Timetravelinn

I have been fighting with a power drain for a minute now, or what I thought was one. But now when I touch a test light between the neg post and the cable I get no light, which means there is no drain? While driving my volt gauge stays at 12 and doesn't move this is after I tightened the wires on the alternater before it read at 14-16. Is it just a bad battery?

jwog666

if there is no light there is at best a very small draw, you should connect a multi meter between the neg cable and the neg post set to the amps setting. if you read .050a or less you dont have a significant draw. i would pull the battery and take it to an auto parts store. most will test them for free, then you can be sure.

Kramer

.050a is the common standard on computer controlled cars. the computers need the power to retain memory. I was reading earlier this evening in the ron francis wiring catalogue it said that a draw that size would keep the battery charged for a month, but classic cars can last around 6months without a charge because there really should not be anything on. with that being said .050a is a good mark to shoot for and you can just take the car down to the parts store and have them check it, the only problem being if the connection is corroded it will mess with the results.

MBDiagMan

Yes, it might last six months, but that would be very hard on the battery. If you set it up for that long, you should either rig up a battery tender or charge the battery about once every month or two.

If you suspect a drain put the ammeter in series as described above. If there IS a drain, begin removing fuses one at a time and see if the drain goes away. If it does, then that is your problem circuit.

Good luck,

jlg2002

Unless you broke a wire it's not related. It may or may not be a bad Vreg, Alt or Battery. You can test your alternator at home by pullin the plug off o fthe Vreg and shorting the A and F term together, if the alt is good the Voltage will fly to max and so will the current (this is called full fielding and is similar to the test that an auto repair store will do) this would prove the Vreg was bad and prove the alt was good. The only way to check a battery is with a load test. Take it to an auto parts dealer for testing.

Timetravelinn

well now I hooked up my battery and it's not draining. Last night my multimeter read 12.44 and this morning it was 12.43. Last time I went throught the wiring I disconnected the driver side door jam button and I noticed a little sparking when I wiggled it. Who knows but hopefully It stays holding its charge. Thanks for all the input. Now on to the bipolar tail light.