Battery Current Drain Question
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Tucson Ariz
Battery Current Drain Question
Anyone have any numbers for the ignition off current drain on the battery in a C5 (mine's a '97). I am measuring around .65 amp which seems a little high to me.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Hollywood Md
20-30 milliamps. .020 - .030
.65 amps is way too high. On my '99 it was the radio. Trying pulling that fuse. Make sure the doors are closed and you have waited long enough for all the electronics to "go to sleep." This could take 5 minutes or more.
.65 amps is way too high. On my '99 it was the radio. Trying pulling that fuse. Make sure the doors are closed and you have waited long enough for all the electronics to "go to sleep." This could take 5 minutes or more.
Last edited by cenzo; Jul 10, 2006 at 09:44 PM.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
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1/4 amp is best case. 1/2 amp is about normal per day depending on how many modules were set with memory.
Sometimes all the little relays used got wacked on bumpy roads and are stuck in position so move everything like mirrors, seats, so on and maybe get relay back to off state
Sometimes all the little relays used got wacked on bumpy roads and are stuck in position so move everything like mirrors, seats, so on and maybe get relay back to off state
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
My 98 ran a bit higher than the 02 Z. The 98 measured 0.035. The 02 Z measured 0.020. Yep,,,yours is high!! Are you disconnecting the under hood light and making sure that the car is in the sleep mode?? Measure it at night and see if you can see if there are any interior lights remaining on.
BC
BC
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Fort Wayne IN
Originally Posted by leadfoot2
Anyone have any numbers for the ignition off current drain on the battery in a C5 (mine's a '97). I am measuring around .65 amp which seems a little high to me.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
NO! You need to remove the negative battery terminal and use a meter capable of measuring AMPs (current) Set up the meter to read current and place the meter leads in "SERIES" between the battery and the battery cable. That will give you total system current draw.
If you look closely at the wires on the under hood fuse block B+, you will see two cables. One is the battery cable and the other one goes to the instrument panel fuse box. I guess you could measure current draw there if you wanted but,,just make sure that you remove the correct wire (battery cable lead) to put in series with the meter.
Let us know how you make out or if you have any more questions.
BC
If you look closely at the wires on the under hood fuse block B+, you will see two cables. One is the battery cable and the other one goes to the instrument panel fuse box. I guess you could measure current draw there if you wanted but,,just make sure that you remove the correct wire (battery cable lead) to put in series with the meter.
Let us know how you make out or if you have any more questions.
BC
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 377
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From: Tucson Ariz
I suspected it was high because it kept drianing my Optima battery dead if I didn't drive it for a couple weeks. All lights were off - the hood light is disconnected. The battery had been disconnetced for a couple days when I measured it, don't know if that causes the computer to draw more current resetting itself or something. Will try it again after the battery has been connected and everything settled down.
