:steering:
Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,413
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From: NJ
St. Jude Contributor
Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey
Well a month ago I had to replace the altenator and battery due to a electrical draw from the Dash. So in my sceptism i hooked up a volt meter to see if there was really a draw. Needless to say i removed the fuse and WAALAA. a current flow of 12 volts! to check my gear i looked at the current going through the crank fuse, 0 volts, as expected. So any ideas guys? How can i fix this or should i just knock off 300 bucks off the price to covers the next owners costs?
Pro
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 503
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From: Austin TeXas
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (flyinace2000)
The presence of voltage is not the measurement to be concerned with... To measure current flow, you would have to measure AMPERAGE (current flow) by placing a meter IN SERIES (not across) the circuit you are measuring.
Safety Car
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 3,651
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From: Atlantis
Cruise-In I Veteran
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (flyinace2000)
Volts do not 'flow'.
Electrons 'flow' and the flow is measured in microamps,milliamps and amps and is called "current flow".
It's been a long time since engineering school but there is a definitive number of electrons flowing past a defined point that makes a whole "amp".
Voltage is just a potential like your engine running in neutral. No "flow".
What "FUSE" did you pull? A little more detail and some of these rocket scientist on here will tell you EXACTLY what's wrong.
Electrons 'flow' and the flow is measured in microamps,milliamps and amps and is called "current flow".
It's been a long time since engineering school but there is a definitive number of electrons flowing past a defined point that makes a whole "amp".
Voltage is just a potential like your engine running in neutral. No "flow".
What "FUSE" did you pull? A little more detail and some of these rocket scientist on here will tell you EXACTLY what's wrong.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,413
Likes: 0
From: NJ
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (VetNutJim)
Volts do not 'flow'.
Electrons 'flow' and the flow is measured in microamps,milliamps and amps and is called "current flow".
It's been a long time since engineering school but there is a definitive number of electrons flowing past a defined point that makes a whole "amp".
Voltage is just a potential like your engine running in neutral. No "flow".
What "FUSE" did you pull? A little more detail and some of these rocket scientist on here will tell you EXACTLY what's wrong.
Electrons 'flow' and the flow is measured in microamps,milliamps and amps and is called "current flow".
It's been a long time since engineering school but there is a definitive number of electrons flowing past a defined point that makes a whole "amp".
Voltage is just a potential like your engine running in neutral. No "flow".
What "FUSE" did you pull? A little more detail and some of these rocket scientist on here will tell you EXACTLY what's wrong.
I pulled the 5amp LCD fuse. the VDC read 12v . I will borrow the amp meter from work late. And how would i do a proper test of amperage
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,783
Likes: 2
From: Latham NY
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (flyinace2000)
I pulled the 5amp LCD fuse. the VDC read 12v . I will borrow the amp meter from work late. And how would i do a proper test of amperage
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,842
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From: SANTA CRUZ CA
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (flyinace2000)
.....And how would I do a proper test of amperage.....
[Modified by Oldman, 2:52 PM 7/25/2003]
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Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (Oldman)
Being an ME I have to love you guys!
You know the saying
"you cant spell geek without EE"
Absolutely, no offense intended :nonod:
:hurray: :hurray: :hurray:
You know the saying
"you cant spell geek without EE"
Absolutely, no offense intended :nonod:
:hurray: :hurray: :hurray:
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 230
From: SANTA CRUZ CA
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (ld85)
...."you cant spell geek without EE"...Absolutely, no offense intended.....
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (flyinace2000)
If it is the dash circuit you suspect, then pull the fuse and put the ammeter probes on each fuse clip. The ammeter will then read the current flowing to the dash. The current out of the battery in C4's that are "off" should be less than 50 milliamps. My 87 measures 27 ma. If you put an ammeter in series with the positive battery cable, start the ammeter on its highest scale so the courtesy lights don't pin the ammeter. Or using clip leads to connect the ammeter probes to the battery and the positive cable lug, short the ammeter out by touching the ammeter probes together until the courtesy lights time out and then open the ammeter probes. This bypasses the meter and prevents harming the ammeter. Then you can start pulling fuses one at a time and watch the ammeter reading. A dramatic drop in current shows which circuit is drawing excess current and will need further investigation.
Be careful with your companies VOM, because if you have it set up as an ammeter and then try to measure battery voltage you will damage the ammeter. Ammeters are low resistance devices and a low resistance across a high current source (your car battery) will cause large current to flow and POOOOOOF, no ammeter! :eek:
Be careful with your companies VOM, because if you have it set up as an ammeter and then try to measure battery voltage you will damage the ammeter. Ammeters are low resistance devices and a low resistance across a high current source (your car battery) will cause large current to flow and POOOOOOF, no ammeter! :eek:
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 5
From: Jacksonville Fl
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (Ramrod92)
Of course you are showing a picture of an AC only inductive pickup. (Batteries have DC curernt so that one wont work).
Of course, I have an AC/DC pickup that looks almost like that same one...except mine generates it's own inductive field the DC current interferes with. (It has a battery built in it just for that)
So, if you want to do it that way, expect to pay more for the AC/DC version of the pickup...or do it the old fashioned way and just wire the old fashioned VOM leads in series with the battery ground.
Of course, I have an AC/DC pickup that looks almost like that same one...except mine generates it's own inductive field the DC current interferes with. (It has a battery built in it just for that)
So, if you want to do it that way, expect to pay more for the AC/DC version of the pickup...or do it the old fashioned way and just wire the old fashioned VOM leads in series with the battery ground.
:steering:
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
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From: Indianapolis IN
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (Oldman)
...."you cant spell geek without EE"...Absolutely, no offense intended.....
OK, (Mr. id85)..even though you graciously suggest "no offense intended", I sensed a wry smirk on your face when you entered your post. As I recall, the ME discipline was offered as a two year home-study degree. :yesnod: :cheers:
OK, (Mr. id85)..even though you graciously suggest "no offense intended", I sensed a wry smirk on your face when you entered your post. As I recall, the ME discipline was offered as a two year home-study degree. :yesnod: :cheers:
You caught me dead to rights! I still love you guys though! :seeya
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Re: Hmmmm So That Explains the Dead Battey (flyinace2000)
The meter you bought can only measure A.C. amps with its clamp on jaws. D.C. amps are measured by placing the meter in series using the probes . The specs show 150 ma. d.c. . If the circuit has significantly more than 150 ma, you could damage the meter if it isn't fused on the 150 ma scale. The courtesy lights draw much more than 150 ma. Sears has a clamp on d.c. meter for $49. Now one problem d.c. clamp on meters have is they don't measure low values of current well. D.C. clamp on meters actually measure the magnetic field around a wire to tell the current and at low currents the earth's magnetic field causes a reading and it changes according to the position of the jaws.
[Modified by jfb, 11:00 AM 7/28/2003]
[Modified by jfb, 11:00 AM 7/28/2003]