Battery drain

[Indyboo]

I have a 2001 Ranger XLT Ext Cab 4WD that the battery keeps running down after sitting for a day or two. I tested the alternator and it is putting out 13.8 volts to the battery just like it should. Before I spend the bucks on a new battery I want to make sure it's not something in the truck drawing too much current from the battery. I tested with an ammeter and it reads 250ma when first connected then after waiting about 20 minutes for the BCM to shut down it was still reading about 240ma. so I believe either something is preventing the BCM from shutting down or something else is drawing excessive current or I simply didn't wait long enough for it to shut down. Does anyone know approximately what the normal current draw is for this truck after BCM shuts down? I was thinking it should only be around 50-80ma. Am I correct or wrong?

 

[sheltonfilms]

Just about every car should have around 50mA of current flowing at 1 hour after the car is turned off (I would try the test again to see what it is for 1 hour ). If you have significantly more current than 50mA, you can check the circuits one of two ways:

1. Keep the ammeter in line with the battery and just start pulling fuses one at a time to see which ones use the most current.

2. Or remove the each fuse and connect the ammeter to the fuse pins to test each circuit.

And by BCM you are talking about the battery saver relay right?

 

[Earl43P]

http://flashoffroad.com/electrical/Batteries/BatteryDrain.html

You definitely have excessive draw. One tip that I use is to latch the driver door "closed" with a screwdriver shank so that the dome light goes out with the door open so you can pull fuses.

I thought that 2000 was the last year that Rangers got the Battery Save relay (I've been wrong before).

The first thing I would disconnect is the alternator, then do the drain test again. Be sure to disconnect the battery before you take the battery lead and connector off the alt. and insulate its terminal from shorting on anything while you test.

 

[sheltonfilms]

http://flashoffroad.com/electrical/Batteries/BatteryDrain.html

I thought that 2000 was the last year that Rangers got the Battery Save relay (I've been wrong before).
.

Could be, but I still saw one in the wiring diagrams for a 2001. Maybe a half year thing.

 

[3.0ranger1227]

added any electrical to the truck? Lights, OBA, etc? When I added my lights I got the pins on the relay wrong and the direct to battery power was holding the coil closed in the relay. burned through the battery in 2 days.