Battery draining, searched threads but it didn't help

[casper_talon]

Hey anyone that can help, please help me! I've been unable to drive my car for over 2 weeks, because overnight the battery drains. I disconected the radio power, all guages, but if I leave the battery cables connected to the battery, it goes from 12+ volts to about 5 volts or less. If I leave the battery cables disconected overnight, the battery volts stay the same, example: if they are about 7V, they go up to about 7.7V . I bought this multimeter

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

, and checked the battery cables unhooked to the battery, with the ->|- setting, and it said 1.707. How do I check the drain with this multimeter?? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

when I leave the battery cables connected to the battery, but the car is turned off, the volts go down slowly, like: 12.70........12.69.................12.68, every 10 sec. or more. Is this normal?? If I unhook one of the cables, the volts stay the same. I took out the room fuse and the door-locks fuse, just to try, but the drain is still there. The multmeter has a DCA selection, with 2mA; 20mA; 200mA settings, is one of them the one I need to use?

 

[DougR]

You have something draining it..
Check Everything electrical you have touched for Shorts..
Alarm systems are alot of times the problem for a slow drain.

 

[casper_talon]

my car doesn't have an alarm system. How should I check what's draining it with this meter?

 

[turbosax2]

FOR THE CASE OF A BATTERY DRAIN with/without blown fuse, disconnect the positive battery cable terminal (careful not to touch any metal with the wrench) and connect the tester light (or ammeter but read precautions above) between that cable terminal and the positive battery post. (Note: Although you could use the negative battery post for the light, the positive one is preferred so you don't "float the ground" making any voltage measurements to ground meaningless. If you aren't going to be measuring any voltages to ground, the negative post is the safer and preferred one to use - just be sure the light is the only thing connected to the post - all other battery cables go on the other side of the light.) The light is now the only thing connected to the battery post in series with the rest of the car's electrical (note the engine is not going to start with it in). The bulb will limit the current so you now don't have to worry about any short melting the wires. (Don't use an LED as this will glow even when you only have 30mA of current flowing which is normal for ECU and radio memories.)
THE LIGHT WILL GLOW BRIGHTLY if there is a full short. An open door will appear as a full short so it should either be closed, or it's door switches disconnected, or the fuses removed that operate items (eg. dome light) caused by an open door (if the light goes out when removing these fuses, that is the circuit with the short). THE LIGHT WILL GLOW DIMLY if either you have a partial short or normal devices are turned on (which you should turn off to then see how it glows). THE LIGHT WILL NOT GLOW AT ALL if nothing draws any significant current (30-40 mA is an acceptable draw to power the ECU memory, radio memory, etc.).

THEN START DISCONNECTING, and/or removing fuses/relays, and/or switching off, one at a time (1) things that don't work, (2) suspected things, and (3) everything on that circuit. When you disconnect, or switch off, the item that is causing the short, the light will go out (so it's a great detection device). Keep in mind the short may be in the wiring or fuse box which is harder to find, but first check all the easier, more obvious devices and places. If the light always stays on no matter what item you disconnect, you probably have a short in the wiring. In that case switch off all devices one at a time to see if light goes out. If it does, then the short is between the switch and the device. If you still can't find the short, try removing all fuses and relays in both the engine and inside fuse boxes. If the light goes out then start replacing the relays and fuses one at a time until the light goes on (identifying the circuit with the short). If the light is always on, you will need to get a circuit diagrams manual to start tracing and disconnecting wires until the light goes out or, without the light, start measuring voltages and circuit continuities.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...inding-short-partial-short-battery-drain.html

 

[casper_talon]

I really wanted to try and check it with the meter I have. Which DCA selection should I use? 2mA, 20mA or 200mA ?? Or is it with the black arrow thing( ->+) the meter has? when it said 1.707 I took out the "room" fuse next to the pedals, and the meter went to OL (which it basically 0, since it says that when is not connected to anything) Is this correct, or am I way off?

 

[turbosax2]

[Note: You can instead use the ammeter part of a multimeter if the current draw will be less than 10 amps - more than that can damage the meter (check it's maximum) or possibly the car's wiring. You should use a 10A or higher scale since lower scales will add enough resistance to affect the circuit's current draw giving a misleading reading. If you don't know if it's going to be over 10A (which often is the case) you may want to start with the bulb method. Also the bulb limits the current flow to safe levels - the ammeter doesn't].

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...inding-short-partial-short-battery-drain.html

 

[casper_talon]

Yeah but wich part of the meter is the one I should use?? it says the 10A where you pointed out, but the thing I have has 2mA; 20mA and 200mA. What's confusing me it the "m" between the number and "A". Let me know. If not, I'll get the bulb and test it tomorrow. I really wanted to use the meter, that's why I bought it.

 

[turbosax2]

If you are not very familiar with electronics, it is safer to use a test light so you don't mess up your multimeter and/or car's wiring. It doesn't sound like you are an electronics expert so please save yourself the hassle and pick up a $5 test light. But still keep the multimeter - they come in handy in many other situations!

2mA = two milliamps
(1,000 mA = 1 amp)

If you were to use the multimeter you would use the highest setting, but it sounds like your multimeter only goes up to .2 amps.

 

[97GSTAUTO]

m = milli A= Amps. The testing circuits inside of the multimeter is incapable of measuring 10 amps (10000 mA)

 

[casper_talon]

Sure thing, thanks for explaining the amp values! Now I won't mess up the meter, I'll try to see if a neighbor has one that will work, or I'll get the bulb. I really don't want to take the car to an electro-mechanic, don't want them driving my car and taking out wires randomly. Thanks!

 

[Defiant]

If your battery is only starting at twelve volts, it's dead.

 

[casper_talon]

The car started at about 8V also, but at 7V it strugled a bit. I found a 10A meter, I'll be checking the car tomorrow afternoon to see if I find whats draining it. Thanks for all your help!!