battery charge question

[ericwade381]

Guys I took it to a shop they are baffled why the batteries are draining?? My question is can it be the electric ignition switch under the column draining my batteries and sometimes causing the clunking noise at the starter sometimes when I try to start it?

 

[madpogue]

Simple test - charge 'em up, park it and disconnect both batteries. Wait overnight, reconnect, try to start it. If it struggles or doesn't start, then the batteries aren't holding a charge. If it starts good, then you have a parasitic drain. You can measure that with a high-range ammeter, in series with one of the battery negatives. Or perhaps a clamp-on ammeter. You then start pulling fuses until the load goes away, and troubleshoot from there.

 

[ericwade381]

Thanks what's weird is they had the truck for 3 weeks and did not start and then I went there to cranks and it started battery seemed a little weak but it did start the last time I went back the batteries were drained very fast they charged it worked on it let it set for a day then I went back today tried to start it same thing with the batterIs drained just not sure why after 3 weeks they were not completely draining dead?