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| Battery Drain (Page 5/7) |
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RockinRoger
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MAR 09, 02:40 PM
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Here is another trick. You will need a DMM and a helper. One of you would hold the DMM leads across the battery posts as if you are checking the voltage. The other person will pull each fuse one at a time. Should the voltage reading go up at any time one is pulled, you have found a circuit with a drain. Don't forget, if your door is open there will be a drain. Since you have no trunk light you can eliminate a drain there. Threre will also be a minor drain from the computer. (I don't know what circuit that is on). The drain noticed will be very minor. This is another way to track it. The ammeter (amp draw) is better tho.
| quote | Originally posted by deloreanant:
I don't actually have a bulb in the trunk light. Would it still cause draw without bulb in there to complete the circuit? |
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deloreanant
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MAR 11, 11:08 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Neils88:
Is your multimeter digital or analog? If it is digital and showed 63 before blowing the fuse then the number may be meaningless....they often flash intermediate numbers on their way up to the full amount (unless you mean it sat at 63 for a while, then blew the fuse). Safe bet is always to start at 10A and work your way down. What do you mean by "it's giving you trouble"? If you are blowing fuses at 10A then you have a full short. |
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It is digital. I do believe it blew the 10A (or it was already blown as I don't remember ever needing to use the 10A side in the years I've owned this multimeter) as that is what I started with then when I didn't get a reading I switched to the mA setting and changed my lead to the mA port. I don't like hearing that I likely have a short. That will not be fun to find. But wouldn't the short prevent something from working or cause something to continuously work? If something is not working, I don't know what it is.
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deloreanant
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MAR 11, 11:11 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by deloreanant:
It is digital. I do believe it blew the 10A (or it was already blown as I don't remember ever needing to use the 10A side in the years I've owned this multimeter) as that is what I started with then when I didn't get a reading I switched to the mA setting and changed my lead to the mA port. I don't like hearing that I likely have a short. That will not be fun to find. But wouldn't the short prevent something from working or cause something to continuously work? If something is not working, I don't know what it is. |
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This is a good trick, but since the fuse trick was done at at least one of the three shops, would the problem likely be a relay? Could I test relays by the same means?
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ghelper
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MAR 13, 08:07 PM
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good day what it sound like is the head light motors not disengaging the power source and causing a drain that leaves the the battery dead, If the switch does not engage in the up and down the system continues to draw power causing a power drain till the switch has made contact. I had the same issue and upon checking the door on one head lamp was only up 1/8th of a inch. If you have some turn on and off the lamp you should be able to hear the switch engage both way with the hood up. Don't touch the motors when they are going up and down and keep you hand away because nothing will stop these head lamps with break fingers and arms if in the wrong place. Disconnect power before working on the and make sure power is all out of the system. If you want to try a test turn on head lamp disengage relay both on driver fender by unplugging them, this will stop the head lamps from going up and down but the light will still turn on and off. you will see if your battery still drains in a couple of days. Just make sure they are all the way up you can make sure by turn the manual up on the head lamp motor.
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85 SE VIN 9
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MAR 14, 12:24 PM
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Very good! That makes sense for me, too because one thing I thought it might have to do with closing the hood and it all started with a headlight bulb going out and replacing it. Maybe we should just rebuild the motors with new gears. You're right about being careful with those motors and mechanisms which can basically run anytime.
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deloreanant
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MAR 15, 10:25 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by ghelper:
good day what it sound like is the head light motors not disengaging the power source and causing a drain that leaves the the battery dead, If the switch does not engage in the up and down the system continues to draw power causing a power drain till the switch has made contact. I had the same issue and upon checking the door on one head lamp was only up 1/8th of a inch. If you have some turn on and off the lamp you should be able to hear the switch engage both way with the hood up. Don't touch the motors when they are going up and down and keep you hand away because nothing will stop these head lamps with break fingers and arms if in the wrong place. Disconnect power before working on the and make sure power is all out of the system. If you want to try a test turn on head lamp disengage relay both on driver fender by unplugging them, this will stop the head lamps from going up and down but the light will still turn on and off. you will see if your battery still drains in a couple of days. Just make sure they are all the way up you can make sure by turn the manual up on the head lamp motor. |
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I have flush mount headlights, so there are no motors, but could the switch still be causing the problem even if the lights are off?
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85 SE VIN 9
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MAR 17, 10:09 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by deloreanant:
My headlights certainly are not on, and I don't have stock headlights so it's not a motor running as my headlights are not pop up, but |
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| quote | Originally posted by deloreanant:
I have flush mount headlights, so there are no motors, but could the switch still be causing the problem even if the lights are off? |
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How many times 'till we hear? I think he's talking about the limit switch, which is in the motor mechanisms you don't have.[This message has been edited by 85 SE VIN 9 (edited 03-17-2016).]
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Strappado
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APR 14, 02:04 AM
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If you are having issues blowing fuses you can avoid the risk by disconnecting the battery and using a battery charger with a 12v 2A setting. If you find a short it will just max out near two amps instead of whatever the battery decides to push out.
Set up your charger with the multi meter wired in series, with the 10 amp setting already set prior to adding power.
Connect to your battery leads and go hunting.
Change/disconnect one electrical component at a time. ie fuses, cable connections, sensor connectors...
When you find the right one your meter should drop from 2+ amp drain to .05 ish amp drain(depending upon car alterations)
Good luck
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Patrick
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APR 14, 02:35 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Neils88:
Normal draw with everything shut down should be about 15mA.
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I've been checking for a possible parasitic draw on my '94 Elantra. When I set the multimeter at 10 amps and put the leads between the disconnected negative battery cable and the negative battery terminal, it reads .15
Is that 15mA...or is it a higher reading? I admit I don't understand using this mode on my multimeter. 
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seajai
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APR 14, 08:23 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Patrick:
I've been checking for a possible parasitic draw on my '94 Elantra. When I set the multimeter at 10 amps and put the leads between the disconnected negative battery cable and the negative battery terminal, it reads .15
Is that 15mA...or is it a higher reading? I admit I don't understand using this mode on my multimeter. |
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That's 150mA, 15mA would be .015
1mA = .001 on the meter readout, it goes up from there through .999 which would be 999mA until you reach 1 amp which moves the decimal point over and would show 1.000 (or 1000mA) on the meter readout.
1000 milliamps is the same as 1 amp[This message has been edited by seajai (edited 04-14-2016).]
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