Battery drain but on answer in fuse panel

[Orence1]

Replaced my optima battery a few months ago thinking it was gone (10 years old). Bought a new Optima. The old one is sitting on the bench and I decided to check it with my meter 2 weeks ago. Shows 14.2. (I had it on the charger when I swapped it out.) It dawned on me that I may have a current drain. Sure enough, went to start the truck yesterday and the new battery was almost dead. Did the fuse panel thing today with the test light hooked up to the negative cable and none of the fuses removed showed a faulty circuit . The exact same thing happened a few years back. None of the fuses removed caused the test light to go out. A friend who is sharp with wiring discovered that it was the aftermarket radio. This fall I had a local stereo shop install a new stereo system. Is it possible that I have the same problem? It just seems odd that after several months the problem is now showing up. I did start the truck periodically over the winter with no issues. I am at the point now where the battery is almost dead after a week and I had recharged it fully with my battery charger. I am hoping that somebody has run into this issue and can point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.

[HO455]

When you said you did the test light thing what exactly did you do? The stereo would be the first place I would look. I have very little faith in stereo installers to do anything except install the stereo as quickly as possible. They may have cut or pinched a wire in their installation frenzy.

[ratty69]

[QUOTE=HO455;7910344 I have very little faith in stereo installers to do anything except install the stereo as quickly as possible.[/QUOTE]

X2

And they probably used these things. Possibly the WORST invention ever!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-2...tors/999956682

GUARANTEED to cause you problems.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by ratty69

X2

And they probably used these things. Possibly the WORST invention ever!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-2...tors/999956682

GUARANTEED to cause you problems.

X2 on that, almost every electrical problem on some new machine or vehicle with an electrical problem will have those buggers in there.

Freaking Junk.

[Orence1]

Thanks for the replies.

[El Dorado Jim]

Originally Posted by ratty69

X2

And they probably used these things. Possibly the WORST invention ever!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-2...tors/999956682

GUARANTEED to cause you problems.

just curious how using those crappy connectors would cause a drain on his battery? has to be something drawing current all the time

[ratty69]

Originally Posted by El Dorado Jim

just curious how using those crappy connectors would cause a drain on his battery? has to be something drawing current all the time

You're right. Was just commenting on hacked stereo installs, and the general shoddy workmanship you usually find in the neighbourhood of those connectors.

On topic, it's possible that the installer ran the power wire for the stereo memory direct to the battery and bypassed the fuse block entirely. Easy enough to see. Could drain a battery over long term storage, and several deep cycles of the battery and it won't hold a charge for long.

I'd pull the firewall connector for the harness and see if the draw goes away. Yes - it's in-cab, probably related to the ignition switch harness. No - it's in the engine compartment, likely alternator backfeeding, starter solenoid, or in the harnesses themselves. Seen plenty of voltage leaks through visibly sound insulation. Everything else goes through the fuse block.

[pwdcougar]

Originally Posted by firedemon

the memory wire you want to go to the battery source weather it bypasses the fuse panel or not or else you would have to re program the stations every time you turn the truck off . the draw on a stereo memory wire is so minor it should last months on a good battery . however it dosent mean they didn't screw something up on the install . if it didn't turn your test light out pulling fuses you might have to start un plugging everything one thing at a time to find it . luckily theres not a lot of stuff in these old boys

Not necessarily. I always run the memory wire to a fuse that is hot all the time like the brake lights or the horn.

Paul