Normal drain on battery in milliamps?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
From: near Philly
Normal drain on battery in milliamps? How much current does the car draw from the battery when the car in parked and not running? My battery is going dead for some unexplained reason. Thanks.
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: TAMPA,FLORIDA
how long does the car sit before this happens i see it at work quitea bit a alot of times it could be a battery we have a machine at work that asylze it ..take the batt to a advance auto make shure you take it in the battery tester for the car is not that accurete
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,497
Likes: 0
From: Katy, TX
Just went through a similar ordeal with my C5.
Once BCM shuts down alot of the systems the amperage draw should drop down to the 20-30 millamp range. It can sometimes take 10-20 minutes for this to take place.
I had to put a ampmeter in circuit to test the draw. I found a few problems.
1) My altenator was drawing over 100 millamps on its own. Got it tested , and the voltage reg was faulty...had it replaced and it corrected that problem.
2) My radio was also drawing excessive milliamps. I pulled the fuse for it, and let the system start up, then replaced the fuse. and then it stopped drawing the excess amperage. Not sure what the cause was here. Guessing that it was an issue with the security system, and pulling the fuse reset it.
3) Found that my window switch on my nitrous system was wire to an unswithed power source, and it constantly draws over 100miliamps. I moved it to a switched power source.
Now my amperage draw is right at 20miliamps when the BCM shuts down all the systems. and it takes about 5 minutes for it to get there.
No more draining batteries!!!!!!
P.S. NEVER EVER USE AN OPTIMA RED TOP!!! ONCE IT GOES DOWN...ITS WORTHLESS MIGHT AS WELL THROW IT AWAY.
Once BCM shuts down alot of the systems the amperage draw should drop down to the 20-30 millamp range. It can sometimes take 10-20 minutes for this to take place.
I had to put a ampmeter in circuit to test the draw. I found a few problems.
1) My altenator was drawing over 100 millamps on its own. Got it tested , and the voltage reg was faulty...had it replaced and it corrected that problem.
2) My radio was also drawing excessive milliamps. I pulled the fuse for it, and let the system start up, then replaced the fuse. and then it stopped drawing the excess amperage. Not sure what the cause was here. Guessing that it was an issue with the security system, and pulling the fuse reset it.
3) Found that my window switch on my nitrous system was wire to an unswithed power source, and it constantly draws over 100miliamps. I moved it to a switched power source.
Now my amperage draw is right at 20miliamps when the BCM shuts down all the systems. and it takes about 5 minutes for it to get there.
No more draining batteries!!!!!!
P.S. NEVER EVER USE AN OPTIMA RED TOP!!! ONCE IT GOES DOWN...ITS WORTHLESS MIGHT AS WELL THROW IT AWAY.
Launching!
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Arg! I've got 105 milliamps after it settles down. so obnoxious. Trying to track it down. so far i've tried all the engine compartment fuses. that would rule out my alternator right? btw, how do you pull the fuses in the door w/o having the interior lights drawing power?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,497
Likes: 0
From: Katy, TX
Originally Posted by jrtf83
Arg! I've got 105 milliamps after it settles down. so obnoxious. Trying to track it down. so far i've tried all the engine compartment fuses. that would rule out my alternator right? btw, how do you pull the fuses in the door w/o having the interior lights drawing power?
Be sure to give it plenty of time to switch off the various systems. Some people on other forums report that it can take up to 20-30 minutes.
Here is how I checked my altenator... I got my meter setup to measure the draw on the battery...gave it 20-30 minutes to get to its base line. Then I disconnected the wire at the back of the altenator, and the little plug that plugs into the altenator. My milliamps dropped significantly as soon as I disconnected the cable at the back of the altenator.
My car is a C5.. I had the relay removed from the floorboard fuse box that turns on the courtesy lights. Not sure on the Fbody...been a while since I had mine. Any way to easliy pull the bulbs, or possibly disconect a plug feeding them.
I would always have to pull a fuse...then shut the doors, and run the test. Mine won't power down some of the sytems with the doors open.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...23&postcount=7
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 0
From: MD
One easy way to keep the bcm from activating after you unhook the ground from your battery is to use a jumper.
Here is a procedure I used.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...07#post5576007
Here is a procedure I used.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...07#post5576007
Trending Topics
Originally Posted by PaiN
P.S. NEVER EVER USE AN OPTIMA RED TOP!!! ONCE IT GOES DOWN...ITS WORTHLESS MIGHT AS WELL THROW IT AWAY.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Originally Posted by PaiN
Now my amperage draw is right at 20 milliamps when the BCM shuts down all the systems. and it takes about 5 minutes for it to get there.
