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Battery: parasitic drain

2ndAmend

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#21
45ma is not terrible but does seem high. First thought is a float charger, I keep one on all the time. They are capable of 750ma but my measurements show they supply about 5ma when charged, which is why I say 45ma sounds slightly high. A float charger would probably be a good band-aid.

I have analyzed parasitic losses several times in the past. Recently a friend with a 2010 or so Ram was pulling about 200ma. I left the meter on the battery and pulled fuses one-at-a-time until it went to zero. It was a dashboard circuit. Then I started pulling power wires of the devices on that circuit, when I pulled the radio, it dropped to zero.
 


jgilj

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#22
Damn batteries don’t last nowadays!
 


Catless

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#23
45ma is not terrible but does seem high. First thought is a float charger, I keep one on all the time. They are capable of 750ma but my measurements show they supply about 5ma when charged, which is why I say 45ma sounds slightly high. A float charger would probably be a good band-aid.

I have analyzed parasitic losses several times in the past. Recently a friend with a 2010 or so Ram was pulling about 200ma. I left the meter on the battery and pulled fuses one-at-a-time until it went to zero. It was a dashboard circuit. Then I started pulling power wires of the devices on that circuit, when I pulled the radio, it dropped to zero.
I have tested several modern vehicles and the normal parasitic draw after the bus goes to sleep is around 30 mA (0.030 A). All 3 of our Chrysler vehicles are 30 mA and my 2011 GMC truck is 25 mA.
 


2ndAmend

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#24
Damn batteries don’t last nowadays!
Did I say haven't replaced a battery since I started using float chargers?

Maybe it is as you are saying, the old ones are better? Could be...
1775337474053.png
 


2ndAmend

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#25
I have tested several modern vehicles and the normal parasitic draw after the bus goes to sleep is around 30 mA (0.030 A). All 3 of our Chrysler vehicles are 30 mA and my 2011 GMC truck is 25 mA.
Sounds reasonable, and the reason why a float charger is so important on a vehicle that is not used every day.
 




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