Tracing a Electrical Drain......When My
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 545
Likes: 0
From: Upstate Snow Country NY
Tracing a Electrical Drain......When My
Red Top Battery went dead, when I took it to Advance Auto they charged it to full capacity and said it probably drained due to a drain somewhere and I could identify the drain if I purchased a 12V test unit and put one end on the cable ( not connected to the battery ) and the other end to the battery post. If the indicator light stayed lit when I pulled a fuse, that was the circuit that had the short. If I put the Alligator clip on the cable screw, and the other probe on the battery post, wouldn't that complete the circuit and keep the indicator light " ON " whether or not a fuse was pulled ?
How can I identify the circuit causing the drain on the battery ?
I'm having the typical problem with the passenger window working intermittantly.
How can I identify the circuit causing the drain on the battery ?
I'm having the typical problem with the passenger window working intermittantly.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 66
From: Middletown CT
Re: Tracing a Electrical Drain......When My (Cruises)
A short, means you have a path from the + side of the battery to the - side of the battery, which is connected to the chassis. Other than the circiuts that maintains the volatile memory for the computer, or clock in the radio,there should be no path to the - side of the battery, when the ignition is off.There is always going to be a small amount of current drain on the battery , to maintain the volatile memory for such things as proper idle settings when you start the car. That is probably not enough current to light a test light. Unless you have a short that is bad enough to cause enough current to flow, to light the test light, you still might not be able to detect the problem. A better method would be to use an ammeter, set to a low range, between the + battery terminal and the cable. You need to know what normal current draw is, and then pull fuses, one at a time, until the meter returns to the normal value. You can try the test light method. It may find the problem, but it may not.
One thing you didn't mention, is how long the car sits before the battery goes dead. If its been sitting in the garage all winter, without a battery maintainer hooked up, the battery will eventually be drained.
[Modified by Greg_E, 8:21 PM 3/6/2004]
[Modified by Greg_E, 8:40 AM 3/7/2004]
One thing you didn't mention, is how long the car sits before the battery goes dead. If its been sitting in the garage all winter, without a battery maintainer hooked up, the battery will eventually be drained.
[Modified by Greg_E, 8:21 PM 3/6/2004]
[Modified by Greg_E, 8:40 AM 3/7/2004]
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 7,035
Likes: 134
From: North Augusta, SC
Re: Tracing a Electrical Drain......When My (Greg_E)
You can also check for current by pulling out a fuse (with the car OFF) and putting the test leads into the slots where the fuse just came out. No short=no current.
One warning, a true short could peg your amperage reading and possibly blow the fuse in your meter. Also, be careful not to bend the contacts in the fuse plugs.
Good luck! :cheers:
One warning, a true short could peg your amperage reading and possibly blow the fuse in your meter. Also, be careful not to bend the contacts in the fuse plugs.
Good luck! :cheers:
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 545
Likes: 0
From: Upstate Snow Country NY
Re: Tracing a Electrical Drain......When My (Cruises)
Hey Guys, thanks for the information, I'll try your methods. I thought maybe I could find the intermittant window problem this way prior to replacing the window drive motor which is a lot more expensive than a circuit tester and amp meter. :cheers:
Racer
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: Bayside NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Tracing a Electrical Drain......When My (Cruises)
Those gel babteries like Optima are only good for a year . They are garbage, dont last long at all. Go put yourself a regular liquid filled battery and your problems will go away.
Racer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 362
Likes: 0
From: Macomb Mi
Re: Tracing a Electrical Drain......When My (Gus)
GUS your information is totally iccorrect. RED top is the battery of choice. It has a 84 month warranty. You should read some of the disasters to the P.C.M.'s being ruined by the liqued filled DELCO junk's. Sorry to ruin your day, but you shouldn't endeavor to mislead others on the Forum. That's my 2CTS ! :( :( :( :chevy
