Help: F%^*& electrical crap. Help please!

SgtKilroy

SgtKilroy

'Merica!
Sep 30, 2009
859
0
0
SoCal
Ok, I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out on my own, so hopefully y'all can help. My batteries are consistently draining over night. It starts just fine with a jump start, and the batteries both get a load test of 13.98v after it's been running for a while. I just replaced the starter yesterday because that sucker was just old and worn out, and I've added an aluminum fuel cell where the spare tire used to be so I'm not using the factory sender any more. I can't find any loose ground wires or shorts. I've checked the usual rub spots anyhow, but I put them in some extra loom a long time ago to prevent it.
Is the fuel level sending unit constantly powered, or just when the motor is running?
 
Burn Down

Burn Down

Hotrodder
Sep 14, 2008
7,092
28
48
Boise Idaho
You tested both batteries separately?

Amp clamp to measure amperage out of the battery with the key off, start pulling fuses until the amperage drops, that will at least tell you what circuit to be looking at.
 
SgtKilroy

SgtKilroy

'Merica!
Sep 30, 2009
859
0
0
SoCal
Just the radio, no amp or anything. Also have a lift pump, and a CB radio. Both have been unplugged and ruled out.
 
SgtKilroy

SgtKilroy

'Merica!
Sep 30, 2009
859
0
0
SoCal
Actually just got back from the store to buy one. Now I just have to figure out how to use the dang thing. I pulled fuses for a good half hour. What am I supposed to set this thing on to read the amp draw? Never used one before and the directions leave much to be desired.
 
PACougar

PACougar

Active member
Jun 27, 2012
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El Dorado Hills, Ca
Ok, so clamp it on and set it to DC Amps. When the truck is truly off, it takes awhile for everything to actually shut off, it should read around 0.3 amps or so. If it's much higher then that you can start to pull fuses one at a time keeping and eye on the meter each time to see if that circuit has an effect.
 
baddaddition

baddaddition

New member
Mar 10, 2013
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Do a paracytic draw test with your multimeter on your batteries. That will tell ya if its got a short somewhere or open circuit.
 
P

Porno Joe

Member
Oct 11, 2010
513
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South of Pittsburgh
baddaddition said:
Do a paracytic draw test with your multimeter on your batteries. That will tell ya if its got a short somewhere or open circuit.
Click to expand...


^^ x2 I had a battery that was draining in one of my trucks for a looonnngg time. there is a way to set the mutlimeter that involves removing one battery cable and putting the meter in between it and the battery.

If you have a manual with your multimeter it should tell you how to set it up and what is should read.
 
PACougar

PACougar

Active member
Jun 27, 2012
2,105
1
36
41
El Dorado Hills, Ca
Porno Joe said:
^^ x2 I had a battery that was draining in one of my trucks for a looonnngg time. there is a way to set the mutlimeter that involves removing one battery cable and putting the meter in between it and the battery.

If you have a manual with your multimeter it should tell you how to set it up and what is should read.
Click to expand...

You were using it to read the current passing through the system, it's the same thing you can do with a clamp meter.
 
baddaddition

baddaddition

New member
Mar 10, 2013
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Make sure u have a good battery in your meter prior to test. It can take awhile to get it to register any drops in voltage. But as fast as the are going dead it shouldn't take no time to prove the point.
 
PACougar

PACougar

Active member
Jun 27, 2012
2,105
1
36
41
El Dorado Hills, Ca
baddaddition said:
Make sure u have a good battery in your meter prior to test. It can take awhile to get it to register any drops in voltage. But as fast as the are going dead it shouldn't take no time to prove the point.
Click to expand...

He's going to be measuring current, and the meter will instantaneously read the current draw.
 
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