when my negative bat cable is didconnected should i be getting 12.6 volts when connected to the neg bat terminal and ground?

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Anson Craig

If I understand correctly, you are hooking the meter in series in place ot the cable. If that is so, you will get the battery voltage as a reading. So the answer is yes.

thanks just seemed a little confusing and ive been having a lot of brain farts recently

Not sure what your problem is that you were trying to test, but the teat you were doing is to test to parasetic drain on the battery. But, the meter should have been turned to amps, not volts.