Table of Contents
How do you stop a parasitic battery from draining?
You can avoid parasitic drain on your battery by unplugging optional equipment such as cell phones and chargers when you park your vehicle for the night. You can also turn off every light in your vehicle and make sure that your trunk, glove box and doors are all fully closed and latched before leaving your vehicle.
What causes parasitic load?
There are multiple factors that can increase parasitic load on a vehicle. A parasitic draw occurs when components, or their circuits, are causing a power drain on the battery after the vehicle has been turned off. Faulty components, like a bad alternator diode, can cause excessive draw.
Can a bad ground cause a battery drain?
#3 – Dead Battery Your vehicle’s charging system depends on having a good ground. If the ground wire is bad, then the battery cannot be charged. Of course, another reason for a dead battery could be issues with your alternator or the wire that connects from the alternator to the battery.
Can a relay cause a parasitic draw?
A failed ECM power relay can also cause a battery drain or dead battery. If the relay shorts it can leave power on to the computer, even when the vehicle is turned off. This will place a parasitic drain on the battery, which will eventually cause it to go dead.
How do you diagnose a parasitic battery drain?
How To Diagnose the Battery Drain
- Step 1: Remove Negative Battery Cable. Negative Cable Removed.
- Step 2: Check the Draw Across the Negative Cable and Battery Post.
- Step 3: Remove and Replace Fuses.
- Step 4: Isolate and Fix the Issue.
- Step 5: Replace Negative Battery Cable.
How do you trace a parasitic drain?
Pull the negative off the battery. Put the test light between the post and the ground wire. If the light illuminates, you have a draw. Use the fuse pull method to find the draw; when the light goes out, you found the draw.
Can a blown fuse cause a parasitic draw?
Other common open circuit causes could be due to blown fuses, faulty switches, faulty relays or poor connections. In some cases a shorted circuit can create a parasitic drain causing the battery to lose its charge.
Can a fuse cause battery drain?
The fuse in and of itself cannot be the cause of the power drain. It is, however, an indication of where the power drain is coming from. If by pulling the fuse you get a noticeable drop in battery drain, whatever is causing the drain is on that circuit.
How do you find a battery drain?
Testing the battery is the only way to find out. To find a parasitic battery drain, use the process of elimination to narrow down the problem. Charge your battery if necessary. Dead batteries (and even weak ones) don’t give accurate results on a draw test. The dome light is a good indicator of battery strength.
What causes a parasitic draw?
What is parasitic draw. Parasitic draw is caused by a bad ground or a short in the electrical system which in turn causes an accessory to remain on while the car is turned off.
What can drain a car battery?
Things such as interior lights that do not turn off, radio station presets, the clock, engine computers and body-control modules all drain a car’s battery even when the car is off. Other items like proximity keys, aftermarket stereos and amps and alarm systems can also draw excess voltage that drains the car’s battery.