Need Help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 243
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From: salisbury missouri
Need Help
I need help with a problem I have 5 fuses in the dash that stay hot with the key off and it drains my battery in 6 to 8 hrs. Have a O-meter
how do I hook it up to the battery to see how many amps it's drawing with the key off.
Can anybody help me figure out why I have 5 fuses hot all the time even when the key is off.
how do I hook it up to the battery to see how many amps it's drawing with the key off.
Can anybody help me figure out why I have 5 fuses hot all the time even when the key is off.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
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To measure parasitic draw I disconnect the battery negative cable, then probe from the batt neg pole to the car's negative cable w/ a meter set to 0-10A range. Key stays in the OFF position at all times during the test, all doors closed except the hood. I pull the bulb from the underhood light fixture if it has one...you want the test to reflect normal resting mode.
You'll want to hold the meter on for a minute or so, some cars draw quite a bit at first and then drop off as the BCM and whatnot pull more current during initial power-up.
Report back w/ your findings. My LS1 car pulls 95mA with the key off just for reference.
As for your question on the fuses, certain circuits are hot full-time and others are switched when the key is in the RUN position. You can check each circuit using the same method described above...just pull the fuse, probe across it w/ your meter set to 0-10A.
You'll want to hold the meter on for a minute or so, some cars draw quite a bit at first and then drop off as the BCM and whatnot pull more current during initial power-up.
Report back w/ your findings. My LS1 car pulls 95mA with the key off just for reference.
As for your question on the fuses, certain circuits are hot full-time and others are switched when the key is in the RUN position. You can check each circuit using the same method described above...just pull the fuse, probe across it w/ your meter set to 0-10A.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: salisbury missouri
i disconected the ground from the battery and i have found that their is a draw on something.
heres what i did-key not in car,hooked my bulb tester to the ground cable to the negative bat post,bulb lightsup so i started pulling fuses from the dash fuse panel and found their are 3 fuses causing the bulb to lightup.
what should i do to find the problem should the bulb not lightup at all?
my meter wont even take a reading for some reason
heres what i did-key not in car,hooked my bulb tester to the ground cable to the negative bat post,bulb lightsup so i started pulling fuses from the dash fuse panel and found their are 3 fuses causing the bulb to lightup.
what should i do to find the problem should the bulb not lightup at all?
my meter wont even take a reading for some reason
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 653
Likes: 0
i disconected the ground from the battery and i have found that their is a draw on something.
heres what i did-key not in car,hooked my bulb tester to the ground cable to the negative bat post,bulb lightsup so i started pulling fuses from the dash fuse panel and found their are 3 fuses causing the bulb to lightup.
what should i do to find the problem should the bulb not lightup at all?
my meter wont even take a reading for some reason
heres what i did-key not in car,hooked my bulb tester to the ground cable to the negative bat post,bulb lightsup so i started pulling fuses from the dash fuse panel and found their are 3 fuses causing the bulb to lightup.
what should i do to find the problem should the bulb not lightup at all?
my meter wont even take a reading for some reason
Therefore a test light will always light.
If your meter is like most, you need to move the positive probe to a different position on the meter when measuring amperage. Usually they're labeled DC-A or AMPS or something similar.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: salisbury missouri
this is crazy i hooked the meter up like you said and from ground post to ground cable it is showing a 10.5 volt drain.
if i pull the main 40 amp fuse under the lid it drops the draw down to 1.2 volts this 40 amp fuse is the horn and parking lights.horn and park lights work fine.
if i cant figure this out by tuesday going to have chevy look at it and we all know how much that can be on wireing problems.like to fix it my self.car gos dead just by setting over night.if i pull the 40 amp fuse it will not go dead.
if i pull the main 40 amp fuse under the lid it drops the draw down to 1.2 volts this 40 amp fuse is the horn and parking lights.horn and park lights work fine.
if i cant figure this out by tuesday going to have chevy look at it and we all know how much that can be on wireing problems.like to fix it my self.car gos dead just by setting over night.if i pull the 40 amp fuse it will not go dead.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 653
Likes: 0
this is crazy i hooked the meter up like you said and from ground post to ground cable it is showing a 10.5 volt drain.
if i pull the main 40 amp fuse under the lid it drops the draw down to 1.2 volts this 40 amp fuse is the horn and parking lights.horn and park lights work fine.
if i pull the main 40 amp fuse under the lid it drops the draw down to 1.2 volts this 40 amp fuse is the horn and parking lights.horn and park lights work fine.
