[T3] Draw on battery.

[dlstiefel]

On 2016-06-23 15:09, William J wrote:
> You are checking volts (IE) voltage drop to do a voltage drop you need
> to leave the cables connected . The way you  are testing you have a
> voltage drop on 1 volt between the neg battery terminal and ground
> cable.

Yes that is the way I was doing it.


> To really check for a draw I would use the amp setting on the DMM
> connecting one lead to the battery positive and the other to the
> disconnected positive cable and see how many amps are being drawn if
> less than 10 go to the ma scale if you have one .

I have had much time to fool with it much but I will try that. Just all 
ways checked a draw with volts the way I described. But I'm not to proud 
to say I was doing it right and will try the amps side like you describe 
as I'm always up to learning something new

> I would check the battery terminals and the battery ground strap where
> in mounts to the panel and just clean both and clean the battery
> positive terminal and clamp . Your voltage tells me it's charging .
> How old is the battery ?

Terminals are clean. The battery was put on new during the restoration 
I'll have to look on the age exactly. I charged it when I got home the 
next day and done a load test with a portable batter tester it checked 
out OK.

> 7 volts is quite a lot of a draw also keep in mind the red/white cable
> to the B+ on the reg is the main power feed .

7 was what it was the day after. The day of it was 12.5V on the wire.

> Try removing the other
> red/white lead that feeds the power to the fuse box just to narrow it
> down while leaving the red/white from the battery connected that will
> tell you if the draw is between the battery pos and regulator B+ or
> from the regulator B+ to the ign and or fuse panel none of those are
> fused . You can use the voltmeter but it's easier to use the amp meter
> so you know the amp draw. Just don't try to start the car with the amp
> meter connected.
> 
> If you find the draw in between the reg B+ and the fuse box . If you
> have a bentley you will see what I'm talking about also if you have a
> rear window defroster it also runs off the regulator and it the relay
> is stuck on for some reason there is a fuse holder right off the
> regulator about 6 inchs away remove that fuse and see if that cures
> it.

The rear defroster has been disabled as the grid on the rear glass is no 
good and it's parked in a shop most of the time and I rarely drive it in 
foul weather and I do have a very worn Bentley from the restoration a 
few years ago.

Dennis