That is a substantial drain. You want to see .050 amp (50 milliamps) or less.
There is a process to determine the final amp draw. All modern computerized vehicles have a 'time out' feature, or once the final battery connection is made, electrical events are initiated. Things start timing out, like dome lights, headlights, modules, etc. There may be a heavy amp draw during this process which may over amp a digital amp meter.
The safest and most reliable method is to remove the negative battery cable, connect the cable back to the battery post with a jumper wire. Then connect each lead of the amp meter between the cable and the battery post, along with the jumper wire. Connect it so the jumper can be removed without breaking the amp meter connection. Make sure all accessories are off, doors closed, hood light disabled, anything that can cause a battery draw is off or unplugged.
Allow the system to sit undisturbed for at least 15 minutes, then remove the jumper, allowing the current flow to pass through the amp meter leads. Be sure not to break the connection. If any doubt, reconnect the jumper and let go through the time out again.
Then start pulling fuses and relays at the under-hood fuse box, one at a time replacing each as you go. When you see the amps drop, that will be the suspect circuit. BUT! Opening and closing the circuit can restart the time out process, which can overamp the meter, be careful! Some meters are internally protected, some are not.
If none of the under-hood fuses or relays drop the load, there are other fuse blocks inside the vehicle. To access them the door switches will have to be held closed or somehow gain access without having a door open.
Another common source of battery drain is added alarm systems, remote start systems, and aftermarket sound systems. They are common failure points and sources of improper wiring practices.
Back to the alternator question, yes it can cause a draw and still work. Try unplugging and disconnecting it. That would be a good place to start. But it can be more complex than that, some alternators are controlled by the ECM. Just because unplugging it dropped the load doesn't mean the alternator is bad. Let's hope not to go there!
And then there is the battery itself. Do you have another known good battery to swap out? See if the problem goes with the battery.
Upload one or more videos to your post. Photo and video filesizes should be less than 5MB. Formats allowed are gif, jpg, png, ogg, mp4, mov, and avi. Be sure to use filenames without spaces or special characters, and filetypes of 3 digits lower case.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
2022 John Deere 5045E, 4wd, front end loader and 3rd function with grapple. 120 hrs, 55k new, must sell
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
