Has anybody successfully solved a parasitic battery draw problem?

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GTyankee

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Who makes Champion battery?

Johnson Controls, the world's leading supplier of automotive batteries, has entered into an agreement with Federal-Mogul Corporation. The agreement is focused on the marketing of Federal-Mogul's Champion® battery brand. The deal allows Johnson Controls to market batteries from the popular brand.

Champion Products sells Spark Plugs, batteries, etc.
ORiellys auto parts carries most of that brands products
 
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RichieW13

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I hooked up the meter to check amps. After about 5 minutes, the draw settles down to about 43. I came back about 45 minutes later and it was at 1.

Though I don't know much about using a multimeter, so is that 1 miliamp or some multiple of 1?

See pics
 

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indept

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I hooked up the meter to check amps. After about 5 minutes, the draw settles down to about 43. I came back about 45 minutes later and it was at 1.

Though I don't know much about using a multimeter, so is that 1 miliamp or some multiple of 1?

See pics
That scale is 2000 ma ( or 2 amps) max scale so those measurements are 43 ma & 1 ma. Thats not a problem. Are you having a problem with not starting or are you just worried about the drop. Your battery is probably around 700 amp hour rating which if it is 700 ah that means your battery will supply 700 amps @ 12v for 1 hour, or 70 amps for 10 hours or 7 amps for 100 hours. Or your 43 ma for 16,279 hours. Unless it's causing a problem I wouldn't be concerned about the slow drop.
 
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RichieW13

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That scale is 2000 ma ( or 2 amps) max scale so those measurements are 43 ma & 1 ma. Thats not a problem. Are you having a problem with not starting or are you just worried about the drop. Your battery is probably around 700 amp hour rating which if it is 700 ah that means your battery will supply 700 amps @ 12v for 1 hour, or 70 amps for 10 hours or 7 amps for 100 hours. Or your 43 ma for 16,279 hours. Unless it's causing a problem I wouldn't be concerned about the slow drop.

Three times in the past 3 months I couldn't start.

In August, when I was parked for 8 hours in the middle of the day, but I left my phone plugged into the charger all day. I needed a jump start.

Twice in the past week I went more than 24 hours without driving the truck, and it needed a jump start in the morning.

About a month ago I ate lunch in my car with the radio on. I sat there for about 30 minutes. I went to start and it was really weak. I thought it wouldn't start, but it just barely did.
 

Tach_tech

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As indept said those readings are perfectly normal. I’m my experience anything around 50ma or lower isnt going to kill a battery. So it’s either an intermittent draw that’s much higher or the battery has issues.

Even if the battery load tests fine it could still be faulty. I’ve replaced quite a few batteries at work that will charge and load test fine but would go dead after a few days.
 
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RichieW13

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Slight update. When I had been checking my battery voltage throughout the week, I think the highest voltage I ever got was 12.6 volts.

I put the new battery in today, and after driving it for 30 minutes, I checked the voltage and it was at 12.99.

So maybe that other battery was bad, even though it was just about a year old.
 

Lyle Longboat

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On my 2011 2500 big horn I installed a marine battery isolator with a on/off switch.
Cured having a dead battery after 2-3 days buy just turning the switch off and no power could be drawn from the battery, it also worked good as a anti theft device.
If you don’t mind me asking, Where did you get one of these? Interested in this.
 

Wild one

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If you don’t mind me asking, Where did you get one of these? Interested in this.
Check Princess Auto for a 12V disconnect switch Lyle.I have a master one on my relocated battery,along with a master cut-off switch in the back bumper to be NHRA legal. Bumper switch and battery box switch
 

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indept

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navyvet

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I had a 2005 1500 that had a draw on it. It took me two month to find that the stock radio was causing the draw. I found it by disconnecting various connectors and the Amp draw stopped when I unplugged my radio.
 

Ramtrucker12

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Very interesting reading on this subject. My problem started about 2 months ago after my truck sat idle for about 6 days (not unusual). Had the original battery in it so I assumed that was the problem. Bought a new Die Hard at Advance Auto and they put it in, the next morning...dead battery. Jumped it, and assuming it was a bad battery, drove back to Advance Auto. They checked the battery and it was good. They attempted to test the alternator but the tester kept giving them a noise message. Checked to make sure everything was off, ran the test again and it produced the same noise message so, they couldn't complete the test. Started the truck, removed the negative battery cable and it stayed running so, no bad alternator. Now here is something unusual. On my way home from Advance after purchasing the new battery I noticed that the light for my temperature gauge in the instrument panel was not lit. First time I've ever noticed that. Not sure if it's coincidence but could my problem have something to do with a faulty ground for that light? I'm probably grabbing at straws but it just sparked my curiosity. Comments appreciated.
 
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RASelkirk

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There are so many electronics built into these "modern" vehicles it's actually surprising to me a battery would sustain them for a week without any kind of charge. Would you rather pull fuses and do without those amenities or just add a trickle charger? Of course, if you're in an apartment situation, things get much more difficult...

Russ
 

Regcabguy

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I know a guy with a glove box light that stayed on. It was summer so it stayed light a bunch and he didn't notice it. removed the bulb and that did it.
 

Wild one

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I wouldn't use that switch, it's only rated for 125A. Hemi starters could draw a lot more than that. Maybe @Tach_tech knows exactly what each starter draws based on engine size.
Moroso makes 200 and 250 amp versions,but they also have a 125 amp version.I'd give the 125 amp Princess Auto version a try first,as it's noticably cheaper in Canada then the Moroso versions are.Easy enough to bypass it,if it does go south,a short chunk of battery cable will jump the terminals if need be.




 

Retiring Don

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After having my new Ram for less than a year I came out to a dead battery after it had sat for less than a week. Dealership diagnosed the issue as a faulty headlight switch. They replaced it and haven’t had anymore problems for over 2 years.
 

Mister Luck

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5D0E9403-777A-44BE-8240-F295AC8AF4A7.jpegthe 12v batteries that are specific for the 2009 2018 and classic are wet cell lead acid and after the starter motor engages it draws enough amps for your truck to need to travel 50 + miles for the alternator to replace the energy consumed and by making short trips and re engaging the starter depletes the battery’s charge this also over works the alternator since its always playing catch-up Around the 2000 model year most manufacturers started using smart charging alternators and temperature controlled charging to keep the alternator from over working and adjusting the charging rate based on environmental factors ambient temperatures and how the vehicle is driven.

Emissions tests are preformed after the vehicle is not driven for a specific length of time by CANbus systems that are pre-programed

LowJack and other types of GPS location and communication systems often use battery power at low voltages also while the ignition system is inactive.

Placing a smart charger on your truck overnite on your truck to bring the battery voltage up to 12.75v or better is another way to mitigate low voltage problems until the parasitic drain problem can be solved
 
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