excess resting battery drain 2000 Ram 1500

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pnealen

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Oct 14, 2014
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Ram Year
2000
Engine
5.9L V8
Hi folks,

I've got a problem that I could use some help with, on a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 (4WD, 5.9L, regular cab).

I use the truck about once a week, and recently was foiled by a dead battery. A re-charge brought it to life that day, but it was drained below 12V the next day.

I checked the current drain on the battery at rest, using a good quality multimeter. Something was pulling 0.25A (250 milliamps) at rest, which, from what I've read, is far more than the 10-50 milliamps that is normal at rest.

I re-tested after letting the electronics rest for several hours after battery re-connect, and the drain remained at 0.25A.

I pulled each of the regular fuses in the cab panel (excluding the ones that are capped with plastic retainer clips), and the current drain remained. I pulled all of the regular fuses from the engine compartment panel, and the drain remained.

I pulled all of the relays from the engine compartment fuse panel, and the only one that made a difference was the 50A battery circuit relay (near top left in the photo). I assume this just disconnects the battery from the electronics - or does it point to the problem?

Any ideas? Thanks for any help -
Paul
 

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LaurenMagnum360

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Location
Illinois
Ram Year
2001
Engine
360 V8
sounds like the battery is failing. get it replaced.

(same thing is happening to me this week)
 
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pnealen

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5.9L V8
That was my first thought, so I put in a new battery. Unfortunately, that didn't help...

Thanks -
pnealen
 

LaurenMagnum360

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2001
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360 V8
Oh I misread your earlier post. I did not see that it was 250mA of draw and now 25mA.

Since it goes away with the main cutoff and not with the fuses, next look for any aftermarket installed products. Cbs, radios, amplifiers etc
 

98RAM5.9

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Oct 18, 2014
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Ram Year
1998
Engine
5.9 magnum
check the simple things 1st, my battery was draining down because the glove box light was staying on even while completely closed
 
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pnealen

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2000
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5.9L V8
Thank you, 98RAM5.9 - it was the glove box light!

I would not have believed it if I hadn't looked carefully. The glove box light would come on when the glove box was opened. If I used my finger to depress the off switch, the light would turn off. When I shut the glove box, I could not see any light coming from inside of it.

But, removing the glove box light bulb, or taping the glove box light switch closed, solved the problem - the resting battery drain dropped to less than 1 milliamp. How or why that glove box light switch was failing to open the circuit is beyond me - I'm just happy to have found the cure.

Thank you!!
 

bigmittens

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Colorado
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2001
Engine
gas V6
Thanks for this. For me it was also the glove compartment light. This saved me a $275 charge to test the electrical system. I tried the same solution suggested above.
 

bigmittens

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2001
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Actually, I'd like to amend my post. It turned out not to be the glove compartment light. Then I thought it was this tiny light on the rear view mirror. Not that either. Then I finally noticed a blue light when my charger line for my phone was plugged in. That was the problem. Now my battery does not drain.
 
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