I have been suffering a parasitic draw ever since I arrived in PI. I finally had a day off and got to trying to sort it. My first thought is it has to do with the IBS with the RBM add on.
I am running a Group 31 battery for my main and an Optima Blue for my secondary. The Optima never goes dead so it would seem that whatever is causing the problem is being properly isolated by the IBS system.
We often go about two weeks without driving the truck (2000 100) sometimes maybe three but I would think that if I was not suffering an over 50mA draw that big DieHard Group 31 would be fine for a month or more.
I pulled all the negative cables of and started by testing each ground. (I have one main, one to the body, one to a solenoid for my offroad lights, one for the winch and one that goes to my IBS controller). I found a .05 Amp current on the winch that I found odd. I would not think that would draw current at all when off. But then on the main ground alone with none of the others touching I found a .19 Amp draw. The ground for the IBS controller was not hooked up. I went about trying to isolate the issue by pulling fuses starting with under the hood. There was nothing big until I pulled the AM2 fuse (which I think controls the ignition module) and the amp draw dropped way off. I plugged the fuse back in the amps did not jump. They stayed at .05/.06 (I read .05 or 50 milliamps is the magic number for a car while shut off I have read.)
I hooked everything back up though I unplugged my ScanGauge and I also disconnected the plug at the back of my IBS controlled as I discovered some weird stuff with that.
Here is some of the weird:
When I had unhooked all the ground leads from the main battery and not the aux battery, the IBS showed both batteries good and that they were linked. (The main was unhooked completely.) I found that all the accessories and ignition worked. For some reason, the IBS linked automatically making my second battery my main (or thinking it was both really). The other thing I have noted is that for some reason the IBS begins to beep while driving for 30 minutes or more. I believe this is the "Link Failure Alarm." I have read this is an indication of either overheating of the system or a bad battery that will not charge. But my alternator is charging my batteries fine. There is very little information regarding the "Link Failure Alarm" or link failure at all. (Although I did just find this but have no idea WTF it means:
"The system monitors the charge on both batteries. If the system senses at an applied load (alternator, solar, charger) that there is no charge on the other battery, the link fault alarm with a flashing green LED "linked" is displayed and you hear the beep. If this error occurs, you should immediately check the wiring of power cables (relay, battery terminals, crimp contacts, control relays). Once the errors are corrected, the alarm will automatically reset.")
My wiring is fine.
I have a feeling that the IBS system is failing and causing a parasitic draw while the car is not running and then not acting correctly during regular operation. Unfortunately the site does not have very good instructions or a very good trouble shooting section.
Questions:
1. What all does the AM2 fuse control (yes - I am certain I could rtfm but I have not yet)?
2. On my 2000 100, could having a chipped key nearby cause the ignition circuit to "charge" in anticipation of starting? (This could explain the high amp draw from the ignition circuit as the key was laying on the driver's floor mat.) If I disconnect the ground and then put the meter to it, will this similarly charge the ignition circuit giving me a non-static reading?
3. Do any of you guys have any experience with the IBS system or hear from anyone who has it and has had trouble with it? IBS touts their system to have less than a 1mA draw. I think I may be incurring more than that but did not see it with the meter the way I was testing.
3b. If I unplug my IBS monitor/controller what effect might that have when running or not running? (ie my batteries trying to balance one another.)
4. I think I know the answer to this one - Does the ScanGuage II know to shut off when the car is not running or does it draw some current? I experienced trouble with one of those Bluetooth OBDII senders that stayed on all the time searching for signal even when the car was off.
5. If I have two or three things pulling .03 amps each, this compounds right? So if I had a .05 on the radio and other stock stuff, .05 on the winch and .06 on the IBS monitor unit that would put me a little high at .16 which could be enough I guess to kill a battery in a couple weeks? Thoughts on that?
I am running a Group 31 battery for my main and an Optima Blue for my secondary. The Optima never goes dead so it would seem that whatever is causing the problem is being properly isolated by the IBS system.
We often go about two weeks without driving the truck (2000 100) sometimes maybe three but I would think that if I was not suffering an over 50mA draw that big DieHard Group 31 would be fine for a month or more.
I pulled all the negative cables of and started by testing each ground. (I have one main, one to the body, one to a solenoid for my offroad lights, one for the winch and one that goes to my IBS controller). I found a .05 Amp current on the winch that I found odd. I would not think that would draw current at all when off. But then on the main ground alone with none of the others touching I found a .19 Amp draw. The ground for the IBS controller was not hooked up. I went about trying to isolate the issue by pulling fuses starting with under the hood. There was nothing big until I pulled the AM2 fuse (which I think controls the ignition module) and the amp draw dropped way off. I plugged the fuse back in the amps did not jump. They stayed at .05/.06 (I read .05 or 50 milliamps is the magic number for a car while shut off I have read.)
I hooked everything back up though I unplugged my ScanGauge and I also disconnected the plug at the back of my IBS controlled as I discovered some weird stuff with that.
Here is some of the weird:
When I had unhooked all the ground leads from the main battery and not the aux battery, the IBS showed both batteries good and that they were linked. (The main was unhooked completely.) I found that all the accessories and ignition worked. For some reason, the IBS linked automatically making my second battery my main (or thinking it was both really). The other thing I have noted is that for some reason the IBS begins to beep while driving for 30 minutes or more. I believe this is the "Link Failure Alarm." I have read this is an indication of either overheating of the system or a bad battery that will not charge. But my alternator is charging my batteries fine. There is very little information regarding the "Link Failure Alarm" or link failure at all. (Although I did just find this but have no idea WTF it means:
"The system monitors the charge on both batteries. If the system senses at an applied load (alternator, solar, charger) that there is no charge on the other battery, the link fault alarm with a flashing green LED "linked" is displayed and you hear the beep. If this error occurs, you should immediately check the wiring of power cables (relay, battery terminals, crimp contacts, control relays). Once the errors are corrected, the alarm will automatically reset.")
My wiring is fine.
I have a feeling that the IBS system is failing and causing a parasitic draw while the car is not running and then not acting correctly during regular operation. Unfortunately the site does not have very good instructions or a very good trouble shooting section.
Questions:
1. What all does the AM2 fuse control (yes - I am certain I could rtfm but I have not yet)?
2. On my 2000 100, could having a chipped key nearby cause the ignition circuit to "charge" in anticipation of starting? (This could explain the high amp draw from the ignition circuit as the key was laying on the driver's floor mat.) If I disconnect the ground and then put the meter to it, will this similarly charge the ignition circuit giving me a non-static reading?
3. Do any of you guys have any experience with the IBS system or hear from anyone who has it and has had trouble with it? IBS touts their system to have less than a 1mA draw. I think I may be incurring more than that but did not see it with the meter the way I was testing.
3b. If I unplug my IBS monitor/controller what effect might that have when running or not running? (ie my batteries trying to balance one another.)
4. I think I know the answer to this one - Does the ScanGuage II know to shut off when the car is not running or does it draw some current? I experienced trouble with one of those Bluetooth OBDII senders that stayed on all the time searching for signal even when the car was off.
5. If I have two or three things pulling .03 amps each, this compounds right? So if I had a .05 on the radio and other stock stuff, .05 on the winch and .06 on the IBS monitor unit that would put me a little high at .16 which could be enough I guess to kill a battery in a couple weeks? Thoughts on that?
