individual fuses and act as an Amprobe to measure current flow?

There's not much clearance around the fuses in my Warloock TIPM, you're able to attach to fuses OK with your Rebel?

That looks like a great idea although, I'd be much more motivated if the device were actually made in the USA. According to several reviewers, it's made in China, too bad.

Reading several of the reviews, many complained that the beep feature that is supposed to indicate a proper attachment to a fuse doesn't function. Does your beep, to indicate a proper connection?

.

The "clips" are of similar size to a fuse puller. I have used mine on dozens of vehicles including my Rebel and Durango (same TIPM's), never had an issue with it fitting in the space.

Yes, occasionally you may not get the clip on correctly, but once you get the hang of it takes seconds per fuse to get your reading.

I also have a set of leads for mine, similar to multimeter leads. I use those frequently as you can drill down in to different power distribution points to narrow down where the draw is coming from. That's very useful when multiple fuse blocks are involved.

 

[RamDiver]

The "clips" are of similar size to a fuse puller. I have used mine on dozens of vehicles including my Rebel and Durango (same TIPM's), never had an issue with it fitting in the space.

Yes, occasionally you may not get the clip on correctly, but once you get the hang of it takes seconds per fuse to get your reading.

I also have a set of leads for mine, similar to multimeter leads. I use those frequently as you can drill down in to different power distribution points to narrow down where the draw is coming from. That's very useful when multiple fuse blocks are involved.

Thanks for the info. I'll add that device to my Amazon wish list.

.

 

[Prestonguillory14]

.5 amps is high, should be more like 0.050 amps, as in 50 Ma. You may want to keep meter attached, and go back and check every so often for a period of time and see where it gets down to. I would have to go out and check my battery at rest with a multi meter to give U an accurate number. But I do have a 5th Gen vs your 4th Gen.

Yeah we were talking to my uncle about it and he is very good at what he does and he is very certain that it’s the battery but thank you for the Info

 

[turkeybird56]

Yeah we were talking to my uncle about it and he is very good at what he does and he is very certain that it’s the battery but thank you for the Info

I am not sure if the 2015's have IBS sensor or not, but if they do, when U replace battery, make sure you reset the sensor.

 

[Prestonguillory14]

I am not sure if the 2015's have IBS sensor or not, but if they do, when U replace battery, make sure you reset the sensor.

How do I reset it?

 

[turkeybird56]

I will tell U what the lead mechanic at local Dodge House said: I am not a mechanic, so you do as you see fit:

NE way, mechanic had me pull the cable by bolt off of top of IBS, and let sit at least 4 hours to overnight. Now I guess U could pull negative cable: NE way, he said they pull off at RAM house for at least 2 hours, and of course charge that labor, LOL.

Be aware, cable off for that time will mean it will take a while for all modules to communicate to each other. It took 3 drive cycles for my Cruise to come back on my truck.

Now, remember, if U R putting new battery in truck, they are not usually charged to 100%, and U may need to put a charger on it to bring up to initial full charge. A lot of PPL say since pulling negative cable, charge battery at that time also. I am repeating of what some have posted. On my DT truck: with all the new computers and redesign, cause it is a Gen 5 truck: My truck charging at various times by alternator will go from 13.9 to 14.5 volts. When I replaced battery and had big talks at Dodge house, I did not charge the battery just let the truck bring the battery to full charge. (and I know better).

All above IMHO only and just my personal experience. You should do some more research and make sure you MAKE an informed decision, do not go on just 1 person(s) say so.

 

[BossHogg]

So will this tester with the included test leads attach to individual fuses and act as an Amprobe to measure current flow?

There's not much clearance around the fuses in my Warloock TIPM, you're able to attach to fuses OK with your Rebel?

That looks like a great idea although, I'd be much more motivated if the device were actually made in the USA. According to several reviewers, it's made in China, too bad.

Reading several of the reviews, many complained that the beep feature that is supposed to indicate a proper attachment to a fuse doesn't function. Does your beep, to indicate a proper connection?

.

For those of us that don't want to lighten our wallets for a tester like this, particularly for a one-time test, there is another way. All you need to do is measure the voltage drop (usually in millivolts) across the fuse. Take that reading and using a voltage drop to current conversion chart, you can find the current passing through the circuit.

You can find more detailed info on YT, search for "Using Voltage Drop Across Fuses to Find Current", or something like that.

 

[RamDiver]

For those of us that don't want to lighten our wallets for a tester like this, particularly for a one-time test, there is another way. All you need to do is measure the voltage drop (usually in millivolts) across the fuse. Take that reading and using a voltage drop to current conversion chart, you can find the current passing through the circuit.

You can find more detailed info on YT, search for "Using Voltage Drop Across Fuses to Find Current", or something like that.

Thanks, that spreadsheet is a goldmine and all I need when that issue appears.

I'm retired and don't require any additional financial egress.

.