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Batteries keep going dead!

58K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  Jim Geer 
#1 ·
Hey all,

I don't quite get what's going on here, so I'm hoping someone has experienced a similar situation. I have a 2001 7.3l E350. Over the past year and a half, I've gone through 3 sets of batteries. Each time, the dealership has told me that the van's alternator and electrical system is working fine. The batteries were always still under warranty, so I haven't been out much money - just the trouble of getting stuck with a van that won't start and the hassle of changing the batteries. With the 2nd battery bolted to the frame underneath the passenger side, changing them out is a real pain in the butt.

Anyway - the battery light never comes on. The battery gauge always displays at a reasonable level. I never get any DTC's and there is never any indication of a problem as far as that's concerned. When I get new batteries, I've been OK for several months, then one day it suddenly becomes hard to start. Eventually, the batteries no longer hold the charge to turn the engine over and I end up having to jump it. Still, no warning lights or DTC's ever show up. My latest incident occurred this weekend - which also happened to be the first real cold snap we've had down here, which probably kicked off the chain of events that left me with a van that wouldn't start.

Still, considering I'm on my 3rd set of batteries from 2 different manufacturers, (Interstate and now Napa), I'm finding it very hard to believe that I'm just having bad luck and keep getting bad batteries. There has GOT to be something wrong with this van that is causing this. I've had 2 different dealers look at it and both say everything is fine and that the batteries are just bad. I just don't buy it.

Thoughts?
 
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#2 ·
Batteries are not ,in my opinion, what they used to be , that being said ,I might have some one else test the alternator ,,,if good ,,you need to see what kind of parasitic draw you have on the system while it is not running...

I'm not a fan of interstate or napa batteries ...
 
#4 · (Edited)
I would disconnect both negative leads of the battery and get an amp light. Test between positive terminal and body ground. If you have a short the light should come on. If you have a short or something is staying on unplug one fuse a time to see what circuit is drawing down the battery. I would definitely test the alternator but this is a pretty easy test. If something is just staying on and no short you wouldn't need to take the negative leads off, just test between pos. and neg. If I am wrong on this procedure someone let me know because I have not done it in a long time.
 
#5 ·
I do it with the negative leads off and use test light between the negative cable and the negative post on battery.

This is the procedure I follow:
If no other electrical accessory are causing the battery to drain over night a manual draw check of the electrical system will need to be performed. What this means is you will be checking the electrical draw the battery has on it when the car is locked up, with the key in the "off" position". First open the hood and disable the under hood illumination light, if equipped. Next, with the key off and the doors locked wait 15 minutes, then disconnect the battery cable on the negative side. (The 15 minute wait allows the computers to go into "sleep mode" and shuts down all electrical). Attach a test light between the negative battery cable end and the negative battery terminal. The test light should illuminate dimly or not at all. If the test light is on brightly there is a strong electrical draw in the system. To locate this electrical draw start removing fuses one at a time. When the test light goes out the circuit in question has been located.
 
#7 ·
Jim's procedure is the way to do it, except that when disconnecting the battery cables, the test light (or better, a good quality ammeter) should be installed across the first cable and the battery post, then the second battery disconnected. If you totally disconnect and reconnect, the GEM and other electronic modules "wake up" and draw more current. In normal "sleep mode" the total amp draw should be less than 50 milliamps.

A fairly common battery drain point is back thru the alternator if a diode goes bad. That usually kills the batteries in short order, but there may be a lower level leakage. Be sure to include disconnecting the alternator lead as one of the steps in finding the drain.
 
#8 ·
Thanks, everybody, I'll try as you suggested.

What I find strange is that this isn't a frequent, every-day problem. I'll go 6 months or more without any starting issues. Then one day - bam, I start having problems. I would think that, if I had a constant drain on the batteries, I would be experiencing more frequent starting issues. Either way, it's a good idea to eliminate potential causes to help narrow things down a bit, so I'll be following up on the above recommendations. I'll let you know what I find. Thanks!
 
