My Little Parasitic Drain Story
08-15-2014, 09:48 PM
#1
My Little Parasitic Drain Story
Due to my lack of understanding in the electrical world I was suffering with parasitic drains on two vehicles. I could not leave them idle for more than a week if that without needing to jump off the battery.
I performed surveillance duties with both vehicles and needed to have 12v sources for items I needed to run with the key off so I made up a fused terminal block from the battery and connected 12v accessory sockets.
On both vehicles I left two items plugged in all the time. Both were 12v to 5v converters rated at 2A.
In my quest to locate the drain I asked some electrical types if chargers like these with nothing connected would drain. The told me no. I told them they had small indicator LED's. I was told it would be miniscule.
Long story short they were wrong. One was like the shown below. It ate up 40mA with nothing plugged in. The other was similar but of another MFG and ran up 22mA with nothing connected.
The were both made to charge phones by converting 12v to 5v @2A max. They both had LED indicators.
Chasing parasitic drains AKA "Dark Current" is no fun unless you find it in 5 minutes.
What helped me find it was a great little meter (GTC CM100) at a great price point $143.00 shipped from Amason. See it below. If interested read ALL the reviews. There are some skills and tips particular to the unit and about the DC amp clamp world as well. A good U-Tube review is also available if you look.
Basically I found them in the hunt and put them on a solenoid so
I could have them off when I was noit using the vehicles.
I pulled fuses and plugged and unplugged every thing I could and when I got to these on each vehicle it told the tale. My drain dropped to just below the 50mA recommended maximum.
Thanks and GoodLuck
I performed surveillance duties with both vehicles and needed to have 12v sources for items I needed to run with the key off so I made up a fused terminal block from the battery and connected 12v accessory sockets.
On both vehicles I left two items plugged in all the time. Both were 12v to 5v converters rated at 2A.
In my quest to locate the drain I asked some electrical types if chargers like these with nothing connected would drain. The told me no. I told them they had small indicator LED's. I was told it would be miniscule.
Long story short they were wrong. One was like the shown below. It ate up 40mA with nothing plugged in. The other was similar but of another MFG and ran up 22mA with nothing connected.
The were both made to charge phones by converting 12v to 5v @2A max. They both had LED indicators.
Chasing parasitic drains AKA "Dark Current" is no fun unless you find it in 5 minutes.
What helped me find it was a great little meter (GTC CM100) at a great price point $143.00 shipped from Amason. See it below. If interested read ALL the reviews. There are some skills and tips particular to the unit and about the DC amp clamp world as well. A good U-Tube review is also available if you look.
Basically I found them in the hunt and put them on a solenoid so
I could have them off when I was noit using the vehicles.
I pulled fuses and plugged and unplugged every thing I could and when I got to these on each vehicle it told the tale. My drain dropped to just below the 50mA recommended maximum.
Thanks and GoodLuck
Last edited by therock; 08-24-2014 at 10:38 AM. Reason: Add Image
08-24-2014, 10:56 AM
#2
I wanted to add an FYI on how this little adapter will pull .020mA with nothing attached.
My 2005 is sleeping happily now @ 0.44mA.
With these three devices in key off powered sockets plus my normal .044 draw I was pulling .126mA.
I was extremely lucky if it started the truck after 5 to 7 days.
My 2005 is sleeping happily now @ 0.44mA.
With these three devices in key off powered sockets plus my normal .044 draw I was pulling .126mA.
I was extremely lucky if it started the truck after 5 to 7 days.
08-25-2014, 01:40 AM
#3
Laptop Auto Adapter Comsumption Info
One more guys.
All this is in hopes of helping poor souls like myself who are not electrical gurus.
This stuff drove me crazy because I would drive it after 3 days, and sometimes it wouldn't start after 4 days and I was just plain dumb and blind. I took it down so bad a few times it would not charge and the good folks at Deka batteries tested it for a bad cell and replaced it. Most likely I caused it.
The biggest drain I had was my laptop car power 12v DC adapter. It was not consistent because I did not always have it connected.
The HP Pavilion DV6000t 394159-001 adapter has an output rated spec of 19v @4.62A. Don't ask me how it does it from a 12v source but............
Anyways with the DC meter clamped on I inserted it into the 12v accessory socket today without the laptop. The drain increased by .250 mA !!
So there were times I was pulling .375mA with the key out. Ouch!
And last, with the Amp clamp in place, after an ignition cycle My 2005 Silverado loaded LT will display a 2.5+ amp draw taking a a couple minutes before settling to .090mA drain for varying times from 20 minutes to an hour before dropping into REM Sleep @ .044mA.
From my research the GM states the digital dual zone HVAC controls will vary in how long they stay awake.
Another FYI, my Viper 4701 Alarm and remote start system hardly draws a noticeable amount. I noticed when I had the hood up the plunger switch was closed to keep it from starting with it up so I depressed it and dropped .002mA.
It also has a selectable power saving mode when the vehicle is not used for 24 hours it goes into a power saver mode. It adjusts pulsing blue LED just to name the one I read of.
At first I wanted to blame the Viper buts its a power sipper. It just has motion and vibration sensors waiting to terminate, and plunger switches waiting to be closed.
I have 3 Schumacher XM1-5 Maintainer 1.5-Amp Battery maintainers in my garage catching dust. One was for the mopwer over the winter.
They are only $15.00 at walmart right now or I would offer them up cheap here.
All this is in hopes of helping poor souls like myself who are not electrical gurus.
This stuff drove me crazy because I would drive it after 3 days, and sometimes it wouldn't start after 4 days and I was just plain dumb and blind. I took it down so bad a few times it would not charge and the good folks at Deka batteries tested it for a bad cell and replaced it. Most likely I caused it.
The biggest drain I had was my laptop car power 12v DC adapter. It was not consistent because I did not always have it connected.
The HP Pavilion DV6000t 394159-001 adapter has an output rated spec of 19v @4.62A. Don't ask me how it does it from a 12v source but............
Anyways with the DC meter clamped on I inserted it into the 12v accessory socket today without the laptop. The drain increased by .250 mA !!
So there were times I was pulling .375mA with the key out. Ouch!
And last, with the Amp clamp in place, after an ignition cycle My 2005 Silverado loaded LT will display a 2.5+ amp draw taking a a couple minutes before settling to .090mA drain for varying times from 20 minutes to an hour before dropping into REM Sleep @ .044mA.
From my research the GM states the digital dual zone HVAC controls will vary in how long they stay awake.
Another FYI, my Viper 4701 Alarm and remote start system hardly draws a noticeable amount. I noticed when I had the hood up the plunger switch was closed to keep it from starting with it up so I depressed it and dropped .002mA.
It also has a selectable power saving mode when the vehicle is not used for 24 hours it goes into a power saver mode. It adjusts pulsing blue LED just to name the one I read of.
At first I wanted to blame the Viper buts its a power sipper. It just has motion and vibration sensors waiting to terminate, and plunger switches waiting to be closed.
I have 3 Schumacher XM1-5 Maintainer 1.5-Amp Battery maintainers in my garage catching dust. One was for the mopwer over the winter.
They are only $15.00 at walmart right now or I would offer them up cheap here.
08-25-2014, 07:07 AM
#4
Glad you found your answer! I had a similar problem but mine turned out to be one of those fancy battery connector things with the LEDs that read the battery voltage. More than a couple days and it would drain the battery. I disconnected the wire and now just touch it if want to read the voltage instead of leaving it connected 24/7.
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