Battery drain
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Crescent PA
Battery drain
87 Vette Coupe - trying to troubleshoot battery drian - new battery!
I disconnected the negative cable. Trouble light from negative battery terminal to battery. Found voltage on LCD & courtesy light circuit breakers. Unable to find ground stud # 201. Reading the print and trying to isolate each component...but unable to. Is there an amp meter I can use or make to put in series. My battery voltage is 13 volts. Is there an easier way for trouble shooting each individual component to isolate cause for battery drainage? All other light indicators normal..no lights on after the key is off. What direction do take? Suggestions welcomed. :confused:
I disconnected the negative cable. Trouble light from negative battery terminal to battery. Found voltage on LCD & courtesy light circuit breakers. Unable to find ground stud # 201. Reading the print and trying to isolate each component...but unable to. Is there an amp meter I can use or make to put in series. My battery voltage is 13 volts. Is there an easier way for trouble shooting each individual component to isolate cause for battery drainage? All other light indicators normal..no lights on after the key is off. What direction do take? Suggestions welcomed. :confused:
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,828
Likes: 214
From: Charlestown IN
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: Battery drain (Vette's Red)
Pull the fuses out and back one at a time until you find the circuit with the drain. Then go to your schematic and run down what's on that circuit. Is this something that just started, or did something happen to cause it? A trouble lite is usually the easiest to use. I had a drain once. Took overnite. It was the alarm module. The security lite would flash constantly when off. Also, if I'm not mistaken, all the grounds for the display and such are on the top driver's side bell housing bolt into the block. Hope this helps.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Battery drain (Vette's Red)
Pick up a nice DMM at Radio Shack; chose one with a dual Amp range; mine has 10A & 300mA range selection (should be in the $40-$50 range or maybe cheaper by now). Also pick up some clip leads for connecting the DMM leads to various points.
Disconnect the battery negative lead, set the DMM to auto range on the 10A scale and hook it in series between the battery and ground. Connect the black lead to ground & the red lead to the battery "-" terminal.
Then you can proceed to pull each fuse in succession while looking for a substantial drop in current reading.
Disconnect the battery negative lead, set the DMM to auto range on the 10A scale and hook it in series between the battery and ground. Connect the black lead to ground & the red lead to the battery "-" terminal.
Then you can proceed to pull each fuse in succession while looking for a substantial drop in current reading.
