Meauran

Hey guys. I've got a battery that keeps dying on my 2000 7700. I disconnected the battery cables and I'm measuring almost 250 mA with my meter. That seems like a lot. I'm thinking something is stuck. The current drops below 100 mA when I pull the Battery Saver Relay.

Two questions, what is the purpose of the Battery Saver Relay and why is it drawing so much current through it?

Could the relay have gone bad or is something that it's feeding drawing all the current?

I guess that's more than just two questions. I had to change my name because it's been a while since I checked in and I forgot my username and password.

Thanks in advance for the help.

torkum

Does your theft light flash when the truck is turned off? If it is not flashing I would be looking at the ignition lock cylinder as the possible problem. If it is flashing check your starter wires for corrosion.
The battery saver with cut off a interior dome light if you leave it on or if your door ajar light stays on too long it will cut it off to save the battery. The battery cable numbers you are reading sound ok.

BRyan

Do you have any aftermarket electronic products installed?

Good old Bill

250Ma is not excessive in todays vehicles. Suggest, retesting the alt output or trying a different battery.

jacobs4x4

Have you had the battery/alternator tested? I would do that first. Most battery stores should do it for free.

Meauran

Thanks guys. I didn't check the Theft light. I will do that.

No aftermarket stuff in the truck that I've installed. The truck did have a plow on it before I owned it and a flashing light (I think) that was stuck onto the roof.

250mA sounds like a lot to me. 250mA at 12 volts is 300 watts. That's a good bit of energy being drawn off that battery constantly. I pulled the fuse for the audio equipment and it is drawing around 3 mA. That's more of what I would expect from solid state, transistorized circuits. I pulled another fuse and it seems that the one (I'm working from memory at the moment) that power the GEM module was pulling the majority of the juice. There were a couple of other things on that circuit but what exactly it was escapes me right now.

I checked the battery with a load tester. On charge, the truck is making 14 volts. I did not check the charging current. The battery tested OK under load, at first. I tested it again and it was leaning pretty rapidly toward "weak."

I can replace the battery but it would just be a shame to do so if it's not going to fix the problem. The battery is a Diehard Gold with a date mark of 11/05. It has been bitterly cold here in NH and I wonder if I have a dead cell.

Anyway, I think I may have just convinced myself that it's the battery. Thanks.

Good old Bill

Guess my schooling is in error. Was under the impression 1000 mili-amperes is = to 1 amp. 12 X .250 = 3 Watts

jacobs4x4

when you load tested the battery what voltage did it drop to and what did it start at. did you test it with the truck off. the battery is 3 1/2 years old thats prety good for a battery now adays

DORMAN68

Check your under dash fuse panel/block for corrosion due to water intrusion.

Meauran

You're right, Bill. I miscalculated. As soon as I posted that it started bothering me. I knew that couldn't be right. But I poured another drink and forgot all about it.

At any rate, my problem has become intermittent making it even more difficult to nail down.

I'm definitely leaning toward a new battery. Thanks again.