I think my battery is draining, any experiences with this?

It’s been doing this off and on for the last week, symptoms of a weak battery after sitting for 6 or more hours. Was thinking it was a starter problem with a click click click click while turning it over but a couple times it turns over like it’s just a weak battery. I am going to check connections after work today and I also read a bad diode on the alternator will drain it too.
The battery is new and terminals tight and clean w/dielectric grease. I stopped by auto zone and they tested the battery and alternator. All good there with their little hand held tester.
Looking for advice and if anyone has experienced this and what the issue was.
Thanks

 

It’s a 2006 DC V8 4.7 and I have done nothing with the electrical system.

 

The problem with stopping by the parts store after driving is that a bad battery can get a surface charge and still show good.

If you have a multi tester check the voltage first thing in the morning before starting. It should be around 12.5 volts, keep it connected and try starting if it drops lower than 10.5 the battery is bad.

If it still checks out try this test.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1gijj03_0

 

Probably outlined in the video above, but you can set your multimeter to be in series and measure amps. Pull off the positive terminal and put your meter between the battery post and the terminal you pulled of and see what you get. Not sure what spec would be with the Tundra, but should be less than an 500ma.

 

I just went to start the truck at work and click click click. As I was turning the ignition I realized I can remove my key while it’s in the acc position and the on position. I have a spare key on my work keys and tried to do the same and it won’t. Looking at the two keys side by side the one I use all the time is wore out.
Now I’m leaning towards me hastily getting out and not turning the key all the way to the off position. Basically leaving the key in the accessories position.

 

Battery is about one month old.

 

Starters DO fail.....but most of the time people think its the starter, it's a battery or terminal problem. I would exhaust all possibilities before replacing the starter.

 

Yeah first I thought I left something on and drained the battery then I started reading several threads that sounded just like my issue and started leaning that way seeing how I had a new battery. Then my co worker mentioned something with the key that happened to him and decided to see if mine did that. It sure did and I am 98% sure that I was pulling the key before it hit the off position on the ignition and the ignition was staying in the acc or on position. I will know for sure in a couple days. If so it saved me a lot of headache searching for nothing lol

 

I had two vehicles with aftermarket car alarms, Python and Viper, that would always drain the batteries if vehicle was left unstarted for a few days up to a week.
Noticed other vehicles with aftermarket alarms also had drained battery problems.

 

Unfortunately it wasn’t the ignition. The battery was weak this morning. I’ll start troubleshooting after work today.

 

turn your radio up before getting out. if its still on after you open the door you are in acc mode. mine shuts off when I open the door after parking.

put an amp clamp on the battery negative post. do it after it's been off for a good 10 mins to allow everything to spoil down. you may be carrying a parasitic load.

 

Re-reading your original post, you state this has only been happening a week. And then stating your battery is only a month old (as in, this problem has only happened since replacing the battery). I't may just be as simple as getting a bad battery.

Regardless, test for amp draw and give us some voltage numbers while car sits and is running. Starters click when voltage is not sufficient.

 

This is simply perpetuating a myth. Anything will drain your battery if its incorrectly installed.

 

A battery can only be installed one way, Einstein, the right way! That being + to + and - to - with post, battery connectors and cable being clean and in good shape.

Vehicles I write about were new and had no battery drain at all when left for a month to even a few when not used, but after one alarm install and later another resulting with battery discharge it was a no brainer to figure out. Lol, perpetuating myths, not.

I learned about this stuff when a gas and diesel mechanic in the military. Afterward I worked on diesel trucks for a couple years which made me start thinking about a four year paid vacation, college. And thanks for your tax dollars used for my goofing off with the hot females while obtaining a bachelor's degree from FSU.

So, I'm saying I know a little something about vehicles to figure out what's going on with mine. And w/o saying I called this one right, I'm curious about your call on this issue.

 

Clearly I was talking about incorrect installation of an alarm. And clearly you spend too much time on r/dontyouknowwhoiam.

Your hatred towards alarms is misdirected. I somewhat get it, you have a product installed and it fails. To the consumer, the product is binary, it either works or doesn't. In reality there are multiple facets: Was it the correct product in the first place? Is it being used for its intended purpose? Does the end user know how to correctly operate it? And the most likely scenario, was it installed 100% correctly?

I got diarrhea from Taco Bell once, I guess I'd better go on the internet and tell people to completely avoid cheese.

Wanna compare CV's? I spent 10 years in the 12 volt industry, 4 of them as a MECP Master tech. So I also know a little something about vehicles, namely the exact discipline of vehicles that we are referring to. Congrats on your bachelor's, I also have one. In engineering.

 

Here is the current draw with nothing on, the meter is on the higher 10amp scale.

 

here it is on the 300mA scale

 

It's at 50mA when I first hook up the meter then drops and stabilizes to

 

Battery cable hooked back up here and engine running.

 

engine running for ten minutes

 

Ignition off and just battery voltage shown here

 

Anything under 50 milliamps is usually acceptable. If I am understanding the scale of your meter then you are well under that at 27mA. Try hooking the battery back up and reading the voltage on the meter while cranking. If there is a bad cell in the battery it will usually drop into the 9v range or so.

 

I had a Compustar alarm with remote start in my 2002 Tundra. The battery would go completely dead within 2 days if not driven or eft on a battery tender. Took the truck to a local stereo shop and they determined that the alarm/remote start was causing a huge drain on the battery. They removed the system and I never had the problem again.

 

I'll do that tomorrow and post it

 

Grasshopper, I'm way past the age for hatred and all nonsense that goes with it, unless one tries to physically hurt me or family. And because I never was in the pencil neck, pencil pocket engineering crowd, I did misread your mind about incorrect installation. I understand writing coherent English isn't needed for an engineering diploma, as you all think alike and seem to read each other's mind. I guess it saves you guys a lot of time from standing around and talking about those hated project deadline issues.

When one states the word binary the machine language of 0 and 1 come to mind, or on/off. So I get your drift with "the product is binary, it either works or doesn't." yet that's true about anything. Nothing new there, and because OP has that problem with his ride, I just threw in my two cents of experience that might be of use. Good if it helps and who cares if it doesn't. I would have installed both of those little binary operated car alarm systems myself, but the mfg keeps their preparatory product installation instruction to CV/MECP engineers like you. At least that's what the professionals installing it stated.

You might want tell all your burrito eating internet friends that the El Scorcho sauce just flat out kicks your can and makes it hurt real bad, but don't blame it on the cheese. However, any way it's said, you look like a wuss anyway.

The bottom line is why didn't you come out with your CV and MECP Master tech experience to help the OP instead of throwing a pompous snide remark at my little 2cnt offer to help. Your saying "dontyouknowwhoiam" never crosses my mind for anything, but it sure does yours cause that's one heck of a popular engineering phrase that you geeks impose on one another all the time, Lol!

People like you make others not want to try to help others.
Better check yourself there, bud.

 

pls do yourself a favor and use an amp clamp. with the car off you should be able to see a load being drawn from your battery.

you either have a dead cell and need to return that battery under warranty or you have a parasitic load.

check for remote starters, after market radio equipment. and your 12v cig lighter powered hot with key off. I have seen many 12v outlets that are hot, kill a battery quick because people leave things like dash cams and chargers, radar detectors etc plugged in. you would be surprised how quick a glowing cheap led will eat a battery

 

That is literally what was just done above in the pictures.

 

I put my fieldpiece amp clamp on it and did get any reading. But now that you mention it I do have this power converter plugged into one of the cigarette lighters.

 

thats it!