[Electrical] Sitting current draw
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 3
[Electrical] Sitting current draw
'88 Vert
Ignition off, door open, courtesy lights on:
I = 4.3 amps
Door closed, c0urtesy lights off:
I = 2.2 ma
2.2 ma seems awfully low. Can this be true?
Ignition off, door open, courtesy lights on:
I = 4.3 amps
Door closed, c0urtesy lights off:
I = 2.2 ma
2.2 ma seems awfully low. Can this be true?
Last edited by mgafun; Oct 19, 2011 at 08:30 PM. Reason: spelling
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,752
Likes: 190
From: Indiana PA
An earlier car would have less. A good thing. As long as you are getting the reading correctly and your meter is in the correct range 2.2mA is great. Seems low yes, but if so great. Even if it was 22mA that would be fine.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 3
OK. Thanks for that. I checked it because the battery needs to be recharged if left for 3 weeks even in a solar trickle charger and thought there might be an unusual drain going on. Will have the battery load tested.
Replacement battery with side posts is difficult to source and VERY expensive in this country.
Replacement battery with side posts is difficult to source and VERY expensive in this country.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
Likes: 64
From: Mystic CT
I am surprised side post batteries are so hard to find in the US I don't think there is a car made that did not use them for the last 20 years. Your battery probably has an internal short that is discharging the battery. If it is over 5 to 7 years old it is just over and time for a new one. Parts age out as well as wear out. Think anything that has any kind of rubber and many plastics plus anything that has to cycle off and on everytime you run the car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
OK. Thanks for that. I checked it because the battery needs to be recharged if left for 3 weeks even in a solar trickle charger and thought there might be an unusual drain going on. Will have the battery load tested.
Replacement battery with side posts is difficult to source and VERY expensive in this country.
Replacement battery with side posts is difficult to source and VERY expensive in this country.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/GRN-780800-M/
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Palm Beach
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
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From: Mystic CT
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 3
The only local battery distributor, Exide, that lists any has only one for a ridiculouly high price. I'll try a Holden (GM) dealer. BTW, THAT COUNTRY is 3 hours away by air to its closest point.
Last edited by mgafun; Oct 21, 2011 at 04:29 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,286
Likes: 6
From: Palm Beach
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 3
Final followup
Load test: down to 1/2 capacity. Replaced it with an Endurant 75/650, Group 75 side terminal, 650 CCA. Not cheap here.
New multimeter reveals resting draw is 42 ma. Verified by electrician.
My solar panel is fine. Puts out 75+ ma. Found that the cigarette lighter receptable I had hard wired into the battery was defective, so it was getting no trickle charging at all. Replaced it with a new marine-quality one and now have two 1.5 watt solar panel tricle chargers, the other going to the in-car cigarette lighter receptacle. Battery voltage goes to 12.75 overnight and goes to 13.02 by sundown.
So, new battery, new multimeter, new receptacle solves the mystery. All it took was time and money, as always.
Last edited by mgafun; Nov 11, 2011 at 11:44 PM.
