I have the battery tender jr and when I store the car I bring the batteries into the basement on plastic milk crates so they stay in a climate controlled area so the cold doesnt get to them.

 

I've used Battery tenders also, and it always seems that I get longer life out of a battery when I use one.

Also, I wouldn't down on the OE batteries too badly... I just got 6+ hard years out of the one in my Wifes mountaineer.

 

Your (and others) response is what I was looking for. TY

I'm not trashing ALL of the Motorcraft OE batteries. But considering the # of reports of issues on the S197's, a larger than normal percentage seem to die prematurely. I'd LOVE to have been able to get all of the s/n's from those OE batteries that have died just to see if it was a specific lot or from a specific factory. Must be the engineer in me.

 

The $500 Fluke meter dont lie.
And I have a basic stripped down V6 and the parasitic draw is 1.3 - 1.5 amps
doors closed ignition off all accessories off. Just sitting there. Its amazing
these bayyeries last any time at all just sitting.
Should not and does are two different things.
Get the old DMM out and check it yourselves...
I will be sure and get a picture next time I
do any battery disconnecting and check it then for ya'll nay sayers..

 

1.3 -1.5 amps DOES sound high but I've come to trust 157db's info ('til proven otherwise). If that IS the case, then the Battery Tender Jr, with it's 0.75 A output, would STILL allow the battery to slowly discharge. Even the Battery Tender Plus is only rated for 1.25A out. I may have to do a little experimenting of my own...

 

Well, db157, are you letting everything wind down for at least 40 minutes before you take the current reading? I could believe a reading of 1.5 amps before everything goes to sleep, but not for a long period of time.

The workshop manual says no more than 50 milliamperes of parasitic draw. The dealer tested mine, and reported that my car draws 40 milliamperes. There is a TSB that says typical is 20-30 milliamperes.

If you have a 60 Ah battery, and a parasitic draw of 1.5 amps, then wouldn't the battery would be stone cold dead in 40 hours if the car were parked?

Are you doing the test as specified on page 414-00-16 of the 2007 workshop manual?

 

good point Art161. all fords since 2004 have a memory timer in the PCM that does a 10 minute countdown to kill accessory power and lights.

if you were to do a check during that timer...then I can very well see the power draws you are talking about.


also, how much power does that "Anti-Theft" thingy in the dome light pull?

 

Get the battery tender plus...you wont regret it!

 

I went with the CTEK.
http://www.jegs.com/i/CTEK/181/56-158/10002/-1

Know someone who had one of those battery tender jr things and it eventually killed the battery on his Harley...

 

I use one unit for all the different batteries I have. It works great.