88_5.0

I have an electrical draw in my car somewhere so when my car sit's for a day or more the battery is dead. Until i find the draw i have been disconecting my negative side everytime i park. Is there a promlem that could occur besides my computer reseting everytime i do it and loosing all my stereo presets?

SShadowSSin

I'm not sure on your question, but to help solve the problem...here's some advice. Take a Digital Volt Meter, and set it on milli Amps. Disconnect you negative battery cable and put the positive lead from your meter on the disconnected battery cable, and the negative meter lead on the negative battery post. This should tell you how much current your car is constantly drawing, therefore giving you a better idea on what your problem could be. Also, think about any changes you may have made to your car's electrical system, and any other things like that. Hope it helps...I hate problems like this!!! [:@]

mustang8719

Another pointer when you are connecting the meter.Put both ends of the meter on before you disconnect the terminal from the battery then slide it off easy.Alot of times if you disconnect first then attach them if you have a pretty big draw it will blow the fuse in the meter.If you connect to both ends first then remove the terminal then there is not so much of an amp spike on the meter.

mustang8719

If you didn't understand how I was explaining to do it these pics might help.

[IMG]local://upfiles/7528/749B7B618B114940A9F8167015385A36.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/7528/F270E67BD6514533BCAA262AB699AA15.jpg[/IMG]

Mustangous

if you dont have a multi meter you can use a test light in between and start pulling fuses out and see if there is a change in amps or change in the light of the test light. You can narrow it down to what circuit...

88_5.0

hey thanks guys my dad has a meter so i'll steal it from him sometime

90GTRagtop

Regarding the meter settings, I'd suggest starting at the HIGHEST amp reading range and working your way down (if the multimeter is manually ranged). That would minimize the risk of meter circuit damage, and it will minimize mistaking an over-range reading for no draw. You say it's dying in a couple of days. If you figure nominally a 165 amp-hr battery and assume loosing 80% would be enough not to be able to start the car (132 amp-hr) and it's happening over a 48 hour period, that would take at least a 2.75 amp draw. This is of course making a lot of assumptions (your battery size, battery in good condition, etc.) but it gives you the order of magnitude you're probably working with.

Good luck, Sometimes tracking electrical draws can be a real pain.

roundman

just for grins check the lights under the hood and trunk/hatch to make sure they are going off when they are closed.