parasitic draw

[shawn s.]

Need some help with a parasitic draw.
1997 ford explorer eddie bauer.

I am fairly new to this all that I have tried are things I have researched on the net in past few weeks.

I think I located it and its fuse 13 in the power distribution box.
(Instrument panel fuse panel)The amps drop from 2.7 to .10 amps with the meter set to 10amps.

I just dont know where to go from here.
I did test the battery and the alternator at the parts store,and checked the alternator diode myself.
Checked the battery while off and running with the multimeter.
Just dont know what to do,get a new cluster panel or could there be something cheaper that I could try first?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Torqueranger]

What you do is check out YouTube on finding parasitic draw.. Them follow the wire to where the problem is ..

 

[jremington59]

Twice I had this problem and both times it was the voltage regulator. Pull the alt fuse and let it set and see if the battery still draws down.

 

[shawn s.]

Twice I had this problem and both times it was the voltage regulator. Pull the alt fuse and let it set and see if the battery still draws down.

Thank you both for the responses.
And when I pull the alt fuse do I keep the fuse 13 from distribution box in or out?


I left the car in driveway for about 14 hrs without the fuse 13 in and my battery is at 11.95 volts.

 

[jremington59]

I pulled the one in the power dist box.

 

[Torqueranger]

​

Thank you both for the responses.
And when I pull the alt fuse do I keep the fuse 13 from distribution box in or out?


I left the car in driveway for about 14 hrs without the fuse 13 in and my battery is at 11.95 volts.

battery is already bad with voltages like that...

 

[shawn s.]

​

battery is already bad with voltages like that...

advance auto did a check and said it was good so i dont know.
That was after I was doing all the tests and it wasnt started at the time because I had the belt off.

 

[Lefty2053]

I once had this problem. Turned out that one of the power door lock switches was always in the open position. Never needed to lock my truck where I live but for some reason I tried to lock them once and they popped back up. Other then that I never would have found the problem.

 

[Bobmbx]

advance auto did a check and said it was good so i dont know.
That was after I was doing all the tests and it wasnt started at the time because I had the belt off.

I've seen Advance Auto declare a battery "just fine" when in fact 3 of the 6 cells were bone dry.

Your mileage may vary. How old is the battery? (This has nothing to do with your draw, though). Its pretty strange to draw nearly 3 amps with the car off.

 

[shawn s.]

I've seen Advance Auto declare a battery "just fine" when in fact 3 of the 6 cells were bone dry.

Your mileage may vary. How old is the battery? (This has nothing to do with your draw, though). Its pretty strange to draw nearly 3 amps with the car off.

Battery is from December 2013, I drove it today and took fuse 13 out when I wasn't driving and the battery was at 12.47 volts when I got home and checked it.
Just it seems ok without that fuse in but it controls my blinkers and break lights so I have to replace it when I drive somewhere.
Might check all lights and see if theres something wrong with them but they are all working properly.

 

[shawn s.]

Thanks for the help.

 

[firepop5]

Once you have determined which fuse has the draw, you need a wiring diagram to trace that circuit and see which specific item is drawing power.
Here is a link for wiring diagrams:

http://www.bbbind.com/tech_database.html

 

[jremington59]

Fuse 13 isn't the problem because your battery still drained overnight. Does your vehicle have any aftermarket things such as stereos or car starter?

Thank you both for the responses.
And when I pull the alt fuse do I keep the fuse 13 from distribution box in or out?


I left the car in driveway for about 14 hrs without the fuse 13 in and my battery is at 11.95 volts.