marshp

hey there i have an 87 TII that im trying to do a current draw test on my car cause the battery is dying overnight and its not the alternator or the battery.. both have been tested on load and work fine
no i set it up with my DMM in the circuit as "Icemark" suggested it should be done
take off the positive battery terminal cable and put the DDM in circuit between the terminal cable and the battery post (both positive)
now i set my DDM to amperage tried both 200ma, 20ma and 2ma and still get no reading at all... not iim wondering what could i be doing wrong? i also tried setting it up using the negative post and terminal cable.. still nothing.. now if i didnt even have a major drain i should still see some #'s correct?
what is the problem you guys think?

any help or input is greatly appreciated.. thanks guys.. and gals if there are any

RETed

You're trying to probe the circuits wrong.
To measure amperes, you need to run the DMM in series, not parallel.
This means you need to break the circuit - i.e. pull off one battery terminal, and put one probe in the battery terminal and one probe on the battery post.
Make sure your DMM probes are in the correct holes - some DMM's need to reposition the probe inputs to the correct holes to measure amperes or "A".


-Ted

marshp

im not sure that i understand what u are meaning...but the probes are in the correct wholes

RETed

DMM broken?
Check the fuses - if the DMM fuses are blown, it's usually through the current circuit.


-Ted

VroomVroomVroom

Marshp,
Test your DMM by using a spent (but not dead!) 1.5V battery. Use the highest current setting (usually 300mA or some measure up to 10A...using different probe sockets on the meter!)
Now dab quickly across the battery, and you should see a current.
From what you have stated, I think you are testing your car correctly: its just your meter is not registering for some reason. Hope this helps,
Dave

Icemark

once you get your meter fixed...

+ of the meter to the + of the battery.

- of the meter to the + cable that was attached to the battery but now is removed.

10 Amp setting on the meter.

marshp

the meter is fine... iv used 2 diffent kinds.. one for 30$ and one for 100$
both dont give me a reading.... but it cant be the meter
also there is no 10A setting the highest is 200mA i think

marshp

come on you gurus any more ideas? i cant STAND this freaking problem
i am missing a test right now because my car wont start.. the battery is dead in less that 14 hours... completely dead.... DAMMIT
and i cant even figure out the problem...

marshp

come on you gurus any more ideas? i cant STAND this freaking problem
i am missing a test right now because my car wont start.. the battery is dead in less that 14 hours... completely dead.... DAMMIT
and i cant even figure out the problem...

twistedriver

Are you sure you have it in the AMP socket for your testing leads? I know someone said this before. But if you have it hook up correctly it should give you some kind of reading. And if you still can't get it to work. Pull 1 fuse at a time untill you stop having the battery draw problem. To be sure that the fuse you pull is the problem fuse. measure the battery voltage before and after you pull the fuse. I hope this helps.

SureShot

A good short will blow a 200ma meter fuse.
You need a meter with a 10Amp scale.

A cheaper way to test for a current drain is to jumper clip a 12v light bulb between the battery post and the battery cable.
The current drain will light the bulb.
Then pull fuses one at a time to isolate which circuit the current load is in.

Icemark

With the meter wired as I described in this thread, as long as the lights are off, and the doors are closed a meter with a 200 mA setting will work fine.

Unless the meter is damaged.

So if you don't have any reading then the meter is bad or you do not have it set up correctly. At very least you should see a 30-40 mA load.

If the meter is wired correctly, then do the hatch lights come on when you open the hatch. It should (and the hatch bulb is about a 100mA load). If the hatch light is not coming on with your meter wired in (when you open the hatch), then your meter is bad or not wired correctly.

I don't know how much more simpler this could be.

marshp

i realize how simple this could be.. but its stil not working... the meters are both fine.? i just dont see how its possible to not give any readings?

Icemark

...

marshp

ok well i decided to try it wtih a test light and found that the light goes off when i pull the BTN fuse under the hood or the room fuse in the car...but so i pulled the room fuse and now my stereo doesnt work, the clock doesnt, none of the inside lights(i know those wont work) and the idiot cluster has the "hatch" and "door" lights on while i drive
now i dunno whats up

WAYNE88N/A

Did you recently wire a new component in, say a radio?

If you have it isolated down to a particular fuse (say the "room"), then start pulling bulbs/plugs/etc in the branches to further troubleshoot.

The room fuse feeds the clock, ignition key reminder/CPU, interior/spot lights, courtesy lights, cargo light, factory alarm, and radio. So if it IS the room circuit causing the draw, one of the above components are responsible...

marshp

well i had a stereo put in about a year ago... other than that there havent been any changes.... i do know that the previous owner tried to hook something up like a flashing neon light to the power wire in the dome light and he said it shorted out and now it doesnt work.... if that could be the problem... how can i test that or even fix it?

marshp

ok now im getting furious!!! i have the freaking room fuse pulled which was the fuse that made the light go out, and it started perfectly yesterday and now i go this morning and its dead! completely! to the click click click the most dreaded sound!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH i hate this car

RETed

How about BAD ALTERNATOR?
If the alternator isn't charging during engine running time, this will easily kill the battery.


-Ted

marshp

negative.. alternator and battery are both good