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parasitic battery drain check

S

skip33652

Member
ok not a tractor but could be. I am needing confirmation of my test results.
when testing for dca drain I get .03 when testing on the 10a setting. when I switch multimeter to 200m setting I get .3.
according to one individual 200a means max 200 milla amps which would mean I have a drain of .3 milla amps.
if the 10 amp setting means max 10 amps that would mean 30 milla amps which would make sense on avehichle with computer and a clock. HElp Paul
 
If I'm reading your post correctly .03 on 10a range is 30ma and .3 on 200 ma range is .3ma. How can they both be right? You have a defective meter or on the 10 a range the meter has almost zero internal resistance, only the wire shunt. Then on the 200 ma range there is a larger internal resistance. Either way, it sounds like you may have a problem with meter.

I would do a CCA test with conductivity tester and see how fast battery drains. However, the temperature will play with the CCA numbers.

How fast does your battery drain? If I were uncertain and don't have a tester, take battery to Napa or auto zone.
 
If a parjing lamp (not led) is visibly lit when hooked between a battery post and the battery terminal, there is too much drain. It might light up at first then go out. I needs to stay out. 30milliamps is OK. Jim
 
you should not expect a precision reading at a hundredth of full scale. Not a bad meter, just mis application of meter
 
Ya one like that can be like my pick up truck battery. If I leave the brake controller hooked up the battery will go dead in a month or so but unhooked the battery stays charged for 6 month or more with me not using it
 
For some reason, many batteries will self discharge, especially in 6 months. I find jell cells don't self discharge as bad as Ni-cd.

That's why I think all batteries should be freshened up and not let sit, especially in the winter months.
 
Disconnect your battery altogether and use a 2,6 or 10 amp trickle charger as the power source.
See what amps the charger is putting out then try to figure out what would draw that much current. You can pull fuses while the charger is on. I've found many electrical drains this way.
 
the battery is a gell type and would stay up enough to start car for 45 days or so then slowly became30 days then 10 days then 2 days . Ive had it on battery tender for last couple months .I now know battery shot I also know a 30 milli amp drain ok or normal but have two different multi meters here and would really like to know for sure if I really have 30 milli amp or more or less. thanks Paul
 
(quoted from post at 20:31:47 01/07/15) the battery is a gell type and would stay up enough to start car for 45 days or so then slowly became30 days then 10 days then 2 days . Ive had it on battery tender for last couple months .I now know battery shot I also know a 30 milli amp drain ok or normal but have two different multi meters here and would really like to know for sure if I really have 30 milli amp or more or less. thanks Paul
Click to expand...

There are some smart people on YT (just ask them) but it's highly unlikly there's one who can tell you if your meters are accurate without testing them in person. Why not replace the battery since you know it's bad. Have a local tv repairman test both meters then you can retest battery drain.
 
I can't really see how a solar can do much good. Half my winter days are cloudy and shortest day is 9 hrs and 22 minutes. Besides, I keep everything with a battery under roof, never leave outside. So do you run wires from solar inside?
 
I was talking about the 12v jell battery in my implement trailer for the emergency brakes. It seems to stay charged for a very long time. I wasn't aware of a 12v jell used in cars.

If I had a 30 ma drain, I would find it by pulling one fuse at a time. A friend had a tiny light in visor that light the mirror wouldn't turn off. It was a very small drain, but in 12 days her battery was dead. 30ma sounds small, but could be large enough to play with a weak battery. I had the light under hood wouldn't shut off. It would drain my old battery over night. Again a small drain, but an old battery. I just removed the bulb, problem solved. Battery lasted for another year or two.
 
if you have a computer, a clock, and a memory type radio you are going to have some battery drain . I have read on other forums that you want no more than 50 milli amps drain it would appear that I have either 30 or .3 milli amp drain which is acceptable I was kind of wanting to know what drain I had for sure.Paul
 
I don't know what parjing light is -- but I have test light when hooked in circuit it goes bright then dim then out as computer goes to sleep.Paul
 
All my sheds are closed. I want to keep the thees out, keep my tools inside. Knock on wood, so far so good. It's been close to zero, I still have water which isn't frozen on the pole barn floor. When the sun is out, the uninsulated metal on barn must be acting like a solar collector. Barn is warmer. I could have ice on floor this morning, sub zero temps last night.
 
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