Added to his demo, I offer my Crossfire-specific advice for those not using an "AmpHound" and for those who never find ANY fuse that causes the drain:
Pizzaguy’s technique to find excessive standby current
This procedure was written specifically for the Chrysler Crossfire – it is a good idea to watch one of those “how to” videos on the subject for additional tips and instructions. This procedure is written to give you the Crossfire-specific information you need. I do not intend this to instruct a novice in how to accomplish the task based on this text alone, although it is possible for some readers to do so.
A healthy (but not necessarily new) battery should start the car after 21 days of sitting. In fact, it should start the car after over a month of sitting, but I personally am not comfortable with leaving any vehicle sitting longer than three weeks at a time. My car is started every 21 days in winter and is never on a battery tender/charger/etc as I despise those devices.
You need a reasonable quality digital multimeter with an ammeter function. I find that Lowes or Home Depot sells meters I like more than what Auto Parts stores sell, but that’s just me. These meters have fuses in the ammeter lead circuit. If, at any time, you suddenly have zero current, the fuse has blown. You need spare fuses. Do not leave the store without spare fuses. PROVE, by taking the meter apart, that you have bought the right size spare fuses – if the meter has a spare fuse, but five more just like it. Keep in mind that there are often two fuses, one of the 10amp or “high current” scale and one for the “low current” scales (10-15 amp and .25 or so amp, respectively). MOST of the time, the meter will be accurate enough for you to use only the high current scale. Again, watch a youtube video or two if needed.
You also need “clip leads”, one clamps onto the negative battery post on one end, the other end grips the meter’s “Positive” (Red) lead. The other clip lead grips the meter’s “Negative” (Black) lead on one end with the other end clamping onto the batter ground cable’s battery post clamp. Now, all current flowing thru the battery must also flow thru the meter.
Prepare the car for the test:
1) --- Open hood, remove key from ignition, close glove box door, trunk lid and both car doors.
2) --- If you have ANY aftermarket accessories wired into the car that have their ground wires attached to the battery negative post, follow this procedure:
a) --- Slap yourself HARD in the face. Repeat two more times.
b) --- Remove those ground wires from the battery terminal.
c) --- Remove the chassis bolt from the battery ground cable and secure both the battery ground cable and the wire(s) of step b) with the same bolt. (You have moved the aftermarket ground wires from the battery post and connected them to where they belong, the chassis ground bolt for the battery cable.)
3) --- Take battery ground cable off the battery negative terminal.
4) --- Insert meter as described above between battery post and ground cable, you may want to set it to the 10amp scale.
5) --- Observe current reading, it will be .1 to .3 amps, perhaps more.
If it is zero, you do not have the meter connected or configured properly. Do not continue until you get a reading on the meter.
6) --- WAIT THREE MINUTES - the current reading will go down, as modules hibernate.
7) --- AFTER THREE MINUTES - any current reading over 55mA (.055 amp) is a problem.
If you have too much current, start pulling fuses until the current drops below .055 amp.
Start with the fuses in any aftermarket accessories that are wired directly to the battery’s positive post. (If any of these wires to not have fuses in them within a few inches of the connection to the battery, simply disconnect them from the battery and see what current you have. Do not reconnect them until you put fuses in the leads.)
From here on out, as you pull fuses from the car’s fuse boxes, know that pulling some fuses will cause the current to go UP, this is due to 'waking' a module somewhere,
wait three minutes and it should go back down, only then, after three minutes, believe the reading on the meter.
Read the above paragraph again. DO NOT waste time chasing your tail, take your time with this procedure, if for any reason you see the current go UP at any time, wait three minutes to see if it goes back down.
If NO fuse causes the current to go down enough, in the little black box next to battery (size of a pack of cigarettes):
8) --- Remove one 50 amp fuse that goes to engine fan - it is labeled. If this lowers current to below 55mA, replace the fan control module on the driver’s side fender well, it is the module that the engine cooling fan is powered by.
If 8) does not do it:
9) --- Remove other 50 amp fuse, that goes to brake controller - it is labeled. If this does it, you have a brake controller issue. This is very rare so I won’t go on about it.
If 9) does not do it:
10) --- Remove 200 amp fuse that feeds entire car - if that does it, we need to talk! This means it is in the car’s major harness. The only car I saw this in, I never got fixed, as we ran out of time and I had a flight to catch. I hope no one else deals with this one, maybe jump to step 13).
If 10) does not do it:
11) --- Remove BIG red cable from back of alternator - if that does it, you need a new alternator (or get the one you have rebuilt, but make sure the guy knows it has a bad diode(s) ).
If 11) does not do it:
12) You, again, need real help. My rate is $100 per hour plus $1600 travel expenses. (You should report the car stolen at this point.)