Forgive my ignorance...and registering here to get an answer to what may be a stupid question, but it's driving me crazy.
My diesel f250 is my first vehicle with 2 batteries, so I want to make sure I'm not screwing up my readings and coming to the wrong conclusions.
I have been having a problem with the batteries dying. I think it is from the stereo (2 amps: 1 speaker amp, 1 sub amp, all 'professionally' installed). The weird thing is that the problem is recent and the stereo has been in for almost a year.
Do I need to isolate one battery to check for amp draw with a meter? The stereo is fed from the driver (aux) battery with 1/0 cable through a 150A fuse to a distribution block with 4ga to each amp. Disconnecting the main amplifier cable and inserting the meter, I get about a 1.6A draw with the truck completely off and the key out. This seems wrong to me.
I took it to the stereo shop and they told me it isn't the stereo. He told me they checked the stereo with one battery disconnected and it is fine, but there is getting a draw somewhere that stops when they pull a fuse under the hood (a 50A maxi) that the owners manual says is the junction box fuse. I am guessing this is the main battery feed to the junction box, so that doesn't really isolate anything. I just have a feeling I am getting BS'd with excuses by the stereo shop because they don't want to take the time to figure it out because the system has already been sold and they don't want to work on it and not make any money.
I am pulling my hair out because I don't trust driving the truck anywhere. The amp power lights are not on with the truck off, but it seems to me that with the batteries wired in parallel, it shouldn't matter that the amps are only fed from one battery. I should still be able to check amp draw from the main stereo wire and it should read either 0 or milliamps with the truck off......The pair of batteries would only increase the amp-hours for a longer load time and give the necessary amps to start the diesel.
I guess my main question is do I need to isolate one battery to test amp draw by pulling fuses? I was just about to start pulling fuses, but I blew the fuse in my meter and all the stores are closed....
Any help is appreciated....I only know enough about electrical to get myself in trouble....
My diesel f250 is my first vehicle with 2 batteries, so I want to make sure I'm not screwing up my readings and coming to the wrong conclusions.
I have been having a problem with the batteries dying. I think it is from the stereo (2 amps: 1 speaker amp, 1 sub amp, all 'professionally' installed). The weird thing is that the problem is recent and the stereo has been in for almost a year.
Do I need to isolate one battery to check for amp draw with a meter? The stereo is fed from the driver (aux) battery with 1/0 cable through a 150A fuse to a distribution block with 4ga to each amp. Disconnecting the main amplifier cable and inserting the meter, I get about a 1.6A draw with the truck completely off and the key out. This seems wrong to me.
I took it to the stereo shop and they told me it isn't the stereo. He told me they checked the stereo with one battery disconnected and it is fine, but there is getting a draw somewhere that stops when they pull a fuse under the hood (a 50A maxi) that the owners manual says is the junction box fuse. I am guessing this is the main battery feed to the junction box, so that doesn't really isolate anything. I just have a feeling I am getting BS'd with excuses by the stereo shop because they don't want to take the time to figure it out because the system has already been sold and they don't want to work on it and not make any money.
I am pulling my hair out because I don't trust driving the truck anywhere. The amp power lights are not on with the truck off, but it seems to me that with the batteries wired in parallel, it shouldn't matter that the amps are only fed from one battery. I should still be able to check amp draw from the main stereo wire and it should read either 0 or milliamps with the truck off......The pair of batteries would only increase the amp-hours for a longer load time and give the necessary amps to start the diesel.
I guess my main question is do I need to isolate one battery to test amp draw by pulling fuses? I was just about to start pulling fuses, but I blew the fuse in my meter and all the stores are closed....
Any help is appreciated....I only know enough about electrical to get myself in trouble....