battery drain

Chuckman

Chuckman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2005
Location
Huntersville
so how do you find a slow battery drain a car? after I did a motor swap, I find that the battery is d-e-a-d in about 3 days of sitting, so not a real heavy pull, but its there. what method is easiest to find the problem circuit.
 
Put your meter on amp mode in series with the positive battery cable and get a reading, then start pulling fuses looking at meter after each one. when the reading drops to zero you've found your problem circuit, then start unplugging things on that circuit.
 
rattlecanpaint said:
Put your meter on amp mode in series with the positive battery cable and get a reading, then start pulling fuses looking at meter after each one. when the reading drops to zero you've found your problem circuit, then start unplugging things on that circuit.
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x2
 
cant get a reading on anything turned off, other than when I test on a circuit that I know is live (radio direct to battery) do I get a reading. Im checking on 10Adc, is this correct?
 
To check AMPS you have to connect in series as stated.
Most folks do not know what this means.
In the simplest sense, you will have to disconnect the positive battery cable from the battery. Attach one meter lead to the battery lead and the other meter lead to the battery.

Again the cable can not be connected to the battery when you take the reading.
 
SkyHiK5 said:
To check AMPS you have to connect in series as stated.
Most folks do not know what this means.
In the simplest sense, you will have to disconnect the positive battery cable from the battery. Attach one meter lead to the battery lead and the other meter lead to the battery.
Again the cable can not be connected to the battery when you take the reading.
Click to expand...
I get it, but still no reading. What could be intermittent on a LS motor or a winch?
 
Drop to a lower setting on the meter. A 1-10 amp load would kill the battery sooner than 3 days. Also do you have the leads plugged into the amp reading ports? I find I always forget to switch.
 
yup, got the leads right as I can see the radio drain. what would be 'low enough'?
 
Try the lowest setting on your meter. I have a meter that has settings that go down to milliamps and microamps. if you need to borrow it, call me.
 
I'd say that would be low enough. Do you have a drain other than the radio? Cause a radio shouldn't kill the battery in 3 days unless like ratlab says, you've got a battery problem.
 
If you see nothing on the amp setting use milliamps. Anything under 40 milliamps (.04 amps) is an acceptable draw.
 
Matthew, bring by your meter some time next week please.
 
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