multimeter question, battery drain
03-07-2010, 10:43 AM
#1
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multimeter question, battery drain
I am tring to determine if I have a battery drain issue, so I read up about the multimeter test and hooked my meter up in series to the negative side.
With the multimeter set on 20m for Amps it reads 0.1 for a minute or two then goes to sleep and holds at 0.03. It does this with or without the fuses for Bose or fuses 3 and 4 for seats.
I believe 0.03 means 30milliamps, but I am confused. If the range is up to 20m (milliamps), how can the reading be 30? or even 100?
FYI, i drive my car about once every two weeks and put it on my CTEK charger (highly recommended) one night a week.
With the multimeter set on 20m for Amps it reads 0.1 for a minute or two then goes to sleep and holds at 0.03. It does this with or without the fuses for Bose or fuses 3 and 4 for seats.
I believe 0.03 means 30milliamps, but I am confused. If the range is up to 20m (milliamps), how can the reading be 30? or even 100?
FYI, i drive my car about once every two weeks and put it on my CTEK charger (highly recommended) one night a week.
Last edited by banner1; 03-07-2010 at 11:12 AM.
03-07-2010, 12:23 PM
#2
Tech Contributor
I am tring to determine if I have a battery drain issue, so I read up about the multimeter test and hooked my meter up in series to the negative side.
With the multimeter set on 20m for Amps it reads 0.1 for a minute or two then goes to sleep and holds at 0.03. It does this with or without the fuses for Bose or fuses 3 and 4 for seats.
I believe 0.03 means 30milliamps, but I am confused. If the range is up to 20m (milliamps), how can the reading be 30? or even 100?
FYI, i drive my car about once every two weeks and put it on my CTEK charger (highly recommended) one night a week.
With the multimeter set on 20m for Amps it reads 0.1 for a minute or two then goes to sleep and holds at 0.03. It does this with or without the fuses for Bose or fuses 3 and 4 for seats.
I believe 0.03 means 30milliamps, but I am confused. If the range is up to 20m (milliamps), how can the reading be 30? or even 100?
FYI, i drive my car about once every two weeks and put it on my CTEK charger (highly recommended) one night a week.
03-07-2010, 06:20 PM
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Not sure if the 20m means the 20 milliamp scale or not. Assuming it does then .1 would be 1000 micro amps and .03 would be 300 micro amps. You can verify the scale if you have the user's manual. If what I say is true then you should be able to set the meter on the 2000 micro amp scale and see readings of 1000 and 300.
Bill
Bill
03-07-2010, 06:57 PM
#5
Drifting
10 Amp
200 milliamp
20 milliamp
2000 microamp
200 microamp
Just remember when measuring current (amps) always start on the largest scale you have and work your way down, if you use a scale that is lower than the current being drawn it can/will blow the internal fuse in the meter! The 10A scale is fused with a 10 Amp fuse, the other scales are probably fused with a 200 milliamp fuse to cover that whole range...read the manual to know for sure.
Last edited by warpster; 03-07-2010 at 07:01 PM.
03-07-2010, 07:04 PM
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I pulled some new readings as requested. These are for the 10A connector:
200u 0.00
2000u 000
20m 0.03
200m 0.3
10A 0.03
When I used the middle connector, i would not hear the click in the headlight area, and all the readings would show as 1 for out of range. I am pretty sure this is a really cheap meter, and I do not have the manual for it.
200u 0.00
2000u 000
20m 0.03
200m 0.3
10A 0.03
When I used the middle connector, i would not hear the click in the headlight area, and all the readings would show as 1 for out of range. I am pretty sure this is a really cheap meter, and I do not have the manual for it.
03-07-2010, 07:05 PM
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03-07-2010, 07:08 PM
#8
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I pulled some new readings as requested. These are for the 10A connector:
200u 0.00
2000u 000
20m 0.03
200m 0.3
10A 0.03
When I used the middle connector, i would not hear the click in the headlight area, and all the readings would show as 1 for out of range. I am pretty sure this is a really cheap meter, and I do not have the manual for it.
200u 0.00
2000u 000
20m 0.03
200m 0.3
10A 0.03
When I used the middle connector, i would not hear the click in the headlight area, and all the readings would show as 1 for out of range. I am pretty sure this is a really cheap meter, and I do not have the manual for it.
03-07-2010, 07:21 PM
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Thanks for the help on the meter, that 300 miliamps would explain why my battery is draining down fast while it sits.
Tomorrow, I will start pulling fuses and try to find the drain.
Tomorrow, I will start pulling fuses and try to find the drain.
03-07-2010, 07:26 PM
#10
Tech Contributor
Not sure if the 20m means the 20 milliamp scale or not. Assuming it does then .1 would be 1000 micro amps and .03 would be 300 micro amps. You can verify the scale if you have the user's manual. If what I say is true then you should be able to set the meter on the 2000 micro amp scale and see readings of 1000 and 300.
Bill
Bill
the small "m" is milli i.e. mA = milliamps. What looks like a backwards "y" is micro.
03-07-2010, 07:31 PM
#11
Tech Contributor
I'm confused why you do not have the red lead plugged into the 10amp jack, and use the 10 amp scale.
03-07-2010, 08:11 PM
#12
Team Owner
03-07-2010, 09:23 PM
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With the range set on 10A, I got the 0.03 reading which we concluded is 300ma.
I just needed some help understanding how to read the ranges since I did not have the manual.
Thanks again,
I just needed some help understanding how to read the ranges since I did not have the manual.
Thanks again,
Last edited by banner1; 03-07-2010 at 09:38 PM.
03-07-2010, 09:35 PM
#14
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With the range set on 10A, I got the 0.03 reading which we concluded is 300ma.
-----------------------------------------------------
0.03, is 3 one hundreths of one amp. That is 30MA, not 300 MA.
-----------------------------------------------------
0.03, is 3 one hundreths of one amp. That is 30MA, not 300 MA.
03-07-2010, 09:36 PM
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03-07-2010, 09:37 PM
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03-07-2010, 09:41 PM
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03-07-2010, 09:42 PM
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03-07-2010, 09:44 PM
#20
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