constant power

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The first/easiest/quickest thing I would do is install some sort of battery-dis-connect, either one of those green-knob gizmos, or a genuine cut-off switch.

Thus, you could dis-connect the battery whenever you leave the truck and it will not drain the batteries nor burn the truck.


Is the alternator the Dodge/Cummins Nippon-Denso unit, or is it the original Ford unit (or something entirely different).


This mystery battery drain may very well be why such a truck was even for sale.

 

[snicklas]

How "hacked up" does the wiring look. Dose it look fairly clean and "professional / stock" or is it a rats nest.

If the wiring is a nightmare, it could be backfeeding somehow. I know when we were trying to get E-2 running and to my garage so we could work inside, we ran a jumper to bypass a bad section of wire. That jumper was feeding "the other side" of the keyswitch, accessory wise, and all the accessories inside the cab were working. The only think the key did at that point was run the starter. You may have an unintentional backfeed, by a bad conection, incorrect splice or a short in the wiring. I hope it is a clean wiring job, that will help alot....... if not....... have fun.

Remember what I have seen in a sig here on Oilburners....(can't remember who, thanks for the quote!!!)

If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem........

 

[Goofyexponent]

If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem........

Your's truely

I am pretty slick at the wiring end of things, and if you were closer I bet I could put an end to that bettery drain in a REAL hurry.

I am actually looking forward to the changeover from a 351W to a 7.3 IDI-T on the truck I bought.

I won't need NEAR the amount of wires I have in the crew cab now, but I kind of enjoy chasing wires down and making the accessories and engine come to life...one wire at a time.

You should see the gadgets, CB and accessory lights I have wired up and relayed in on my 1993

Everything is powered off a switch panel, and then relays...and nothing can be operated unless the key is ON! No dead battery the next morning!

 

[1994IDI]

Can I just install a dead mans switch for now and skip all the diagnostics? I could go in and track down the problem when I get back to my tools.. If so, is it hard, how do I do it?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The first/easiest/quickest thing I would do is install some sort of battery-dis-connect, either one of those green-knob gizmos, or a genuine cut-off switch.

Thus, you could dis-connect the battery whenever you leave the truck and it will not drain the batteries nor burn the truck.

Can I just install a dead mans switch for now and skip all the diagnostics? I could go in and track down the problem when I get back to my tools.. If so, is it hard, how do I do it?

Just do what I suggested above to temporarily cure your situation.


It will not "fix" the problem, but it will prevent the battery drain.


It is also highly possible that the entire problem lies within one of your batteries and that is the first thing I would check.


The truck is relatively new to you and I am assuming the battery(s) came with the truck.


An internal short within a battery will act just as you describe.

If you have multiple batteries, then the one bad one will pull down the others.

 

[Goofyexponent]

An internal short within a battery will act just as you describe.

If you have multiple batteries, then the one bad one will pull down the others.

This is also a good point and a very real possibility.

It don't explain why all the accessories are active without the key, but internal shorts DO happen!

Off topic, but another good quote I read on here once.....


"All electrical devices are powered by smoke. Once you start fiddling with them and let the smoke out, they stop working"

Another cheap/free way to keep that battery drain issue down, is to simply remove teh ground cables from both batteries....1/2" wrench in the door panel/glove box which I am sure you own. Free preventave maitenence.

 

[snicklas]

Goofy,

Also, I have always said:

"Whom ever said that you cannot fit a square peg in a round hole, did not have a big enought hammer...."

 

[Goofyexponent]

Goofy,

Also, I have always said:

"Whom ever said that you cannot fit a square peg in a round hole, did not have a big enought hammer...."

You can NEVER have a big enough hammer!!!!

 

[1994IDI]

Just do what I suggested above to temporarily cure your situation.


It will not "fix" the problem, but it will prevent the battery drain.


It is also highly possible that the entire problem lies within one of your batteries and that is the first thing I would check.


The truck is relatively new to you and I am assuming the battery(s) came with the truck.


An internal short within a battery will act just as you describe.

If you have multiple batteries, then the one bad one will pull down the others.

I am plannin to go to the parts store today. Any instructions on what to buy and how to install the dead mans switch? I will also replace the batteries if they have what I want.

 

[itsacrazyasian]

Please check the ignition switch.

 

[anthonyj]

did you get this fixed. where you at?

 

[1994IDI]

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you guys. I was able to get over yesterday and put new batteries in. I am just hooking and unhooking the battery cable as I get in the truck. As I finally got a chance to look around under the hood a little better, I found the wiring is all messed up. He did a terrible crazy job, and just ran wired all over all half assed. I may try to have a shop in the area re wire under the hood for me, however, I don't know what needs done, how much I should pay, or who a good shop is.

I want to check the switch as asian says, ut I will have to get my hands on some tools and so forth. Ill keep you updated here in a little bit when I see if I can get out of here today.

 

[1994IDI]

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you guys. I was able to get over yesterday and put new batteries in. I am just hooking and unhooking the battery cable as I get in the truck. As I finally got a chance to look around under the hood a little better, I found the wiring is all messed up. He did a terrible crazy job, and just ran wired all over all half assed. I may try to have a shop in the area re wire under the hood for me, however, I don't know what needs done, how much I should pay, or who a good shop is.

I want to check the switch as asian says, ut I will have to get my hands on some tools and so forth. Ill keep you updated here in a little bit when I see if I can get out of here today.

 

[Goofyexponent]

If the wiring is all hacked up, forget checking that swtich. The rat's nest is your problem. I HATE that!!

Same thing was done to my truck. If a wire needed to be 3 feet long, an entire 25 foot spool was rolled up and put in there and zip tied in place. I pretty much reqired EVERYTHING under my hood.....what a mess.

If I was closer, I would rewire that thing for a case of beer or something. It's not really overly complicated, but you do need to watch where you take power from!

 

[itsacrazyasian]

please just remove the connector from the switch and see if the power to accessories stops. I've had them melt and do stupid things. Also see if anything was jumped under the column for constant power.

Power for the windows and radio are on a seperate circuit from ignition power so unless the previous owner really messed soemthing up i'd still start there. takes all of 5 minutes to check.