Parasitic Draw, HELP!? - ATVConnection.com ATV Enthusiast Community

fulk112 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 10:11 AM

ok guys i had started a thread before on my battery issue and i cant find my old thread..... So I took some of your advice thinking that my original battery was poop just BC of age, well thats aparrently not the whole problem. I bought a new battery installed it and the wheeler started fine and evrything checked out but I let it sit about 48 hours w/o being started hop on yesterday to do some yard work and.... NOTHING... so dead infact that when i grabbed the brake it killed it bc of the brake lights.
The only thing I can figure is that I have a parasitic draw from one or more of my accessories. I'm pretty sure its not the fog lamps bc I never had a problem before with them, so this leaves me to think it has to be my winch. I have a 2000# SUPERWINCH, wired just as directions show, and the battery was dead the 1st time about a month after the winch install.
So I guess my real question is has anyone ever had any problems like this before? and does anyone have any real advice on how to test for the draw.

Any help would be awsome! thanks to everyone.

reconranger · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 02:02 PM

This happened to my Suburban. I only drive it when we are going on a long trip pulling the trailer (usually a riding trip!), so it sits most of the time. Went out the other day and the battery was dead. It as kind of an old battery, so I got a new one. Went out a couple weeks later and it was dead too. Found that the switch on the light for the mirror on the visor, was stuck in the ON position and would eventually run the battery down.

On the quad, for the short term I would just disconnect the battery when the quad isn't in use. Then I would get a wiring diagram and sort through the individual wiring systems and see where I have a draw of current. Probably going to be a big task!

budedm · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2009, 02:38 PM

This happens to my boat. I spent days looking for the draw. There is definately something there because I checked it with a meter and there is a draw. I finally gave up and put a battery disconnect on it and when I am done at the lake, I disconnect it. That was 7 years ago. No problems.