Please suggest source of starting battery leak?

My starting battery was purchased new in the summer. I live in a place with very cold winter temps (below 0 Fahrenheit sometimes) and the van is parked outside.

Even though I remove the cable by the accelerator pedal, when I start the van after a 3 day hiatus, the voltage on the scangauge reads less than 10 volts most of the time. That also leads to a code indicating low starting battery voltage.

I've tested for leaks using methods described on the forum using a voltmeter and found nothing.

My question is this: after disconnecting the terminal located in the footwell by accelerator, what could be the potential source of a draw that is causing battery to deplete?

Before you reconnect the cable by the accelerator pedal what is the battery voltage measured directly across its terminals?

Reconnecting and using your ScanGauge may be giving a false reading if, say, you have a bad earth (ground) connection.

Keith.

When does the scangauge indicate the low voltage? With the engine running? Or before you crank it?
It really sound like a bad ground or connection, rather than an actual battery issue.....Because it would not crank at all with under 10 volts.
If your van is an '07 or '08, have you replaced the y cable?

+1 on the Y-Cable &/or ground strap poor connection for the 2008 NCV3. The new battery is most likely not being charged sufficiently. Measure the voltage with the engine running. It should be at least 14V. Anything less points to the Y-Cable &/or ground strap.

With engine running it is always 14v.
The low voltage appears after turning ignition to position 2 and after one crank before actual start.
The reason why I’m convinced that there is a leak is because when it does start with a less than 12v reading, I get p204 code indicating low starting battery voltage and the CEL with the engine sign comes on.
I am able to reset code every time after Van has been run a few miles and battery has been replenished.

It is possible that battery isn’t charging fully because I am not running the van more than 10 miles a week. Seems plausible as opposed to insisting that there is a draw.


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Make sure your glow plug module or alternator are not leaking down.
You can easily disconnect both in test succession for a parasitic draw or leave it overnight.
Dennis