2.14-2.5 amp draw at battery

[joshp]

I just bought a platinum series diehard (it fit after I modded the battery strap). I let the car sit 3 days and go to start it, dead battery. Charged battery and all was well as long as I disconnected negative battery terminal.

I tested for amp current by:

-disconnected the hot lead from the battery to the main fuse board.
-The red hot wire of battery splits (one lead goes to starter other to the main fuse board) Tester reads 2.1 amps narrowing it to starter or alternator .

-I then disconnected the hot wire from the starter to the alternator and test again
-I still got 2.1 amps

-I then disconnected the hot lead from the starter and finally arrive at 0 amps.

It sounded to me like the starter was the cause but after replacing it, there is still 2.14 amps being drawn. This leads me to believe that something else (other than alternator) must be fed power off the starter.

Does anyone know what is fed power off the starter other than the alternator? Maybe off the solenoid lead?

I also reconnected the fuse box and pulled the 30 amp fuse for the ignition system in engine compartment, put my tester there and got a reading of 0.00 amps.

Thanks!

[ssicarman]

Redo your testing with the small purple wire on the solenoid removed.

[DonP]

After market radio installed?

[DIYguy]

Check for glove box or trunk lights staying on. I have had both problems on varying cars over the years, and they will drain the battery exactly as you described, although 2+ amps is a heck of a lamp load.

That sort of thing can be hard to diagnose sometimes (sort of like does the refrigerator light stay on when the door is closed.... how do you know?). Check to see if they are warm after the car has sat a while. If so, they've been on.

Barring that, pull fuses one by one until the drain goes away, then search that circuit and everything on it.

As the previous poster said, did the previous owner by any chance install a stereo amp or something like that? If it was installed improperly (or is defective) it could be drawing significant amounts of power even when the stereo is "off".

[joshp]

Originally Posted by ssicarman

Redo your testing with the small purple wire on the solenoid removed.

Still read 2.14. It gets more strange! So if i disconnect the main fuse block and have the starter lead connected i will get 2.14 reading. But if i disonnect the starter power lead and just hookup the main fuse board i also get 2.14 amp draw reading!

Now if i have alternator unplugged from both power wire that connects to starter and disconnect the plug that runs to it and have the main fuse board connected i will get 0 amp draw reading. BUT, if i reconnect the main fuse panel and have th alternator disconnected from starter power lead and disconnect the plug that runs into alternator i still get 2.14 amp draw. BAFFLES ME!

[joshp]

Originally Posted by DonP

After market radio installed?

I installed aftermarket stereo. During testing i disconnected hot power lead that runs to amp. Also by disconnecting entire main fuse board wouldn't that eliminate the the cd player?

Can a device draw current from the fround circuit?

[fdryer]

1-Where are you measuring this current from?

2-The two RED positive battery cables feed HOT 12v power to the underhood and interior fuse panels, starter solenoid, and the alternator fusible link to supply live power internally to the diode packs that prevents current flow. A break down in any one diode resulting in a short can cause current flow here.

3-What year car?

4-Any aftermarket alarm or remote start installed using a separate HOT wire?

[DonP]

Also by disconnecting entire main fuse board wouldn't that eliminate the the cd player?

Can a device draw current from the fround circuit?

Depends on hiw the CD player is wired to the car.

A ground circuit wil nto normally provide power - it is a ground, but it can provide a return path to power from elsewhere, and under certaincircumstances where a ground may be lifted, the ground cricuit in question might no longer be grounded and thus subject to a back-feed though another device.

What happen if the alternator is totally disconencted? That could help rule out a bad diode in it.

[joshp]

So I got a 2 amp rating on two circuits.

-Hazard circuit
-PCM b circuit

Any idea on what would cause current draw on both? Maybe both tie into aftermarket alarm? I'm not sure what the PCM does...

[joshp]

Originally Posted by fdryer

1-Where are you measuring this current from?

2-The two RED positive battery cables feed HOT 12v power to the underhood and interior fuse panels, starter solenoid, and the alternator fusible link to supply live power internally to the diode packs that prevents current flow. A break down in any one diode resulting in a short can cause current flow here.

3-What year car?

4-Any aftermarket alarm or remote start installed using a separate HOT wire?

1 measuring between positive battery terminal and the hot cable that comes off it. To isolatethe two sides (altermator) and fuse panel under hood, I disconnected the cable from fuse panel/power wire from the starter, alternator etc.

