Battery drains itself. Fusible link?

[Lyle Kilson]

I had to change out my battery terminals due to corrosion. Now my battery drains itself. Not even the dash lights come on when I insert the key. I’ve jumped it twice and let it run for 15 minutes+ and if I let it sit too long after shutting it off the battery will die. The battery is fairly new. Could this be a fusible link problem?

 

[flintknapper]

I had to change out my battery terminals due to corrosion. Now my battery drains itself. Not even the dash lights come on when I insert the key. I’ve jumped it twice and let it run for 15 minutes+ and if I let it sit too long after shutting it off the battery will die. The battery is fairly new. Could this be a fusible link problem?

Charge the battery OFF of the vehicle, let it sit overnight (off of the vehicle) and see if it discharges. IF not, then the issue is parasitic drain someplace on the vehicle. IF it does discharge (not hooked to anything) then you have a dead cell in the battery and the other cells are draining off into it. A battery will always try to equalize.

Age of the battery has zero to do with it.

 

[Lyle Kilson]

Charge the battery OFF of the vehicle, let it sit overnight (off of the vehicle) and see if it discharges. IF not, then the issue is parasitic drain someplace on the vehicle. IF it does discharge (not hooked to anything) then you have a dead cell in the battery and the other cells are draining off into it. A battery will always try to equalize.

Age of the battery has zero to do with it.

Thanks I’ll give it a try. I just didn’t know if I could have damaged the fusible link by sparking the new battery terminals on the battery?

 

[Road Apple]

I just didn’t know if I could have damaged the fusible link by sparking the new battery terminals on the battery?

“An easy, reliable test for fusible links is to simply pull on them. If one is broken, it will stretch or pull in half, good links feel solid.”

Here is a cursory check of all 3 fusible links in system:

Dome lights working?
Brake lights working?
When you turn the key to ON does the CHARGE LAMP light up?

If yes to all 3, then all 3 fusible links are intact.

Always have an extra in the truck.

 

[-Spike-]

A bad fusible link will cause the battery to have no connection, it won't cause a battery drain unless it's shorted to ground, which you would know about. The fusible link wires are designed to melt if shorted.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

With all accessories that could draw power turned off, disconnect the + terminal and connect an ammeter between the battery + terminal and the + battery post. If there is a parasitic drain you should see a reading. mA setting should be used as it can be a low current draw.

If there is current draw, get someone to pull out fuses until current draw goes to zero. This will be the circuit where you have an issue. Obviously put fuses back as you go if current reading is not zero.

 

[jonheld]

With all accessories that could draw power turned off, disconnect the + terminal and connect an ammeter between the battery + terminal and the + battery post. If there is a parasitic drain you should see a reading. mA setting should be used as it can be a low current draw.

If there is current draw, get someone to pull out fuses until current draw goes to zero. This will be the circuit where you have an issue. Obviously put fuses back as you go if current reading is not zero.

Acceptable quiescent current draw is between 20 and 30 mA between the ECU, clock, and radio. A substantially higher reading would indicate a problem, depending on what other items have been added to the truck.

 

[thelal]

I've a drain that I've yet to get figure out. Even pulling ALL the fuses and relays in main fuse box causes it to drop overnight. If I disconnect the +v of the battery overnight its fine and doesn't drain.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Check bad trailer hitch wiring and any after market radios,alarms etc. Mike

 

[Lyle Kilson]

I've a drain that I've yet to get figure out. Even pulling ALL the fuses and relays in main fuse box causes it to drop overnight. If I disconnect the +v of the battery overnight its fine and doesn't drain.

After doing pretty much all the same things you did I found out it was the terminals. I replaced them and haven’t had a problem since.

 

[neilm]

After doing pretty much all the same things you did I found out it was the terminals. I replaced them and haven’t had a problem sense.

Why would replacing terminals solve the issue?

 

[Lyle Kilson]

The terminals I had on there were the cheap red and black painted ones. My guess is that the paint was covering to much surface area of the terminals to let the alternator charge my battery at all. Even though I let it run for 15 minutes I still couldn’t start it after words.