Jim's method is cool. No power loss to radios that remember, too (c: ... If one does not have a multimeter.. same trick can be done ( I like the 'post slide idea' ) using a parking lamp. It will glow a deep dull red at around 50 mA, or .05 Amp. Testing in a shaded area is suggested. A good battery will go for a long time at 50 mA.. so if you see anything more than a dull red glow, this is the time to start pulling fuses etc as discussed above. YMMV on the lamp, but it has to get up to pretty bright, indicating a significant leak, before you're in the arena of running down a battery over a short period of time. Full brilliance can be anything up to a few amps, depending on the bulb.. and of course a single parking lamp at full brilliance will go for many hours on a good battery. On Saturday, March 29, 2014 8:58 AM, Jim Cathey <j...@windwireless.net> wrote: > Might be time to do the write up on how to check drain with a > multimeter, crook diodes in alternators are a source of drain.
Here's how I do it: Loosen the negative battery clamp, then hold one multimeter probe (meter set on Amps) vertically on the top post of the battery, and pinch the other probe against the side of the clamp as I lift it up over the probe. Check reading, then drop clamp back down onto the battery. That gives you the reading _without_ breaking the connection, which causes many things to cycle and draw more power than they're would normally. Repeat as necessary, disconnecting fuses, etc. A leaky alternator diode doesn't go through the fusebox. Usually the only unfused things are the alternator, and the starter. And any aftermarket crap that might be installed badly. -- Jim _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
