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Battery dies overnight

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Old May 3, 2008 | 09:32 PM
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Default Battery dies overnight

I have a 2000 FB Formula, just as the title says if i let the car set for more than 6-8 hours i have to get it jumped off, the battery is good it has done it with multiple batteries, i've changed the radio to a pioneer premier. Does anyone know of any common causes to a problem like this?

- Jon
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Old May 4, 2008 | 07:56 PM
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Default Parasitic Drain (how to test)

Get ya a test light:
pull the ground on the battery and connect the test light between the ground connect and the pattery post

Light ON ... all cars have some but it should be Dim

If you have a volt/ohm meter you can be more accurate

Pull Fuses 1 at a time to find the issue with whats causing the drain

when the light goes out you have found a starting point
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Old May 10, 2008 | 12:07 PM
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Thanks for the reply. I tried this with a multimeter and found no real changes in resistance with any fuse pulled. Could it be the computer or the factory alarm system, how do i check those? any other ideas, Thanks again
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Old May 10, 2008 | 05:36 PM
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measure the amp draw if you have a meter
Most only support like 20 amps ...
What is the amp draw
connect the meter between the removed ground connector and the battery post
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Old May 11, 2008 | 12:09 AM
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Originally Posted by bluekarnage
Thanks for the reply. I tried this with a multimeter and found no real changes in resistance with any fuse pulled. Could it be the computer or the factory alarm system, how do i check those? any other ideas, Thanks again
If the battery is good, then the only possible cause is a (rather severe) parasitic amperage draw. Testing for resistance is not the proper method of diagnosing such a problem.

Not sure about the 'test light' method being applicable, but you should be able to test this with a digital voltmeter. As described, disconnect the negative battery terminal and hook up your voltmeter's test leads between the negative battery post and the now-disconnected negative battery cable. Set the multimeter to test DC amperage.

Wait 45 seconds ~ 1 minute for the retained accessory power (RAP) system to shut off. At that point, you should have between 20mA and 50mA draw (.02A to .05A). My guess is that yours will be far higher. That's when you start pulling fuses to find the problem circuit. (ie, If you pull a fuse and the amperage draw decreases significantly, that circuit is the one with the parasitic draw.)
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Old May 11, 2008 | 09:16 AM
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ALex
Same Same
Test light gets brighter and Dmmer
Most folks do not know how to use a VOM
Remember that no most meteres ya have to move the positive lead to test amps
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