Battery is always pretty much flat every morning - car starts just
about. However, once its started in the morning its pretty much ok for
the rest of the day.

Sorry for being thick, but can I use a multimeter to see if anything
is draining the battery?

If it is, how do I find out what?

On 10/03/2010 09:31, paulfoel wrote:
Battery is always pretty much flat every morning - car starts just
about. However, once its started in the morning its pretty much ok for
the rest of the day.

Sorry for being thick, but can I use a multimeter to see if anything
is draining the battery?

If it is, how do I find out what?

Disconnect one of the battery terminals and put the multimeter between
the terminal and the end of the lead. If it shows a current with
everything switched off (which it almost certainly will), then you have
a drain. Question is, how much? I would expect about 35 milliamps or so,
because even with everything switched off current is still needed to
maintain some functions.

Rob Graham

Rob Graham wrote:
On 10/03/2010 09:31, paulfoel wrote:
Battery is always pretty much flat every morning - car starts just
about. However, once its started in the morning its pretty much ok
for the rest of the day.

Sorry for being thick, but can I use a multimeter to see if anything
is draining the battery?

If it is, how do I find out what?

Disconnect one of the battery terminals and put the multimeter between
the terminal and the end of the lead. If it shows a current with
everything switched off (which it almost certainly will), then you
have a drain. Question is, how much? I would expect about 35
milliamps or so, because even with everything switched off current is
still needed to maintain some functions.

But don't do this before you've made sure that you've got your radio unlock
codes. ;-)

It's quite likely that it's just that your battery is nearing the end of its
life and needs replacing.

Tim

In article ,
Rob Graham wrote:
On 10/03/2010 09:31, paulfoel wrote:
Battery is always pretty much flat every morning - car starts just
about. However, once its started in the morning its pretty much ok for
the rest of the day.

Sorry for being thick, but can I use a multimeter to see if anything
is draining the battery?

If it is, how do I find out what?

Disconnect one of the battery terminals and put the multimeter between
the terminal and the end of the lead. If it shows a current with
everything switched off (which it almost certainly will), then you have
a drain. Question is, how much? I would expect about 35 milliamps or so,
because even with everything switched off current is still needed to
maintain some functions.

You have to use guile when carrying this out with some cars as the inrush
current when connecting the battery can blow the DVM fuse. So best way is
to make the connection with the DVM shorted, then remove that short after
a short time.

--
*Eschew obfuscation *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 10/03/2010 09:31, paulfoel wrote:
Battery is always pretty much flat every morning - car starts just
about. However, once its started in the morning its pretty much ok for
the rest of the day.

Sorry for being thick, but can I use a multimeter to see if anything
is draining the battery?

If it is, how do I find out what?

Check the boot light and bonnet lamp (if you have them), switch breaks
and the lights stay on and off course are un-noticed

On Mar 10, 10:52*am, "Tim" wrote:
Rob Graham wrote:
On 10/03/2010 09:31, paulfoel wrote:
Battery is always pretty much flat every morning - car starts just
about. However, once its started in the morning its pretty much ok
for the rest of the day.

Sorry for being thick, but can I use a multimeter to see if anything
is draining the battery?

If it is, how do I find out what?

Disconnect one of the battery terminals and put the multimeter between
the terminal and the end of the lead. If it shows a current with
everything switched off (which it almost certainly will), then you
have a drain. Question is, how much? I would expect about 35
milliamps or so, because even with everything switched off current is
still needed to maintain some functions.

But don't do this before you've made sure that you've got your radio unlock
codes. ;-)

It's quite likely that it's just that your battery is nearing the end of its
life and needs replacing.

Tim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Battery is only 6 months old.

paulfoel wrote:
On Mar 10, 10:52 am, "Tim" wrote:
Rob Graham wrote:
On 10/03/2010 09:31, paulfoel wrote:
Battery is always pretty much flat every morning - car starts just
about. However, once its started in the morning its pretty much ok
for the rest of the day.

Sorry for being thick, but can I use a multimeter to see if
anything is draining the battery?

If it is, how do I find out what?

Disconnect one of the battery terminals and put the multimeter
between the terminal and the end of the lead. If it shows a current
with everything switched off (which it almost certainly will), then
you have a drain. Question is, how much? I would expect about 35
milliamps or so, because even with everything switched off current
is still needed to maintain some functions.

But don't do this before you've made sure that you've got your radio
unlock codes. ;-)

It's quite likely that it's just that your battery is nearing the
end of its life and needs replacing.

Tim- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Battery is only 6 months old.

then assuming that the vehicle gets reasonable use and is charging then it
should stay charged. first thing I would do is check the charging, then
charge and test the battery (even though it is recent don't discount it),
then look for drain currents. you could also try disconnecting the battery
overnight.

On 10/03/2010 11:06, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

You have to use guile when carrying this out with some cars as the inrush
current when connecting the battery can blow the DVM fuse.

Only if its a bag of **** you bought from the Pound Shop.


--
Conor
I'm not prejudiced. I hate everyone equally.

Actually, you can trace the current drain quite easily and quite
specifically - without disconnecting the battery.

1. switch everything off
2. open fuse block lid
3. take out one fuse and connect ammeter leads across the socket - make a
note of the current if significant
4. replace fuse
5. rinse and repeat

GB wrote:
Actually, you can trace the current drain quite easily and quite
specifically - without disconnecting the battery.

1. switch everything off
2. open fuse block lid
3. take out one fuse and connect ammeter leads across the socket -
make a note of the current if significant
4. replace fuse
5. rinse and repeat

that would not trace one of the most common drains: the alternator