#9 ·
Thats all the more reason to look for a short cause it could be a bare wire that only touches sometimes or it could be a trailer connector that has a loose wire on the contacts and bounces around as you drive.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Ditto here. Usually an intermittent electronic issue is bad wiring or connections sometimes an intermittent part. In your case it sounds like an intermittent short. Next time your are seeing this you may just take out fuse to the brake/trailer lights and see if your are still getting a low voltage on your batteries. This may save you a few bucks from buying an amp meter or light if you don't already have one.
 
#11 ·
Hmmm. Interesting.

Makes me wonder if it's something as silly as the brake controller. I'll disconnect it just in case - I've sold my camper and don't need it anymore, anyway. Can't hurt.
My battery problems don't coincide with the installation of the brake controller - but they don't coincide with ANYTHING, so it's as likely to be that as anything else. :D
 
#12 ·
I WAS ABOUT TO ASK IF YOU LEAVE IT HOOKED UP TO A CAMPER THEY HAVE A WIRE THAT GOES BACK TO THE BATTERY ON THE CAMPER FOR CHARGING THE CAMPER BATTERY WHEN ITS PLUGGED TO YOUR TRUCK ITS CONECTING THE CAMPER BATTERY IN THE TRUCKS CHARGING SYSTEM AS WELL
 
#15 ·
dead bats

i had the same problem . my friend who is a nissan service manager for 25 years told me the most common cause was alternator, i disconnected it and still had major draw---short--. he said number 2 reason -- alarm or remote start gone bad-- i pulled fuses on alarm-- problem fixed.. just my experience.
 
#16 ·
I had this problem with my 01 f250, I did the amp draw tests and had a big draw when the truck was off, and would kill the batteries overnight... Real big inconvenience, it turned out to be the alternator, even after it tested fine at 2 different parts stores... When the truck was running it charged fine, and had good voltage...

Do the amperage draw test, and for grins and giggles unplug the alt to see if anything changes... that's how I found my problem..
 
#17 ·
This post should be included in the FAQ section.
 
#18 ·
I just had a similar issue with my 1997 f350 turbo diesel 7.3l. My alternator was weak but could charge enough while driving to keep batteries charged. When the truck sat over night in the cold it would completely drain the batteries. So I assumed it was dead batteries and in the cold I replaced both batteries with brand new ones. It fired right up and charged decent. After it started fine all day but after sitting for 2 hours in the cold it went completely dead again..so after getting a friend to bring me another battery at 2am in sub zero temperature I was able to jump the beast and get it home. The next day I researched on this site and read about the alternator and a backdraw, so I thought it was just a backdraw in the bad alternator. The next day I replaced it and while working on checking for the draw it was still there. I removed fuses but nothing. So I just started tapping things with a hammer very lightly and after tapping the glowplug relay, the draw was gone..I checked the relay with a test light by turning the truck on and off, and what did you know,,,, it was sticking on. The glowplug relay was my major draw...
 
#19 ·
I got a 1999 ford e350 diesel. If the shoreline cord is not connected on my vehicle the batteries are drained as well. I tried using the switches behind the drivers seat to disconnect the battery but still the batteries drain. I think it is built this way so that there is no human judgement error in forgetting to connect the inverted when an emergency arises. The problem I have is. How do I disconnect the inverter? Is there a fuse for it?
 
#20 ·
My alternator was the culprit...

Good afternoon to all,
I racked my brain for 4 years trying to figure out where my AMP draw was coming from. The alternator tested good every time...until it finally failed. During that time it killed two sets of batteries (free replacement on one set). When I replaced the alternator, the problem disappeared. I hope this helps.
God bless,
Semper Fi,
Country
 
#21 ·
I had a similar issue with mine, I would have to jump the truck constantly, went through sets of batteries, replaced the altenator and still had the problem. I took my truck into a Auto Electric place and they chased the problem to a relay that apparently can get wet. They replaced it, and I have never had any issues since.
 
#23 ·
Since my 2003 F250 is my Tow Vehicle I tend to only drive it every month or so and the parasitic current drain eventually discharges the batteries. I ordered a no-name trickle charger from Amazon and have not had a problem since.
 
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