Parasitic Drain Help

[Shabazz]

After searching for what feels like decades, I cannot find a similar enough thread to help, so I decided to finally post after being a member for a looong time. I apologize in advance if i missed something! Anyway.. For months now my battery won't start after sitting for a couple days. Replaced that battery and alternator and both checked out as good. After hooking up a multimeter, though, i found there is still a .15/.16 amp drain on the battery. I have 3 positive cables attached to my battery + post, and immediately after taking the first one off it dropped to .000. But after unplugging everything i could find attached to it there was still the same draw. I checked the fuse box in the engine (passenger side with batt, alt, etc fuses and relays), lights, alternator, and every fuse under the steering wheel. I tried looking at a diagram, but electrical diagrams easily trump my skill, especially since I'm kind of a noob at fixing car problems anyway. Any help is appreciated!

 

[Shabazz]

Actually the antenna and amp are still not hooked up, the antenna stopped working when I hooked this CD player up.

 

[luv2rallye]

I'm talking about the antenna motor power wire.
The antenna motor stopped working when you hooked this CD player up? Could it be perhaps you connected it wrong and burned out part of the player? Some antenna motors require a power wire to operate while others require a ground connection (either way the radio is supposed to provide it but most radios only do one way).

 

[Shabazz]

If it is a wire that comes from the head unit then, yes, it is not plugged in. There is a wire for the power antenna and one for amp. I disconnected both assuming they were the culprits and it didn't change the draw. If it is the big cable in the back that allows you to receive the radio signal, that is still plugged in. I had a Sony xplod that had an adapter that went onto the cable that won't fit this CD player. I'll go unplug it and see if that works. Hopefully not since I listen to my iPod through radio.

 

[Shabazz]

Still no luck. As soon as the CD player is connected it drains, regardless of what is connected. I have all wires except 12v power, ground, and speaker wires disconnected. No power antenna etc. I'm going to try and borrow a stereo today and see if I can make it work without draining.

 

[DSM1G90]

Are you using an adapter harness that hooks up to the stock radio connections, or are those stock connections cut off where you're pigtailing the lines direct to the CD unit?

I wonder if you got the wrong connection heading to the 12V to the radio.

the chassis of the radio has to be grounded to the car's chassis. Mounting HDWE usually makes this ground via the mounting brackets that bolts up to the radio opening.

DSM uses two grounds-the chassis ground and the system (black lead) ground.

 

[cl1ckclack]

what you can always do to make your radio work, is connect both the 12v constant, and the 12v ignition to the 12v ignition. it won't allow you to save any settings. but it should take care of your draw issue, allow the radio to work and not cause any harm to the radio.

 

[Shabazz]

It is stock wiring using an adapter harness. Nothing was cut and it matched the wiring diagram. And yes, it is grounded through the case and a ground wire. I couldn't get another stereo yet so I can't test it yet. Ugh.

 

[Shabazz]

So I finally got an answer from the CD player tech support. It is supposed to have current less than 1mA. So it's apparently defective.

 

[DSM1G90]

Good luck .. now on our way to a new CD unit. I bet some components on that momboard shorted out to ground causing the current drain.

 

[Shabazz]

Looks like it. This issue is pretty much resolved. Just need it fixed. Thanks guys!