So I have a battery drain on my truck. I have done the following, and cannot find my Haynes manual with wiring diagrams to figure out what do to next.
It has .56 amps draw with nothing on, doors closed for several minutes, alternator completely disconnected, and brake controller completely disconnected. The ignition halo is off at this time. If I am reading my DM correctly, this is 560 milli-amps, and I have read where it should be more like 30 milli-amps, .03 on my DMM.

When I pull the IOD fuse it drops to .18, door closed, and halo obviously not on because the IOD fuse controls the halo.
I can get it to drop to .01 if I pull the 50 Amp "battery" fuse in the power center under the hood, behind the driver's side battery, while IOD fuse is out also. This would be the first one from the right, toward the front of the truck, not counting the 140A alternator fuse. I don't know what that fuse is for, hence my search for wiring diagrams. Once I figure that one out, I will be going back inside to see why I have such a large draw on the IOD fuse.
I have pulled every fuse in the box under the hood and almost every one in the dash. I think I have not pulled the power window fuses yet.

All ideas or wiring info welcomed.

Thanks,
Chris

 

A typical problem is the glove box light switch mount or switch is acting up. Pull the bulb and check the draw.

 

Try putting everything back together like you had it,then go underneath the middle seat from the rear - look up and you will find a black box with wiring going to it. Unplug this module (seat belt control) and then retest, if this is staying on and not shutting off it could be your draw - it would not be the first one to fail.


***note while the module is unplugged the seat belts will be locked***

That module turns on when a door is opened or the key is turned to the "on or accessory position" then it stays on for about 30 min after everything is turned off or door is closed.

If you do a search for seat belts locked you should find an older post where i listed the wiring pin outs for another member if you need them.

 

Probably the most common cause of high IOD.
Think it's actually called the central timer module.
I've seen replacements online for around $25

Get a real manual here > http://www.genosgarage.com/products.asp?dept=241
and you'll have great wiring diagrams and diagnostic procedures.
Haynes manuals are horrible for electrical.

 

Bill,
The name for the magic box as i understand it is SCTM = seat belt control timer module.

Either way we should have him on the right track now.

 

Yep it is the sctm that is under the seat, the CTM or central timer module is just to the right of the steering column, under the dash.

 

Yep the CTM is found up under the dash .

 

OK, thanks guys, for all of the ideas. I can say that the seat belts are locked when the IOD fuse is removed, but I do not recall the seat belts ever being locked when the IOD fuse is in place. I have had the window down and let it sit long enough for the halo to go out, but the seat belts were not locked after the halo went out. I imagine these are on a different timer, but I do not know if they should have a similar time limit.

Once, I get back to it, hopefully this weekend, I will be checking these things.

Gonna check for that manual at Geno's now.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Stamey

Put everything back together as it normally would be, then put it in the garage with the windows down. Walk away for an hour and then come back and reach in to see if both seat belts are STILL UNLOCKED and you will have your answer.

Very easy test if everything is working as normal they should be locked at that time.

 

Heh, that's part of my problem right now, I don't have the room in the garage to do that. I'm supposed to be getting a Sunny Sunday afternoon this weekend though, so I will try it then.

What worries me though, is even with the IOD disconnected, which does lock the belts, I still have that draw at the Battery fuse and I don't know what that powers so I am lost there until I can gather some info on that circuit.

Thanks,
Chris

 

FWIW, my trucks belts have never been in the locked position after sitting, even after a week. I have left the windows down to check them in the past and they are always free.

What's the purpose of having them locked retracted anyway?

 

I think that locked is the default position of the controlling solenoid, and when it loses power it goes into lock position, as well as if the truck experiences some type of impact/wreck. If they are unlocked it means that the seat belt timer, which controls those solenoids, is using power and sending power to the solenoids, which is a battery drain if the truck is not running.
It is my understanding that the seat belt timer cuts off power to the seat belt solenoids after a few minutes when the key is off and the doors have not been opened (the seat belt timer is connected to the door switches).

I got sick over the weekend so I have not gotten back to the truck. I hope to get on it soon.

Chris

 

Thanks Chris, I had been getting out of the truck so I opened the door, this would explain why they stay unlocked.

 

OK, update:
I'm thinking it may be the seat belt timer at this point, but now the batteries are acting like they are bad, so I'm charging them back up again (just charged them overnight before I started looking for this problem).
When I was testing before that though, I had the window down and let her sit for over 30 minutes and when I came back to it the seat belts still pulled out of the seat just fine, so the seat belt timer does not appear to be turning off.
According to a buddy, who has access to Mitchel Online, the normal range for battery drain, doors closed and all timers timed out, is .15 to .45 amps. I am close to that. I thought I saw in another thread about it needing to be around .035 (35 milli-amps).

Chris

 

hi guys,. i have a battery draw i can't find ,on my 1999 dodge ram diesel.
i have pulled the bulb , out of the glove box ,. disconnected the under hood light ,.. and i did the seat belt ,.. 30 min . test with both belts,. the both lock , after 20 min.. and both unlock.. when i open a door..,,?

any other ideas,. that would make it hard to crank ,.. if it sits for 24 hours or more..,...
i had found the starter ,, was funked up with all kinds of crap,.. after 16 years,.. the brushes were gone,.. i replaced the hole starter,.. and figured that it no only stopped working , , it started normal,.. with the new starter .
so i figured it was just a slow death on the starter...
,.. after a month ,.. it's back to a noticeably slower crank.. before it starts,..
i have two ,.. optima red top battery's ,.,.. that when fully charged start it like it should,..

but just sitting over night i can here it crank slower then normal,.
if i let it sit 2 day's ,, it's cranking slower still..

i think if i let it sit 3 ,. or 4 days it would not start..??

are there any other thing i should be checking...?

im stumped,.
the truck ,. only has 172,000 miles on it,.
it's a 49 state truck with only a road draft tube,.,. no TPS , nothing.

it has 3 year old battery's ,. and a after market 250 amp alternator.,..

the block was the dreaded #53 , that cracked @ 119 ,.k..
i rebuilt, ( overhauled the motor ),..6 years ago,.at home,.

And ,..ooo- boy Cummings are proud of there parts.!!

so the motor only has 53,000 miles on it in the last 6 years,.
it's still running fine,.. i just have this Fing draw i cant find driving me a little nuts..?&^%$#