3 1997

4 aftermarket alarm that is disarmed, I wonder if I arm it if the current would drop off. Maybe I'll test if I can find the alarm remote, I'll have to look for it.

I've narrowed it to current draw on the hazard circuit and PCM B circuit. I'm hoping both are tied into the alarm. I installed the alarm around 8 years ago so don't quite recall but the wiring is very integrating into the electrical system particularly under the driver's side dash.

[fdryer]

Normally the alarm that's armed is drawing current but not 2 amps. Disabling it by removing the alarm fuse should render it invisible to the electrical system.

The pcm is the engine computer and is similar to the radio with memory; the main pcm is turned on at ignition ON (like the radio) while the memory is kept alive like radio memory with a separate hot wire. Very little current is drawn for keep alive memory.

[joshp]

Originally Posted by fdryer

Normally the alarm that's armed is drawing current but not 2 amps. Disabling it by removing the alarm fuse should render it invisible to the electrical system.

The pcm is the engine computer and is similar to the radio with memory; the main pcm is turned on at ignition ON (like the radio) while the memory is kept alive like radio memory with a separate hot wire. Very little current is drawn for keep alive memory.

How much does the pcm draw with ignition on? Would 2 amps be expected? Maybe i should turn ignition on and see if pcm circuit draws same amperage? I'll try this tonight. Won't be able to test alarm tonight because it will be dark by the time i'm home. I'll have to test alarm this weekend.

[fdryer]

I have no idea on pm current; since it draws power only when the ignition switch is in the ON position, it doesn't matter.

If you try measuring pcm current you will have to take into consideration all the other parts of the EFI system powering up; the instrument panel, all the sensors, etc..

[joshp]

Originally Posted by fdryer

I have no idea on pm current; since it draws power only when the ignition switch is in the ON position, it doesn't matter.

If you try measuring pcm current you will have to take into consideration all the other parts of the EFI system powering up; the instrument panel, all the sensors, etc..

Dang! Well I removed the fuses for the hazard and PCM B circuit and then disconnected the hot terminal lead on battery and place my current tester between the positive power terminal on battery and the power lead and I got 2.14 amps still.

I'm going to try disconnecting the alternator again and see if there is current draw (with fuses removed for the hazard circuit and PCM B circuit). If current draw disappears I think I may presume the following:

-The alternator has gone bad and is discharging the battery so I will REPLACE ALTERNATOR

-There is a short issue in the hazard and PCM B circuits

-Place two switches in the cabin that break the circuit loop on the hazard and one on the PCM B circuits. When I turn off car I will flip switches to off position. Hopefully new alternator will not discharge battery.

On a side note, I remember years back the electrical system on the 97 saturn being ranked as poor by Consumer Reports. I believe 98 or 99 saturns received good electrical rating.

[joshp]

So with the two fuses, hazard and PCM B disconnected and alternator fully disconnected I still get 2 amps.

I have fully disconnected the alarm and the power wire I have running to my audio amps and issue persists.

Now I'm suspecting there is an issue with the main fuse panel. Anyone know a simple test for verifying whether my fuse panel isn't working properly in the engine compartment?

[joshp]

I tested circuits in the cabin panel and get current draw in:

Chime circuit- I depressed the light switch from the door to verify whether this was the culprit.

Body circuit

In summary the circuits that are drawing current are:

-Hazard in main panel/engine compartment
-PCM B in main panel/engine compartment
-Chime in cabin fuse panel
-Body in cabin fuse panel

[joshp]

Does the BCM control circuits below?


-Hazard in main panel/engine compartment
-PCM B in main panel/engine compartment
-Chime in cabin fuse panel
-Body in cabin fuse panel

[fdryer]

A '97 doesn't have a body control module. Pm me an e-mail address if you need the engine control wiring. I don't have wiring for the chassis or external lighting. Include year and model.

[joshp]

Originally Posted by joshp

Does the BCM control circuits below?


-Hazard in main panel/engine compartment
-PCM B in main panel/engine compartment
-Chime in cabin fuse panel
-Body in cabin fuse panel

UPDATE also getting current draw in the leftheadlight and right headlight circuits.

[joshp]

Originally Posted by fdryer

A '97 doesn't have a body control module. Pm me an e-mail address if you need the engine control wiring. I don't have wiring for the chassis or external lighting. Include year and model.

Thanks. I'll let you know. I may just wire a switch to cabin to kill connectivity to negative terminal if car sits longer than a few hours.